Cesar Chavez Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment 

Executive Summary iii 

Executive Summary 

Background and Study 

Process

The Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 

(P.L. 110-229, May 2008) authorized the National 

Park Service to conduct a special resource study of 

sites that are significant to the life of Cesar Chavez 

and the farm labor movement in the western United 

States.

The overall purpose of this study is to evaluate the 

significance and suitability of sites significant to 

Cesar Chavez and the farm labor movement, and the 

feasibility and appropriateness of a National Park 

Service (NPS) role in the management of any of these 

sites. Through the study process, the NPS identifies 

alternative strategies to manage, protect, or restore 

the resources, and to provide or enhance public use 

and enjoyment. These alternatives explore 

partnerships and efforts to protect important 

resources in ways that do not necessarily require the 

commitment of funds and staff by the NPS. This 

study will provide information to aid the Congress, 

the U.S. Department of Interior, and the National 

Park Service in determining whether designation of a 

unit of the national park system is desirable and 

appropriate. The legislation authorizing this study 

specifically directs the NPS to determine appropriate 

methods for preserving and interpreting the sites and 

whether any of the sites meet the criteria for listing 

on the National Register of Historic Places or 

designation as a National Historic Landmark. 

The NPS, with assistance from the Center for Oral 

and Public History at California State University, 

Fullerton (COPH), investigated nearly 100 sites 

associated with Cesar Chavez and the farm labor 

movement. 

Legislative and Policy 

Direction

Several laws and policies outline the criteria for units 

of the national park system. The National Park 

System New Area Studies Act and NPS management 

policies establish the basic process for NPS studies of 

potential new national park areas. According to NPS 

management policies, a proposed addition to the 

national park system will receive a favorable 

recommendation from the NPS only if it meets all of 

the following four criteria for inclusion: 

it possesses nationally significant natural or 

cultural resources; 

it is a suitable addition to the system; 

it is a feasible addition to the system; and 

it requires direct NPS management, instead of 

alternative protection by other public agencies 

or the private sector. 

These criteria are designed to ensure that the national 

park system includes only the most outstanding 

examples of the nation’s natural and cultural 

resources, while recognizing that there are other 

management alternatives for preserving the nation’s 

outstanding resources. 

Alternatives for NPS management are developed for 

sites that meet all four of the criteria for inclusion. 

Public Involvement 

Public Scoping 

The NPS study team launched public scoping for this 

study in spring of 2011. In April 2011 the study team 

produced and distributed, mailed, or emailed 1,900 

newsletters to individuals, organizations, government 

officials, and the media. Newsletters were available 

in English and Spanish. The purpose of public 

scoping was to introduce the study, explain the 

process to community members and others, and 

solicit comments on issues the study should address. 

The newsletter was published and made available for 

comment on the National Park Service’s Planning, 

Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website. 

The comment period extended to June 16, 2011, 

thirty days after publication of the notice of scoping 

in the Federal Register. The NPS also considered 

comments received after this date. 

Press releases announcing the beginning of the study 

process and the public meeting schedule were 

distributed to local media. Numerous articles and 

opinion pieces about the study have appeared in area 

newspapers. 

All information sent by the NPS to the public by mail 

or e-mail has also been available on the study website 

site at www.nps.gov/pwro/chavez. Updates and 

information about the study process were also made 

available on the study’s Facebook page at 

facebook.com/chavezstudy. 
Cesar Chavez Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment 

Executive Summary iv 

In May 2011, the study team held a series of public 

scoping meetings in California and Arizona. Public 

scoping meetings were attended by approximately 

240 people and held in San Jose, Salinas, Los 

Angeles, Oxnard, Coachella, Delano, (CA), and 

Phoenix and Yuma (AZ). Spanish translation was 

available at all meetings. The study team also 

consulted with representatives of the Cesar E. Chavez 

Foundation, the Filipino Community of Delano, Inc., 

the United Farm Workers, the Chavez Family Vision, 

and Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc. during the course of 

this study, as well as local, state and federal 

government officials. 

In addition to comments received at the public 

scoping meetings, the NPS received approximately 

65 comments via written letters and through e-mail. 

Most of these comments expressed a desire to see a 

national park system unit with interpretive and 

education programs and partnership opportunities.

Public Review of the Draft Study 

In October 2011 the study team produced and 

distributed the Draft Cesar Chavez Special Resource 

Study and Environmental Assessment and a 

newsletter/ Executive Summary to elected officials, 

government entities, organizations and individuals 

for review and comment. Approximately 555 copies 

of the draft study report and 2,500 copies of the 

newsletter were distributed through mail, email and 

at public meetings. 

