Studies of important natural, recreational, historical or prehistorical, and cultural lands, waters, places, and structures within the delta region.
Heritage Study Environmental Assessment Lower Mississippi Delta Region Volume 1 and Heritage Study Environmental Assessment Lower Mississippi Delta Region Volume 2
This is volume I of a two-volume heritage study of the Lower Mississippi Delta (the Delta) region. Stretching from just north of Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, and Fort DeChartre, Illinois, to the mouth of the Mississippi below New Orleans, the study area is vast and is home to some of North America’s richest natural resources. In addition, the region’s diverse and complex cultural history and heritage have helped shape our national character. From the Mound building civilizations of the Mississippian period to the modem architecture of Memphis, Jackson, and New Orleans, and from “King Cotton” of the 19th century to the Delta blues of the 20th century, the Delta has been at the forefront of national trade, settlement, political agendas, and social struggles. This heritage study presents several concepts for preserving and presenting to visitors different combinations of heritage resources across the region. These combinations would help preserve for future generations the rich natural and cultural heritage of a truly unique region of the nation. Volume II contains cultural, natural, recreational, and economic resource overviews as well as lists of national historic landmarks and districts, national natural landmarks, and data analysis on over 2,000 resources in the Delta. Together the volumes create a base of information from which Congress can make decisions regarding future planning and/or implementation strategies related to heritage tourism in the Delta. The information contained in these volumes will also be available to state and local agencies in the study area as well as heritage tourism and/or preservation or other interested groups, organizations, or residents. (text from Administrative History, pp 46—7)
The heritage study was initiated to meet Section 1103 of P.L. 103-433 of the California Desert Land Protection Act and also addressed Section 1104. The first volume described the legislative requirements for the Lower Mississippi Delta Initiative, the geographic region of the LMDI, the stories of the people, places, and events of the delta which leaned on the findings from the Stories of the Delta: Lower Mississippi Delta Symposium report, a series of nine concepts which spanned the key focus areas and findings for the LMDI, and four management alternatives to effectively address Sections 1103 and 1104 of the legislation (NPS, 1998a). The concepts identified in volume 1 included: natural resources as the heart of the delta, manipulating the Mississippi River to facilitate navigation and manage flood flows, a seismic zone road tour, cultural diversity in the region, Native American heritage in the delta, African-American heritage in the delta, the Civil War, a Delta blues commemorative area, and Delta agriculture (NPS, 1998a). The four management alternatives were a heritage tourism initiative, the establishment of a National Heritage Area, the development of heritage centers, and the development of a delta heritage information network (NPS, 1998a). Finally volume 1 considered how each alternative would impact the environment in the area (NPS, 1998a).
The second volume of the study provided an in-depth review of the history and culture of the region specifically as it pertained to heritage, the economy, and the Civil War; the natural environment including ecoregions, species, resources, protected areas, and natural disasters; and an overview of recreation and the economy in the region with a focus on supply and demand, migration, and transportation (NPS, 1998b). The report also lists the National Historic Landmarks and historic districts, National Natural Landmarks, and catalogs over 2,000 resources in the Delta (NPS, 1998b). The study allowed for Congress to make future decisions on actions to improve the protection of the natural, cultural, and historic resources and enhance regional tourism.
View the Hertiage Study & Environmental Assessment Reports
Great River Road Designation
Determination of designating the Great River Road (identified in Lower Mississippi Delta Development Commission, 1990, pp. 102-103) including section between Baton Rouge, LA and New Orleans, LA as a National Scenic Byway, National Trails System unit, or other appropriate designation. It was designated a National Scenic Byway in 2009. The scenic byway begins at the Arkansas border and follows the west side of the Mississippi River south (Federal Highway Administration, n.d.). At the southwest corner of Mississippi, the road splits and continues south on both sides of the river continuing through Baton Rouge and New Orleans on the eastern side (Federal Highway Administration, n.d.). It was also designated as a Louisiana Byway.
Learn more about the Great River Road
Learn more about the National Scenic Byways Program
Stories of the Delta: Lower Mississippi Delta Symposium
From June 4th-6th, 1996 the Lower Mississippi Delta Symposium, part of phase 1 of the heritage study, was held. The symposium included the NPS Director, the Director of the Lower Mississippi Delta Development Commission, and 25 experts on the people, history, economy, and natural resources of the region, who shared stories from their experiences in the Delta (Shapins Associates, Inc. & Sylvia Angell Written Communications. (1996). Lower Mississippi Delta symposium: Stories of the delta.) The report from the symposium provided background to the LMDR, discussed the workshop, shared important stories from the symposium, the themes discussed, and the key sites noted by participants (Shapins Associates, Inc. & Sylvia Angell Written Communications, 2006). Participants’ stories touched on the importance of sharing Delta cultures, cultural diversity and vitality, the working people who make up the region, preserving the cotton plantation story for the future, race relations, spirituality, music and the blues, Native American history, and the river and resources and efforts to control it (Shapins Associates, Inc. & Sylvia Angell Written Communications, 2006). The findings from the theme discussions highlighted the history of the people in the region; the social structures and political movements of the people; the cultural values including music, dance, arts and crafts, architecture, literature, recreation, and food; the economic periods of the area; and the environmental changes to both the river and the land (Shapins Associates, Inc. & Sylvia Angell Written Communications, 2006). The final piece of the report was an inventory of important sites, listed by state. While the sites are not intended to be exhaustive, they provide a starting point for identifying places that are unique and important to celebrate and preserve.
