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Draft Foundation Document
Manhattan Project National Historical Park » Draft Foundation Document » Document List
Established in November 2015, the Manhattan Project National Historical Park preserves portions of the World War II-era sites where the United States developed the world's first atomic weapons. This unique park is managed in partnership by the National Park Service and the Department of Energy.
The Manhattan Project and its legacy is a complex story. It's the story of more than 600,000 Americans leaving their homes and families to work on a project they were told was vital to the war effort. It's the story of generals, physicists, chemists, mathematicians, and engineers pushing and broadening the limits of human knowledge and technological achievement in ways never before imagined. It is also the story of the death and destruction associated with World War II, and a new weapon capable of unimagined levels of devastation.
Within the current National Park Service planning framework, the directive to develop a management plan has begun through the development of a Foundation Document that includes the park purpose, why it rises to national significance, the fundamental resources critical to meeting the park purpose and the interpretive themes for the park It also includes an assessment of planning needs and data gaps to direct future planning and projects. The process also includes a public involvement and engagement process to take advantage of the high level of public interest in the project and the wealth of resources that exist in the partnerships that already exist around the park.
Over the past few months the Department of Energy and National Park Service have been working towards development of a Foundation Document for the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. The team held workshops in all 3 locations as well as open houses, and talked with community members and area Tribes to understand local perspectives on the significant aspects, and important resources and stories related to the park.
This Foundation Document is open for review and comment from September 26 to October 10, 2016. The document can be downloaded from by clicking on the "Document List" link on the left. Comments can be submitted online by selecting the "Open for Comment " link.
When making comments please keep the following in mind:
- The Foundation is a high level planning document, we are looking for comments that reflect errors of fact.
- Details of the park facilities, location of visitor contact stations, park management structure, and specifics about what eligible properties outside the Department of Energy properties should be included in the park are not included in this document and will be identified in future planning efforts.
Thank you in advance for your interest in the Manhattan Project National Historical Park.
Contact Information
NPS Denver Service CenterAttn: Tracy Atkins
Project Manager Manhattan Project National Historical Park
P.O. Box 25287
Denver, CO 80225-0287