Eight public meetings were held between October 20, 

2011 and November 10, 2011 in San Jose, Salinas, 

Delano, Coachella, Oxnard, Los Angeles, (CA) and 

Phoenix and Yuma (AZ) to present the draft study 

report and solicit public comments. A total of 170 

people attended the meetings. The NPS presented the 

study process and criteria used in the study, discussed 

the study results, and solicited comments. Copies of 

the draft study report were made available and 

participants were encouraged to submit comments by 

mail or through the study website or the PEPC 

website. The comment period ended November 14, 

2011. In addition to comments received at the public 

meetings, 60 written comments on the draft study 

report were received. 

The NPS also consulted with individuals and 

representatives of various organizations and 

government entities, including the Cesar E. Chavez 

Foundation, the Filipino Community of Delano, Inc., 

the United Farm Workers of America, the Chavez 

Family Vision, Chicanos Por La Causa, former 

participants in the farm labor movement and 

numerous local, state and federal government 

officials.

Study Sites 

The study evaluated over 100 sites in California and 

Arizona related to Cesar Chavez and the farm labor 

movement. The National Park Service partnered with 

the Center for Oral and Public History at California 

State University, Fullerton (COPH) to identify sites 

significant to Cesar Chavez and the farm labor 

movement and evaluate their significance. 

COPH faculty and students developed a preliminary 

list of 84 sites based on information obtained through 

personal interviews, books and essays written in the 

1960s and 1970s, declassified FBI surveillance files, 

newspapers, and photographs. They then conducted 

site visits to determine current conditions and 

integrity of the sites. The research team noted in 

their report the challenges of documenting sites 

associated with transitory events and activities (such 

as marches or picket lines). They observed that many 

sites associated with important events have changed 

dramatically in the years since the events, and 

therefore retain less historic integrity. The research 

team also noted in their report their expectation that 

additional significant sites will likely be found as 

information is gathered through the NPS study 

process. The research was completed between 

October 2009 and December 2010. Additional sites 

were identified through public comments. 

Information has been added and revised based on 

contributions obtained during public scoping and 

subsequent research. 

Study Findings

National Significance 

The National Park Service (NPS) uses four basic 

criteria to evaluate the significance of proposed areas. 

These criteria, listed in the National Park Service 

Management Policies, state that a resource is 

nationally significant if it meets all of the following 

conditions: 

It is an outstanding example of a particular 

type of resource. 

It possesses exceptional value or quality in 

illustrating or interpreting the natural or 

cultural themes of our nation’s heritage. 
Cesar Chavez Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment 

Executive Summary v 

It offers superlative opportunities for public 

enjoyment, or for scientific study. 

It retains a high degree of integrity as a true, 

accurate, and relatively unspoiled example of a 

resource. 

The NPS evaluates national significance for cultural 

resources by applying the national historic landmarks 

(NHL) criteria contained in 36 CFR Part 65 

(Appendix D). 

National Park Service professionals consult with 

subject matter experts, scholars, and scientists, in 

determining whether a study area is nationally 

significant. Resource experts and scholars within and 

beyond the NPS contributed expertise, research, and 

technical review of the statement of significance. 

Nationally Significant Sites 

The NPS finds that five sites associated with Cesar 

Chavez and the farm labor movement meet national 

historic landmark criteria. The Forty Acres National 

Historic Landmark (NHL), Filipino Community Hall, 

the Nuestra Senora Reina de La Paz, the Santa Rita 

Center and the 1966 Delano to Sacramento march 

route meet NHL criteria and retain a high degree of 

integrity for each attribute used to evaluate integrity 

for National Historic Landmarks: location, design, 

setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and 

association. The 1966 March Route also meets 

eligibility criteria for a national historic trail. 

The Forty Acres NHL (Delano, CA) - The 

National Farmworkers Service Center acquired 

this property in 1966, and this organization 

and its successors proceeded to build a service 

station, multipurpose hall, health clinic, and 

retirement housing. Cesar Chavez conducted 

his 1968 fast in the service station building, 

and his 1988 fast in the retirement village. 

The United Farm Workers Organizing 

Committee was headquartered at the Forty 

Acres from 1969-71, and the contracts that 

ended the 1965-70 strike against Delano-area 

growers were signed here. Many public events 

and rallies were based at the Forty Acres. As a 

property purchased, built, and used by farm 

workers, the Forty Acres embodies the farm 

labor movement itself. Forty Acres was 

designated a National Historic Landmark in 

2008. It continues to function as a United 

Farm Workers (UFW) field office.

