Guide to Federal Records

Records of the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service


[HCRS]
(Record Group 368)
1946-85

Overview of Records Locations

Table of Contents

  • 368.1 Administrative History
  • 368.2 Records of the Federal Inter-Agency Committee on Recreation 1946-63
  • 368.3 Records of the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission 1958-62
  • 368.4 Records of the Recreation Advisory Council and its Successors 1962-72
  • 368.5 Records of the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation (BOC) 1962-69
  • 368.6 General Records of the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service 1962-85

368.1 Administrative History

Established: In the Department of the Interior by order of the Secretary of the Interior, January 25, 1978, pursuant to section 2 of Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1950, effective May 24, 1950.

Predecessor Agencies:

In the Department of the Interior:

  • Federal Inter-Agency Committee on Recreation (1946-63)
  • Bureau of Outdoor Recreation (1962-78)

Independent agencies:

  • Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission (1958-62)
  • Recreation Advisory Council (RAC, 1962-66)
  • President's Council on Recreation and Natural Beauty (PCRNB, 1966-69)
  • Environmental Quality Council (EQC, 1969-70)
  • Cabinet Committee on the Environment (1970)

Functions: Promoted coordination and development of outdoor recreation programs. Administered the National Natural Landmarks Program. Provided grants to state and local governments for natural and cultural resource protection and development. Administered the Historic Preservation Fund. Maintained the National Register of Historic Places.

Abolished: By Secretarial Order 3060, February 19, 1981.

Successor Agencies: National Park Service.

Related Records: Records of the National Park Service, RG 79.

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368.2 Records of the Federal Inter-Agency Committee on Recreation
1946-63

History: Established by direction of the Secretary of the Interior as the Federal Recreation Committee, and held first meeting, September 6, 1946. Redesignated the Federal Inter-Agency Committee on Recreation at fifth meeting, November 4, 1946. Composed of representatives of the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Park Service; the Department of Agriculture; the U.S. Army; and later the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Served as an informal vehicle for exchange of views on recreation policy, for review of legislation, and for developing policy initiatives. Disbanded by order of the Secretary of the Interior, July 1, 1963, with responsibilities devolving on Recreation Advisory Council and Bureau of Outdoor Recreation. See 368.4 and 368.5.

Textual Records: Minutes of meetings, 1946-63. Subject file, 1947-63.

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368.3 Records of the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission
1958-62

History: Established by an act of June 28, 1958 (72 Stat. 238), under the chairmanship of Laurance Rockefeller, to conduct an inventory of outdoor recreation resources in the United States, evaluate national outdoor recreation requirements in 1976 and 2000, and prepare recommendations to meet those needs. Consisted of four members each from the Senate and the House of Representatives, and seven private citizens. Extended by an act of March 29, 1961 (75 Stat. 19), with reporting deadline of January 31, 1962. Last commission meeting held January 29, 1962. Terminated September 1, 1962. Recommendations led to establishment of Bureau of Outdoor Recreation. See 368.5.

Textual Records: Central, administrative, meeting, reference, project, and author files, 1958-62. Reading file, 1959-62. Study reports, 1958-62.

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368.4 Records of the Recreation Advisory Council and its Successors
1962-72

History: RAC established by EO 11017, April 27, 1962, to consider federal outdoor recreation problems and to promote increased use of outdoor recreation resources. Consisted of the Secretaries of Agriculture; the Interior; Defense; and Health, Education, and Welfare, with the Assistant Director of the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation serving as secretary. Abolished by EO 11278, May 4, 1966, and succeeded by newly established President's Council on Recreation and Natural Beauty, which advised federal agencies of the impact of their programs and made policy recommendations to the President. PCRNB composed of the Chairmen of the Federal Power Commission and the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Administrator of General Services, and the Secretaries of Agriculture; the Interior; Defense; Health, Education, and Welfare; and Housing and Urban Development, with an Executive Director drawn from the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation. Terminated by EO 11472, May 29, 1969, and superseded by the Environmental Quality Council, which consisted of the President (as presiding officer), the Vice President, and the Secretaries of Agriculture; Commerce; Health, Education, and Welfare; Housing and Urban Development; Interior; and Transportation, and which advised generally on matters affecting the environment. EQC renamed Cabinet Committee on the Environment by EO 11514, March 5, 1970, and abolished by EO 11541, July 1, 1970, with functions relating to outdoor recreation and natural beauty transferred to Bureau of Outdoor Recreation. See 368.5.

Textual Records: General correspondence, 1962-71. Correspondence relating to the "Keep America Beautiful" Campaign, 1965-72. General subject file, 1962-71. Subject file, consisting of working papers and other records relating to the 1968 national beautification progress report, From Sea to Shining Sea, 1966-68.

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368.5 Records of the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation (BOC)
1962-69

History: Established in the Department of the Interior by Secretarial order, April 2, 1962, in response to recommendations of the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission (see 368.3), as successor in function to the Federal Inter-Agency Committee on Recreation (see 368.2) and the Cabinet Committee on the Environment (see 368.4). Responsible, under terms of an act of May 28, 1963 (77 Stat. 49), for developing outdoor recreation programs. Executed Interior Department responsibilities under the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965, as amended; the Federal Water Project Recreation Act; the Department of Transportation Act, as amended; the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act; the National Trails System Act; and the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act, as amended. Abolished and superseded by the HCRS, 1978. See 368.1.

Textual Records: Subject file and correspondence relating to the establishment of Redwood National Park, CA, 1964-68.

Maps: Prepared by BOC for hearings and meetings on proposed establishment of Redwood National Park, CA, and showing proposed and actual park boundaries, land ownership status, tree classification, and timber volume and value, 1965-68 (75 items).

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368.6 General Records of the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service
1962-85

Textual Records: Eastern Division project review correspondence and related records, 1977-78; and compliance files, 1972-79. Land and water conservation fund project records, 1968-69. Miscellaneous correspondence, 1962-71. Nationwide recreation planning files, 1962-71. Records of the North Cascade Mountains study, 1965-68. Eastern Division state project case files, 1972-85. Compliance case files for National Register Designation, 1972-81 (in Denver).

Sound Recordings: Audio tapes of Public Information meetings on cases handled by Eastern Division of Project Review, 1972-82 (47 items).


Bibliographic note: Web version based on Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States. Compiled by Robert B. Matchette et al. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1995.
3 volumes, 2428 pages.

Ordering information

This Web version is updated from time to time to include records processed since 1995.


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