View the Stories of the Delta
“We Know Who We Are”: An Ethnographic Overview of the Creole Community and Traditions of Isle Brevelle and Cane River, Louisiana
During initial meetings for the development of Cane River Creole National Historical Park, it was discovered that an ethnographic overview of Cane River did not exist (Gregory & Moran, 1996). This led to funding for a study from Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve (“We Know Who We Are”: An Ethnographic Overview of the Creole Community and Traditions of Isle Brevelle and Cane River, Louisiana, by Gregory and Moran (1996)). The study included taped oral interviews, participation in a community-based heritage development workshop, and participant observation (Gregory & Moran, 1996). The study found that Creole culture was not lost as sometimes has been depicted but is active and has crossed geographic distances to develop and maintain close networks among the community (Gregory & Moran, 1996). While distance from Cane River may prevail for many Creoles, Gregory and Moran found that it would always be perceived as home for the community.
View the Ethnographic Overview of the Creole Community Study
Regionwide Archeological Survey Plan
The regionwide archeological survey plan was an initiative of the NPS’s Systemwide Archeological Inventory Program, “a systematic research effort designed to locate, evaluate, and document archeological resources in units of the national park system” (NPS, n.d., p.1). To meet the goal of the program regions of the National Park Service were required to develop a plan to survey the resources of the region. The Southeast Archeological Center completed this plan for the Southeast Region. The plan included a description of each park unit in the region, the history of the region, the current status of known archeological resources in the region, the framework and methods for the study including strategies to determine recommendations for the National Register of Historic Places and techniques for inventory and site testing, a categorization framework, and a ranking of resources based on research needs.
For additional information refer to Regionwide archeological survey: Southeast field area. National Park Service Keel, B. C., Cornelison, J. E. Jr., & Brewer, D. M. (1996).
View the Regionwide Archeological Survey Plan
Ancient Indian Architecture of the Lower Mississippi Delta Region: A Study of Earthworks
The Ancient Indian Architecture of the Lower Mississippi Delta Region: A Study of Earthworks was completed to address Section 1107 of the legislation. The goal of the study was to gather and share all the available data for mounds in four states of the Mississippi Delta Region (Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and western Tennessee). A workshop occurred in June 1995 to make decisions regarding data collection and the evaluation of sites. The study formally launched after that point. The resulting report summarized regional cultural history, highlighting the construction of earthen mounds, previous archeological research in the region, the state of the mounds and concerns to preservation, and identified sites for preservation.
For additional information refer to Ancient Indian architecture of the Lower Mississippi Delta Region. Southeast Archeological Center, National Park Service, Prentice, G. (2000).
View the Ancient Indian architecture of the Lower Mississippi Delta Region Study
View the Ancient Earthworks of the Ouachita Valley in Louisiana Study
Delta Vision, Delta Voices: The Mississippi Delta Beyond 2000
The goal of this report was to showcase the natural, capital, and cultural resources of the Delta and to allow a forum for participation and input from Mississippi Delta stakeholders in the re-growth of the region. Department of Transportation Secretary, Rodney Slater, led the work which focused on four themes: improving the quality of life, revitalizing the regional economy, protecting and restoring the natural resources and the environment to enhance tourism, and promoting regional planning and development (Slater, 2000). Specific topics such as housing, education, infrastructure, health care, disaster assistance, transportation, job training, community development, natural resources, tourism, and regional planning were reviewed in the report (Delta vision, delta voices: The Mississippi delta beyond 2000. U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2000). The report also included a series of statements from the seven state governors, congress members of the region, and multiple prominent organizations in the region (Slater, 2000).
View the Delta Visions, Delta Voices Study
Legislation
This Initiative, Public Law 103-433, directs the Secretary of the Interior to undertake a comprehensive program of studies on heritage in the Lower Mississippi Delta.
Access Public Law 103-433
Documents
Draft Heritage Study and Enviornmental Assesment, Vol. IDraft Heritage Study and Environmental Assessment, Vol. II
Last updated: February 4, 2022