Filipino Community Hall (Delano, CA) - 

The Filipino Community Hall represents the 

nationally significant role of Filipino 

Americans in the farm labor movement. On 

September 8, 1965, Filipino American farm 

workers led by Larry Itliong and affiliated 

with the AFLCIO’s Agricultural Workers 

Organizing Committee (AWOC) gathered in 

this building and voted to go on strike against 

Delano table-grape growers. When members 

of the National Farm Workers Association 

(NFWA) voted to join the AWOC strike eight 

days later the Filipino Hall became the joint 

strike headquarters. The hall hosted important 

visits by United Auto Workers’ President 

Walter Reuther, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, 

and other influential supporters, and became a 

symbol of the farm labor movement’s multiracial unity during the 1960s. 

Nuestra Senora Reina de La Paz (Keene, 

CA) - Between 1970 and 1984, the farm labor 

movement transitioned into a modern labor 

union, the UFW. This union secured 

unprecedented gains during these years which 

were closely associated with La Paz. The 

property supported not only the UFW 

headquarters and Cesar Chavez’s residence, 

but also the thousands of union members who 

came to La Paz to help devise organizing 

strategies, to receive training, and to 

strengthen their sense of solidarity. Upon his 

death in 1993, Chavez was buried at La Paz. 

Santa Rita Center (Phoenix, AZ) - Cesar 

Cesar Chavez’s fast at the Santa Rita Center in 

1972 focused national attention on farm 

workers and their organized protest against 

restrictive legislation, and it invigorated two 

social movements—the Chicano movement 

and the farm labor movement. Ultimately it 

reshaped the political landscape in Arizona 

and beyond. . Thousands of Arizona farm 

workers, and influential supporters such as 

Coretta Scott King, came to the Santa Rita 

Center to participate in rallies, celebrate 

nightly Masses, give voice to the movement’s 

newly adopted slogan “Si Se Puede!” and 

pledge their support for La Causa.

1966 March Route (Delano to Sacramento, 

CA) - This march was a milestone event in the 

history of the farm labor movement. More than 

one hundred men and women set out from 

Delano on March 17, 1966, and thousands of 

farm workers and their families joined in for 

short stretches along the way. The march 

route passed through forty-two cities and 
Cesar Chavez Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment 

Executive Summary vi 

towns of the San Joaquin Valley, as well as 

vast stretches of the agricultural landscape. By 

the time the marchers entered Sacramento on 

Easter Sunday, April 10, 1966, the farm 

worker movement had secured a contract and 

attracted new waves of support from across the 

country. 
Cesar Chavez Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment 

Executive Summary vii 

Nationally Significant and Potential Nationally Significant Sites - Additional Research Needed 

An additional 11 sites are nationally significant or potentially nationally significant for their association with Cesar Chavez

and/or the farm labor movement, but need further research to assess their integrity and determine whether they fully meet 

National Historic Landmark criteria. Many of these sites represent major aspects of the historic context that are not 

represented by the five NHL-eligible sites above. Each of these sites provides high interpretive value for depicting nationally

significant events or activities associated with Cesar Chavez and the farm labor movement and therefore, may be appropriate 

for inclusion in a national park unit. These 11 sites include: 

Property / Site City (or proximate) Description

McDonnell Hall, Our Lady of 

Guadalupe Church 

San Jose, CA The first phase of Cesar Chavez’s productive life as a community 

organizer, civil rights advocate, and labor leader began in the “Sal Si 

Puedes” barrio of East San Jose, where Chavez lived from 1952 to 

1955 and met the two men whose influence shaped the rest of his life: 

Father Donald McDonnell and Fred Ross. The building most closely 

associated with this phase of Chavez’s life is now known as McDonnell 

Hall. 

Monterey County Jail Salinas, CA Cesar Chavez’s imprisonment at the Monterey County raised national 

attention for the Salinas Valley lettuce boycott and affirmed the legal 

use of the boycott as a means of union organizing; legitimizing that 

would be one of the union’s most powerful tools for raising awareness 

about farm labor working conditions. It was listed in the National 

Register of Historic Places in 2004. 

St. Mary’s Catholic Church Stockton, CA St. Mary’s Catholic Church is significant for its association with Dolores 

Huerta and CSO organizing. 

Cesar and Helen Chavez 

Family Residence 

Delano, CA Cesar Chavez and his family lived here from 1962-71; the house also 

served as the first headquarters of the FWA. 

Baptist Church (“Negrito Hall”) Delano, CA This small church building became a strike headquarters for the 1965-

70 Delano grape strike. 

NFWA Office (Albany Street) Delano, CA Headquarters of the FWA and its successor organizations from 1963-

69. 

People’s Bar and Café Delano, CA During the 1960s and 1970s, People’s Bar and Café served as the 

central gathering place in Delano for union volunteers. 

