Marking their place in history

  • Published
  • By Jerron Barnett
  • Eglin Environmental Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  In their continued effort to educate the Eglin populace on the base's early cultural and military history, the Cultural Resources Management branch recently posted historic markers at three different locations.

One of markers is posted in front the McKinley Climatic Lab. Another one is located in front of the Eglin Law Center building, which is part of the Eglin Field Historic District. Both are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The third marker is located at the east gate visitor center, which briefly recounts Eglin's early history.

These three locations were chosen because they are located in highly visible areas, Beth Avery, Eglin's historic buildings program manager, said. The east gate marker was previously posted there and was simply refurbished. The other two markers were created based on that design.

"Most people who work in and around these buildings, such as building 2 (Eglin Law Center) probably aren't aware these buildings are on the Register," Ms. Avery said. "We saw it as an educational opportunity."

The Eglin Field Historic District contains the largest concentration of standing World War II structures on Eglin. Twenty two buildings, including the Cultural Resources Management Branch building, building 238, make up this district. During that period of history, some of the buildings still standing today served as Eglin's headquarters facility, chapel and bachelor and visiting officers' quarters. The marker depicts a map of the district's associated buildings.

Built in 1948, the McKinley Climatic Lab was designed to allow engineers the ability to test aircraft and weapons under extreme environmental conditions within its chambers. Engineers can simulate rain, snow, ice, dust, sand and extreme hot and cold temperatures inside this unique laboratory. In 1987, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers designated the McKinley Climatic Lab as a National Historic Mechanical Engineering landmark.

Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, Eglin's cultural resource managers must ensure the historic feel and look of these buildings and structures are maintained. Eglin currently has 46 buildings that are listed on the National Register and 98 that are eligible. Eglin also has two listed archaeology sites and 450 eligible ones.

If facility managers are aware of these buildings' historic significance, then that should make them pause and seek guidance before making a change to a building, Mark Stanley, Eglin's archaeology program manager said. Facility managers of historic buildings must consult with Eglin's cultural resource managers before altering a building's features, such as doors and windows.

In a lot of cases these buildings have been adaptively reused for current military needs while adhering to the Secretary of the Interior's standards for historic buildings. Eglin cultural resource managers consult with the Florida State Historic Preservation Officer in Tallahassee, Fla., to make that possible.

If budget allows, more historic markers might be posted at other sites, such as the National Register-listed Camp Pinchot Historic District or the Operation Crossbow site, Mr. Stanley said.

For more information about the historic buildings or archaeology programs, please call 850-882-2878 or 850-883-3034.