OpportunityTitle: GIS Mapping Support for the NPS Civil War - 150th Anniversary Website
CategoryExplanation: Research/Cultural
AdditionalInformationOnEligibility: This is a single award to West Virginia Univesity, Morgantown, WV.  This assistance award is a Continuation: The activity to be funded is necessary to the satisfactory completion of, or is a continuation of an activity presently being funded, and for which competition would have a significant adverse effect on the continuity or completion of the activity&#148;; and this cooperator has Unique Qualifications - The applicant is uniquely qualified to perform the activity based upon a variety of demonstrable factors such as location, property ownership, voluntary support capacity, cost-sharing ability, if applicable, technical expertise, or other such unique qualifications&#148;.    West Virginia University is situated in an area that has great historical significance to the American Civil War. Unfortunately, scholars and the public have not devoted much attention to this significance. The project, outlined in the Cooperative Agreement, provides a strong continuation to the work begun in an already existing agreement.  The project has clear deadlines that would not be met if the work were to be competed and time lost in transferring assignments in midstream. In addition, the databases created are already established and would be disrupted if not continued at WVU.  Finally, personnel at WVU have gained considerable experience and expertise.  To move the project would require substantial additional training and the loss of knowledge gained by those involved in the project to date.  The WVU is unique in that it offers its students access to the Charles C. Wise, Jr. Library which houses the West Virginia and Regional History Collection. The West Virginia and Regional History Collection contains critical data and historic records that will be invaluable for the success of the project.  Furthermore, the work benefits from the unique Civil War historical knowledge of Dr. Peter Carmichael, who mentors and provides guidance to the NPS interns.    In the past two years, the West Virginia Division of Culture and History has attempted to revitalize tourism in the state. On April 8, 2008, as a result of its efforts and the efforts of others, the state&#146;s first Civil War Trails marker was placed at the Dr. Robert B. McNutt House, in Princeton, WV. The Civil Wars Trails program has installed nearly 800 interpretive markers at Civil War sites in Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina, and more are expected soon in West Virginia and Tennessee. This development represents a mile marker for tourism in West Virginia, and through this agreement, WVU can contribute to this historical narrative by participating in a nationwide program to revitalize tourism amongst sites related to the history of the American Civil War.
Description: The purpose of this project is to stimulate state initiatives to encourage tourism in advance of the 150th Anniversary of West Virginia&#146;s statehood in 2013. The finished product generated by this project will serve as a model in internet mapping and thematic website development as the project area continues to expand as a national effort. This agreement will foster the partnership between West Virginia University and the National Park Service. Through this partnership, a synergy is created between the partners that currently does not exist. The support provided the Heritage Documentation Programs, and the Office of the Chief Information Officer will allow these organizations to coordinate their efforts.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: Help Desk
GrantorContactText: Tonya Bradley &lt;br/&gt;Contract Specialist &lt;br/&gt;Phone 402-661-1656