Arvin Farm Labor Center Bakersfield, CA Established as a migrant labor camp in 1936, this site remained in use 

as farm worker housing into the 1960s. The Kern County Housing 

Authority now manages the site. Three buildings are listed in the 

National Register of Historic Places. 

UFW Field Office (“El Hoyo”) Calexico, CA Served as a UFW office and hiring hall in the 1970s; thousands 

gathered at El Hoyo to mourn the fatal shooting of Rufino Contreras 

during the lettuce strike of 1979. The significant events of the late 

1970s, many of which played out in and around El Hoyo, marked the 

high point of the union’s power. At the same time, increasing incidents 

of violence signaled an impending decline in the union’s fortunes. 

Chavez Family Homestead 

Site

Yuma, AZ Chavez lived in the adobe farmhouse on his grandparents’ homestead 

in the Gila River Valley from 1932 until the family lost the property and 

moved to California in 1939. 

UFW Field Office San Luis, AZ The UFW opened this office during the early 1970s and from this site 

led melon workers on strike. 
Cesar Chavez Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment 

Executive Summary viii 

Sites Potentially Eligible for Nomination to the National Register of Historic Places 

Twenty-four sites appear eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), most likely at the state 

or local level of significance. To be eligible, a site must be associated with an important aspect of history, and retain 

adequate integrity. With additional research, more sites may prove eligible for nomination to the NRHP. In many cases, 

more information is needed about integrity and historic location. These 24 sites include: 

Property / Site City (or 

proximate) 

Description

San Francisco Labor 

Temple 

San Francisco, 

CA

Boycott organizing center during the late 1960s. 

Cesar and Helen Chavez 

Family Residence 

San Jose, CA Cesar Chavez and his family lived here in the early 1950s when he 

began organizing for the CSO. 

Mexican American Political 

Association Office 

Salinas, CA Salinas Valley strike headquarters in 1970. 

UFW Legal Offices Salinas, CA Legal offices for the UFW during the 1970s. 

El Teatro Campesino San Juan 

Bautista, CA 

El Teatro Campesino performed songs and skits for and with 

farmworkers at Friday night meetings and on the picket lines. 

El Centro Campesino 

Cultural 

Fresno, CA Headquarters of El Teatro Campesino between 1969 and 1971. 

Graceada Park Modesto, CA 1975 march from San Francisco to the Gallo Brothers (grape 

growers) culminated here. 

Woodville Farm Labor 

Center 

Porterville, CA Location of FWA rent strike against the Tulare Housing Authority. 

Linnell Farm Labor Center Visalia, CA Location of FWA rent strike against the Tulare Housing Authority. 

Fresno County Jail Fresno, CA In 1973, more than two thousand UFW members and supporters 

were sent to the Fresno County Jail, including 76-year-old Catholic 

activist and writer, Dorothy Day. 

Stardust Motel Delano, CA The motel was the site of pivotal negotiations at the beginning and 

end of the 1965-70 Delano grape strike. 

Larry Itliong Residence Delano, CA Itliong was a long-time labor leader and resident of Delano who led 

the AWOC into launching the Delano strike in September 1965. 

Kern County Superior Court 

Building 

Bakersfield, CA Site of many hearings for arrested strikers. Cesar Chavez was 

brought to this courthouse in 1968 during his first public fast to 

respond to contempt of court charges related to the Delano grape 

strike. The judge’s favorable decision marked an important turning 

point in the court’s attitude towards the union. 
Cesar Chavez Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment 

Executive Summary ix 

Sites Potentially Eligible for Nomination to the National Register of Historic Places 

Property / Site City (or 

proximate) 

Description

Cesar and Helen Chavez 

Family Residence 

Oxnard, CA The Chavez family rented this house during the late 1950s. 

NFWA Office Oxnard, CA 1966 office of the NFWA. 

Cesar and Helen Chavez 

Family Residence 

Los Angeles, CA Chavez lived here for most of his tenure as executive director of the 

CSO, 1959 to 1962. 

Boycott House (Harvard 

House 

Los Angeles, CA Boycott headquarters during the 1960s. 

La Iglesia de Nuestra 

Senora Reina de Los 

Angeles (“La Placita” 

Church) 

Los Angeles, CA Chavez attended mass and did organizing at this location. Built in 

the 1860s, it has California Historic Landmark status. 

Church of the Epiphany Los Angeles, CA Cesar Chavez attended mass and organized here. 

Veterans Park Coachella, CA The park served as UFWOC strike headquarters in the Coachella 

Valley in 1973. 

Cesar Chavez Elementary 

School 

Coachella, CA This was the first public building in California named for Cesar 

Chavez, dedicated in1990. 

