Artifacts packed to be moved

Fort Scott National Historic Site Historian Bill Fischer helps pack artifacts at the site Wednesday. These items, not on display at the site, will be moved to a National Park Service facility in Independence, Mo., on Friday. (Ruth Campbell/Tribune)

Seven National Park Service rangers were hard and work Wednesday packing undisplayed artifacts from Fort Scott National Historic Site for their trip to Independence, Mo., on Friday.

Items being moved, probably by Friday, include books, marbles, photographs, objects and quilts. "We have some archeological ceramic shards -- just a variety of about everything you can think of," Chief Ranger Kelley Collins said.

Boxing up the articles were people from the Fort Scott National Historic Site, the NPS Midwest Regional Office in Omaha, Neb., and the Harry S. Truman National Historic Site, Collins said. Items were packed in acid-free tissue and Ethafoam. Wads of newsprint were used to make the packages secure.

There are no immediate plans for the room that housed the artifacts, she said.

"We've done temporary exhibits before, so some have been on display before and some that were on permanent display were removed because of their condition," she said. "... There will be a few items staying that will (remain) in that room now."

Historian Bill Fischer was among the group packing the objects.

"In some ways, you get more familiar with the collection because you don't handle them day in and day out," he said, adding it's "a good feeling" knowing the articles are going to be in a facility that's state-of-the-art.

Collins said Tuesday none of the items currently on exhibit would be moved.

FSNHS Superintendent Betty Boyko said Tuesday park staff and researchers will still have access to the collection at the Independence facility.

One of the goals of the regional program is to provide increased access to collections through digital catalogs and special on-line exhibits, she said in an email. The park and regional office staff will continue to work together to identify and plan for specific items for which frequent access at the park is desired.

Collins said anyone can view the items in Independence by appointment.

The scope of the collection at FSNHS is 1840s-early 1870s, including the Bleeding Kansas and Civil War period.

Reed Hartford, president of the Friends of the National Historic Site President, said he spoke to Michael Reynolds, NPS Midwest regional director, late Monday evening after trying to reach him several times.

"He left open the possibility of the collection being brought back to Fort Scott when we can provide adequate storage for it here. He assured me that the collection would be accessible at its new location," Hartford said.

He added that communicating with Reynolds made him feel a bit better about the artifacts being moved.

"I think we have the beginnings of a working relationship. The man has only been in Omaha for four months, so he's really still trying to get his feet on the ground in the Midwest region and I appreciate that. I think he's very open and interested in the communities the parks are in and wants to foster a positive relationship," Hartford said.