[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 102 (Thursday, July 17, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1455-E1456]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


              NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAILS CENTER, CASPER, WY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BARBARA CUBIN

                               of wyoming

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 17, 1997

  Mrs. CUBIN. Mr. Speaker, over a century and a half has now passed 
since the historic

[[Page E1456]]

overland migrations of people across America's Western frontier began. 
Their stories of hardship, perseverance, and courage are legendary, and 
they figure prominently in the history of the West. The trails they 
traveled, especially in Wyoming, still remain a visible testimony to 
the great struggles of these early American pioneers.
  During the mid-1800's, Casper, WY, was the only geographic location 
in the Western United States where the Oregon, Mormon, California, and 
Pony Express trails, as well as many Indian trails converged. A fork of 
the Bozeman Trail and the beginnings of the Bridger Trail also 
originated in Casper. These trails are a distinctive part of our 
Nation's past and they possess important historical and cultural values 
representing themes of migration, settlement, transportation, and 
commerce that shaped the landscape of the West.
  Congress has recognized the historical significance of these trails. 
The National Trails Systems Act, as amended in 1978 and 1992, 
designates the Oregon, Mormon Pioneer, California, and Pony Express 
Trails as ``National Historic Trails.'' The act also directs the 
Secretary of the Interior to protect, interpret, and manage the 
remnants of these trails on Federal lands.
  While large segments of these trails, and their associated historic 
sites lie on Bureau of Land Management [BLM] lands in Wyoming, no 
interpretive center is available in Wyoming, or any adjacent State, to 
educate the public on the role of these trails in our Nation's history.
  In an effort to preserve and interpret this important history, today 
I am introducing legislation to establish the National Historic Trails 
Interpretive Center [NHTIC] in Casper, WY. The bill encompasses a 
unique partnership of Federal and non-Federal interests to jointly 
construct and operate this Center. These interests include the BLM, the 
city of Casper, and the nonprofit National Historic Trails Foundation. 
These entities came together in 1992 to build a center to memorialize 
and interpret the national historic trails in the West.
  The interpretive and educational programs that will be associated 
with the Trails Center in Casper will enable visitors to discover and 
appreciate the miles of untouched trails that lie on public lands in 
the West. The Center will identify and help protect sensitive historic 
trail remnants to prevent degradation. The National Historic Trails 
Centers will also provide an opportunity for the BLM to showcase public 
lands emphasizing the Bureau's commitment to preserve lands of 
historical value.

  Under the cooperative agreement, there is a clear commitment of non-
Federal partners to share costs to construct, maintain, and operate the 
Trails Center. City, State, foundation, and private interests will bear 
approximately half of the total costs of the project. The city of 
Casper provided funds to initiate work on the Center. The city has also 
donated more than 10 acres of prime land overlooking the site of the 
North Platte River crossings of the historic trails for the Center. 
Furthermore, the citizens of Casper increased local sales taxes and 
have raised the required 1.5 million of construction dollars to meet 
their financial commitment under the cooperative agreement. The State 
of Wyoming has joined the partnership by giving $700,000 for the 
Center. The cooperative agreement also requires non-Federal entities to 
establish a $1 million endowment, the interest thereof to maintain 
exhibits for the life of the Center. The overwhelming amount of non-
Federal support for the Center is precisely the kind of cooperation 
Congress intended in managing and interpreting the historic trails of 
the Nation.
  Under the cooperative agreement, the BLM has an important but limited 
role in establishing and operating the National Historic Trails 
Interpretive Center. The BLM has already completed a striking design as 
well as the engineering blueprints of the Center. With this work 
completed, the land available, and most of the non-Federal funds in 
hand, the Center is now ready to construction. This legislation 
provides congressional authorization of funds for the BLM to do so. 
Once the Center is completed, the BLM will own and operate the 
facility. However, with the endowment, the authorization to charge 
visitors a modest entrance fee, and commitments for volunteer staffing, 
the facility will be largely self-sustaining from a financial 
perspective. This is important in view of the present and anticipated 
future funding restrictions of the Federal Government.
  In Wyoming, we are experiencing great interest in the historic trails 
that cross the State. In 1992, a year when visitation to Yellowstone 
National Park and Grand Teton National Park was down, the Wyoming 
Department of Tourism reported an increase in tourism along the Oregon 
Trail route during the sesquicentennial of that trail. This year is the 
sesquicentennial of the Mormon Pioneer Trail. BLM officials have 
estimated that between 200,000 and 1 million visitors participated in 
trials events in Wyoming this year. We expect similar interest in 
trails during the sesquicentennials of the California and Pony Express 
historic trails. In truth, an increasing number of Americans are 
discovering, enjoying, and learning the history of these treks and are 
seeking to experience natural settings, landmarks, and physical remains 
of the trails.
  I am pleased with the broad level of support the National Historic 
Trails Interpretive Center enjoys. As noted earlier, the city of Casper 
and the State of Wyoming have provided tremendous assistance to this 
effort--for that I thank them. The Governor of Wyoming, Jim Geringer, 
as well as Wyoming's former Governor, Mike Sullivan, have endorsed the 
Center from the beginning. Wyoming's U.S. Senators, Mike Enzi and Craig 
Thomas, support the project. Especially gratifying has been the support 
and encouragement from interests outside of Wyoming, such as the 
Oregon-California Trails Association. I deeply appreciate the support 
of my respected colleague from Utah, Representative Jim Hansen, who is 
cosponsoring this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, the establishment of the National Historic Trails 
Interpretive Center is in the public interest. The project contains the 
best elements of private and public cooperation. The construction and 
operation of this Trails Center is altogether consistent with the BLM's 
criteria for projects of this kind. I urge my colleagues to help 
advance our efforts to preserve and interpret a significant chapter of 
American history by lending their support for this legislation.

                          ____________________