Maria Hau Residence San Luis, AZ Chavez was staying at this home when he died in his sleep in April 

1993. 

Laguna School Building Yuma, AZ Cesar Chavez attended school here for much of his childhood. 

Chavez General Store Yuma, AZ Cesar Chavez was born on this property in 1927. 

The communities of Delano and San Jose, California contain a concentration of significant sites that may be eligible for both 

NHL and national register nomination and therefore possess exceptional opportunities to tell multiple aspects of the story of 

Cesar Chavez and the farm labor movement. 
Cesar Chavez Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment 

Executive Summary x 

Suitability 

To be considered suitable for addition to the national 

park system, an area must represent a natural or 

cultural resource type that is not already adequately 

represented in the national park system, or is not 

comparably represented and protected for public 

enjoyment by other federal agencies; tribal, state, or 

local governments; or the private sector. 

Adequacy of representation is determined on a caseby-case basis by comparing the potential addition to 

other comparably managed areas representing the 

same resource type, while considering differences or 

similarities in the character, quality, quantity, or 

combination of resource values. The comparative 

analysis also addresses rarity of the resources, 

interpretive and educational potential, and similar 

resources already protected in the national park 

system or in other public or private ownership. The 

comparison results in a determination of whether the 

proposed new area would expand, enhance, or 

duplicate resource protection or visitor use 

opportunities found in other comparably managed 

areas.

The NPS finds that sites associated with Cesar 

Chavez and the farm labor movement in the 

American West are suitable for inclusion in the 

National Park System. These sites depict a distinct 

and important aspect of American history associated 

with civil rights and labor movements that is not 

adequately represented or protected elsewhere. 

Feasibility

To be feasible as a new unit of the national park 

system, an area must be: (1) of sufficient size and 

appropriate configuration to ensure sustainable 

resource protection and visitor enjoyment (taking into 

account current and potential impacts from sources 

beyond proposed park boundaries), and (2) capable 

of efficient administration by the National Park 

Service at a reasonable cost. 

In evaluating feasibility, the NPS considers a variety 

of factors for a study area, such as the following: 

size

boundary configurations 

current and potential uses of the study area and 

surrounding lands 

landownership patterns 

public enjoyment potential 

costs associated with acquisition, 

development, restoration, and operation 

access

current and potential threats to the resources 

existing degradation of resources 

staffing requirements 

local planning and zoning 

the level of local and general public support 

(including landowners) 

the economic/socioeconomic impacts of 

designation as a unit of the national park 

system 

The feasibility evaluation also considers the ability of 

the NPS to undertake new management 

responsibilities in light of current and projected 

availability of funding and personnel. 

An overall evaluation of feasibility is made after 

taking into account all of the above factors. 

Some management options are more feasible than 

others. The national park system includes many 

types of sites, a range of ownership and management 

approaches. The NPS also offers grant and technical 

assistance programs that help local communities 

achieve their goals for conservation and recreation. 

The feasibility analysis focuses on the five sites that 

have been found eligible for national historic 

landmark designation and the eleven sites that are 

nationally significant or potentially nationally 

significant, needing further research. 

The historically significant sites and march route 

each provide for the inclusion and protection of the 

primary resources; they include sufficient 

surrounding area to provide a proper setting for the 

resources; and they offer sufficient land for 

appropriate use and development, if needed. Current 

land uses, land ownership patterns, and planning and 

zoning would all support a range of NPS and 

partnership management approaches. Designation of 

a collaborative national park unit that works with 

property owners and local communities to protect the 

resources and provide public access, interpretation, 

education and other uses could be compatible with 

existing ownership patterns. 

There is potential for public access and enjoyment 

among the historically significant sites and march 

route. Most sites are easily accessible from public 
Cesar Chavez Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment 

Executive Summary xi 

roads, on major state or federal highways, and within 

a half a day’s drive of major metropolitan areas. 

There are opportunities for a variety of visitor 

experiences at the sites and along the march route, 

and ample potential for development of additional 

visitor use opportunities. 

Despite resource degradation and threats to a few 

sites, most sites contain resources of high integrity. 

These sites are not subject to resource degradation or 

threats that would preclude management as a unit of 

the national park system. 

Significant public interest and support has been 

expressed during public scoping for the NPS to play a 

collaborative role in one or more nationally 

significant sites in partnership with other 

organizations and local communities. Organizations 

that own the Forty Acres, Filipino Community Hall, 

Nuestra Senora Reina de la Paz, the Santa Rita 

Center, and McDonnell Hall have indicated their 

interest in partnerships with the NPS. 

