What is the Distribution of National Historical Parks?

Publication Date

Summer 2025

Document Type

Forthcoming Work

Abstract

In an increasingly polarized nation, which no longer can reach any consensus about what is meant by the term “common good,” it might be wise to extend additional protections to national monuments from executive branch interference. But prior to doing so, the U.S. Congress may want to undertake some additional research work. Such research could build on the existing charge of the National Park Service as well as other interested parties. By doing so, Congress gains insight into whether and how this federal legislature should expand protections for national historical parks.

My article explains, at least in part, how Congress could carry out such research and policy work in the wake of recent expansions in executive power. It does so by introducing a new national historical parks dataset. This dataset, which draws upon National Park Service (PS) data about the sixty-three (63) existing national historical parks and how they are distributed across national space, may be used to undertake a range of useful analyses. One example of a case in point is a distributional analysis, which could explain how all 63 national historical parks are distributed across national space on the basis of race, income and/or population.

My article undertakes this type of distributional analysis in its four (II-V) additional parts. Part II describes the applicable federal law for national parks. Part III explains my article’s methodological approach. Part IV contains its analysis. Part V contains its conclusions and recommendation, as well as a potentially viable implementation plan.

Publication Title

Southern Illinois University Law Journal

Volume

49

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