[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 103 (Wednesday, June 20, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S4277]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO DENNIS E. FRYE

  Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I wish to recognize a dedicated public 
servant and proud student of West Virginian and American history, 
Dennis E. Frye, on the occasion of his retirement from the National 
Park Service. Innumerable visitors to Harpers Ferry National Historical 
Park benefited from his wealth of knowledge and notorious performances 
that brought history to life.
  As Dennis tells it, at a young age, he wanted to be either a 
historian or an astronaut. Once he found out that becoming an astronaut 
entails being very good at math, he decided history was the way to go. 
He studied at what was then Shepherd College in Shepherdstown, WV, 
while volunteering at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, becoming 
a park ranger in 1977. Eschewing the traditional route of advancement 
in the National Park Service through moving from park to park, Dennis 
stayed put and advanced within the park, and set about the task of 
changing perceptions of Harpers Ferry in the Civil War history 
community.
  As staff historian and later chief historian at the park and through 
his work in various historical societies concerned with the Civil War, 
Dennis emphasized the importance of Harpers Ferry to the history of the 
Civil War. Thanks, in large part, to his efforts, the Battle of Harpers 
Ferry and the importance of the town in the history of America are 
better recognized by the historical community, of which he is a vocal 
member. Indeed, Dennis's dedication to his passion as an advocate and 
student of history is apparent from the 10-year sabbatical he took to 
focus on writing historical works and to serve as president of the 
Civil War Trust, an organization dedicated to the preservation of Civil 
War battlefields. He is also a recipient of the Shelby Foote Award from 
the Civil War Trust, the National Park Service's Freeman Tilden Award 
for excellence in interpretation and education, and the Nevins-Freeman 
Award for outstanding contributions to the study of the Civil War.
  Dennis later returned as chief historian of Harpers Ferry National 
Historical Park, where his work of inspiring and educating visitors, 
including my staff and myself, through meticulous detail and dramatic 
performances continued to the present day. If the job of a historian is 
to both impart knowledge and ensure the lessons of history remain with 
us, then Dennis Frye is a master in his field.
  No one who knows him doubts that Dennis E. Frye will continue to be a 
forceful advocate for his passions in retirement, which includes being 
an ardent fan of the Boston Red Sox. I believe I speak for many when I 
say that I sincerely appreciate his public service and the 
contributions he has made to a better understanding of the history of 
West Virginia and America. I am proud to call him a friend, and I wish 
him well in his future pursuits.

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