The social and economic impacts of NPS designation 

or other support/coordination role appear to be 

largely beneficial and would support the feasibility of 

NPS designation. Costs for establishment of a 

national park unit appear to be feasible, provided that 

partnership opportunities are pursued to support 

collaborative operations and development. 

Based on the above analysis, a partnership-based 

national park unit or technical assistance program 

which provides opportunities for collaborative 

management to protect cultural resources, provide 

public access, interpretation, and educational 

opportunities at certain sites associated with the life 

of Cesar Chavez and the farm labor movement is a 

feasible addition to the national park system. 

Need for NPS Management

Determination of the need for NPS management is 

the final criterion for evaluating resources for 

potential designation as a new unit in the national 

park system. The criterion requires a finding that 

NPS management would be superior to alternative 

management arrangements by other entities. 

Under all of the alternatives considered in this study, 

the majority of sites associated with Cesar Chavez 

and the farm labor movement would continue to be 

owned and operated by nonprofit organizations, 

private property owners, and local governments. The 

300-mile long Delano to Sacramento march route 

primarily travels largely along public roads and rights 

of way. While many of the owners and managers of 

these sites are interested in long term preservation 

and public education, none of them provide the level 

of expertise in resource protection, visitor services 

and interpretation and education that could be offered 

by the NPS. 

NPS partnerships with organizations and private 

property owners would provide enhanced 

opportunities for comprehensive interpretive 

planning, and coordinated site management to 

showcase the national significance of these sites. 

Development and cooperative management of 

interpretive programs and comprehensive visitor 

services with the NPS would be beneficial. 

Collaboration among multiple, predominantly 

privately owned sites and the NPS would offer a 

superior visitor experience that would allow the 

broadest understanding of the resources and stories 

relating to the life of Cesar Chavez and the farm 

labor movement. 

NPS planning and research capabilities, as well as 

historic preservation, cultural resource management 

and interpretive and educational programming 

expertise, would offer superior opportunities for the 

full range of sites to be preserved and interpreted. 

Depending on the selected alternative, disparate sites 

that are currently owned and managed by multiple 

entities would become parts of a cohesive national 

park experience and would become more accessible 

to a broader array of audiences. 

The NPS finds that there is a need for NPS 

management in partnership with others to fully 

protect resources and to enhance visitor appreciation 

of the nationally significant resources and important 

stories associated with the life of Cesar Chavez and 

the farm labor movement. 

Alternatives

Introduction

The following section describes the selected 

alternative for the final Cesar Chavez Special 

Resource Study and the range of preliminary 

management alternatives that were presented in the 

Draft Cesar Chavez Special Resource Study and 

Environmental Assessment.

The legislation authorizing this study specifically 

directs the NPS to determine appropriate methods for 

preserving and interpreting sites significant to the life 

of Cesar Chavez and the farm labor movement; and 
Cesar Chavez Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment 

Executive Summary xii 

whether any of these sites meet the criteria for listing 

on the National Register of Historic Places, 

designation as a National Historic Landmark or 

inclusion in the national park system. 

Overview of the Alternatives 

The special resource study team developed a range of 

alternatives based on information gathered from 

public and stakeholder input, internal NPS 

discussions, historical research and management 

models used in national park units around the nation. 

Five such alternatives were developed and presented 

for public review in the Draft Cesar Chavez Special 

Resource Study and Environmental Assessment. The 

alternatives presented in the draft study report include 

traditional national park service management of 

nationally significant historic sites, as well as a range 

of programs and services that provide recognition, 

technical assistance, and interpretive opportunities at 

other important sites. Those alternatives were: 

Alternative A: Continuation of Current 

Management 

Alternative B: National Network of sites 

and programs related to the farm labor 

movement 

Alternative C: National Historic Trail

following the route of the 1966 march from 

Delano to Sacramento 

Alternative D: National Historic Site

focused on the Forty Acres site in Delano, CA. 

Alternative E: National Historical Park

incorporating nationally significant sites in 

California and Arizona 

The Selected Alternative 

The National Park Service special resource study 

process requires that the study identify the alternative 

or combination of alternatives that in the professional 

judgment of the NPS Director is most effective and 

efficient in protecting significant resources and 

providing for visitor enjoyment. Based on public and 

stakeholder input and professional judgment, the 

NPS selected the national historical park (from 

alternative E), incorporating aspects of the national 

network (from alternative B). The National Park 

Service has determined this to be the most effective 

and efficient alternative in protecting significant 

resources and providing for visitor enjoyment. 

The actions encompassed in the selected alternative 

are the same as those identified and analyzed in 

alternatives E and B in the environmental assessment, 

with the exception of minor modifications made as a 

result of information and comments derived from 

public review of the EA, as follows:

The national historical park would include 

McDonnell Hall in San Jose, CA. 

McDonnell Hall appears to be the best 

location to tell the story of Cesar Chavez’s 

early education as a community organizer. 

There is significant support by the site 

owner and local community for this site to 

be included in a national historical park. 

The selected alternative does not include the 

provision for adding “associated sites,” to 

the national historical park as was presented 

in alternative E, but does provide for the 

establishment of a national network where 

the NPS would coordinate a network of sites 

and programs outside of the park related to 

Cesar Chavez and the farm labor movement. 

The NPS would establish an oral history 

program with park partners or universities to 

further document the story of Cesar Chavez 

and the farm labor movement. 

The above modifications would not constitute a 

change in environmental impacts beyond what was 

analyzed in the environmental assessment. The 

modifications would assure beneficial effects on the 

resources associated with Cesar Chavez and the farm 

labor movement. The following is the full description 

of the selected alternative. 

THE SELECTED ALTERNATIVE: NATIONAL 

HISTORICAL PARK

Concept 

Congress would establish a national historical park 

(NHP) as a unit of the national park system. The 

NHP would initially include the Forty Acres, Nuestra 

Senora Reina de la Paz, Filipino Community Hall, 

the Santa Rita Center, and McDonnell Hall. Most 

park sites would remain in existing ownership, 

although NPS land acquisition would be authorized. 

Management would occur through collaborative 

processes such as cooperative agreements, 

memoranda of understanding, and other partnership 

approaches to protecting and interpreting resources 

owned by partners. The NPS would have primary 

responsibility for overall interpretation and 

education, and would provide technical assistance in 

preservation of park sites. The NPS would also work 
Cesar Chavez Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment 

Executive Summary xiii 

beyond NHP boundaries to facilitate oral histories, 

research and recognition of other related historic 

sites, and to establish a voluntary national network of 

sites and programs that tell the story of Cesar Chavez 

and the farm labor movement to help preserve 

resources and tell important stories outside of the 

national historical park. 

Definition 

A national historical park extends beyond single 

properties or buildings. Resources include a mix of 

significant historic features. National historical parks 

preserve places and commemorate persons, events, 

and activities important in the nation’s history. 

Examples include: 

Nez Perce NHP: MT, ID, WA, OR 

Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front 

NHP: CA 

Tumacacori NHP: AZ 

Proposed Area 

The national historical park would initially include 

lands and historic structures associated with the Forty 

Acres (Delano, CA), Nuestra Senora Reina de la Paz 

(Keene, CA), Filipino Community Hall (Delano, 

CA), the Santa Rita Center (Phoenix, AZ), and 

McDonnell Hall (San Jose, CA). 

As part of an initial management plan for the national 

historical park, the NPS would evaluate additional 

significant sites that represent key events and 

geographic regions and recommend any other sites 

that should be considered by Congress for addition to 

the national historical park to fully reflect the story of 

Cesar Chavez and the farm labor movement. The 

potential for designation of the 1966 Delano to 

Sacramento march route as a national historic trail 

would also be further explored. 

Management 

NPS ownership of these sites is not required for 

management as a national historic park. Management 

would occur through collaborative processes such as 

management agreements, memoranda of 

understanding, and other partnership approaches to 

protecting and interpreting resources owned by 

partners. Within the NHP, the NPS would have 

primary responsibility for: 1) overall interpretation 

and education associated with the national historical 

park sites, including the development of interpretive 

media and programs; and 2) technical assistance in 

preservation of park sites. 

The NPS would work cooperatively with the owners 

of sites within the national historical park, through 

management agreements and other mechanisms, to 

preserve historic resources and provide appropriate 

opportunities for the public to learn about the life of 

Cesar Chavez and the broader farm labor movement. 

The NPS role could vary at each site, and could 

include visitor programs and assistance with cultural 

resource protection. 

The legislation establishing the park would provide 

the NPS with authorization to acquire sites within the 

national historical park that meet national historic 

landmark criteria should the existing owners express 

interest in donating or selling their properties if 

funding is available. 

Beyond the NHP, the NPS would have the 

responsibility for: 1) development of a voluntary 

national network of sites and programs that tell the 

story of Cesar Chavez and the farm labor movement. 

outside of the national historical park; 2) research and 

documentation of significant sites and stories, 

including development of an oral history program 

and assistance with nomination of properties to the 

National Register of Historic Places or as National 

Historic Landmarks; and 3) development of 

interpretive routes, including working with interested 

organizations to mark, interpret and preserve 

elements of the 1966 Delano to Sacramento march 

route. 

Resource Protection 

Within the NHP, the NPS would allocate park staff 

and apply existing NPS grant programs to work with 

partners to conduct research and preserve historic 

structures, landscapes and artifacts associated with 

the historical park sites. The NPS could also assist 

partners to identify and leverage outside funding for 

preservation. 

Beyond the NHP, the NPS would work with 

interested organizations to determine eligibility for 

National Historic Landmark status or listing in the 

National Register of Historic Places for sites that 

appear to be nationally significant but need further 

research. The NPS would establish an oral history 

program with park partners or universities to further 

document the story of Cesar Chavez and the farm 

labor movement. 
Cesar Chavez Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment 

Executive Summary xiv 

Visitor Experience 

Visitors would have the opportunity to learn about all 

aspects of the life of Cesar Chavez and the farm labor 

movement through key historical park sites in 

California and Arizona. The NPS would work with 

park partners to develop educational and interpretive 

media and programs (e.g. walking tours, ranger-led 

tours, waysides, school curriculums, exhibits, and 

hands-on programs such as working in the fields). 

The NPS could work with partner organizations and 

agencies to interpret march routes. For example, 

signage and an auto tour route could be created to 

interpret the 1966 Delano to Sacramento march route. 

A management plan would determine which historic 

structures could best be used for a visitor center, 

education/ research facility and other potential visitor 

uses. Opportunities for visitor facilities exist at the 

current visitor center at the National Chavez Center 

at La Paz, and historic structures at the Forty Acres. 

Visitor displays could also be offered at other 

national historical park sites such as the Filipino 

Community Hall, the Santa Rita Center, or 

McDonnell Hall in partnership with existing owners. 

Network sites could provide visitor interpretation and 

education related to the significant events which 

occurred in these locations. A virtual visitor center 

could use emergent technologies to provide 

information about the Cesar Chavez and farm labor 

movement stories. 

Operations and Maintenance 

Staffing

The national historic park would be staffed initially 

by a small core staff, potentially shared with other 

parks, and supplemented over time by additional staff 

as funding became available. A management plan 

would identify park priorities, management 

emphases, and required staffing for a 15 to 20 year 

timeframe. 

Based on comparisons of staffing levels for existing 

national historic parks of similar scale, the following 

types of staff might be recommended: 

Superintendent 

Community planner 

Interpretive specialists (2) 

Cultural resource specialists (2) 

Interpretive park rangers (4) 

Visitor use assistants (2) 

Education program specialist 

Some positions might be seasonal, temporary, or 

shared with nearby parks. In addition, partner 

organizations would likely retain staff, with types and 

numbers dependent on the functions provided by 

these partners. Types of partner functions might 

include staffing a visitor facility or museum, and 

developing and implementing educational programs. 

If the NPS acquired any of these sites, maintenance 

staff would be required to maintain the historic 

structures and visitor facilities. 

Land Acquisition 

National Historical Park Sites 

NPS ownership of the park sites is not required for 

the NPS to manage the area as a national historic 

park. The NPS could operate in partnership with the 

current landowners through management agreements. 

Legislation would provide the NPS with 

authorization to acquire park sites that meet national 

historic landmark criteria should the existing owners 

wish to donate or sell these properties, if land 

acquisition funding is available. 

Network Sites 

All facilities, sites and programs participating in the 

national network would remain under their existing 

ownership and management. Participating in the 

network would be completely voluntary on the part 

of the participants. 

Operational and Visitor Facilities 

Construction of new administrative and visitor 

facilities for NPS operations and management would 

not likely be required to support the national historic 

park. However, some alterations to the site 

circulation (e.g. trails, parking, roads, exhibits) would 

likely occur. The NPS could share administrative and 

operational facilities with partner organizations, or 

adaptively reuse historic structures. 

Funding and Costs 

NPS management of a national historical park would 

be funded through federal appropriations as part of 

the annual NPS budget. While no formal estimates of 

operating costs have been completed for this study, 

NPS operational base budgets for fiscal year 2010 of 

several national historic parks that could be 

comparable to the national historic park proposed in 

this alternative illustrate the potential range. Based on 

the size and scope of this park, and the types of 

services and assistance proposed, the annual cost of 

NPS operations for the network could be expected to 

be $1 million to $3 million. The estimated 

operational budget would primarily fund NPS staff, 

interpretive and education programs, and outreach. 
Cesar Chavez Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment 

Executive Summary xv 

If a national historical park is designated by 

Congress, it is likely that funding for the new unit 

would start at a low level and grow slowly over time. 

Many of the activities described in the alternative 

would have to be phased in as funding and staffing 

allows, and it may be many years before the park is 

fully operational as described. 

Alternatives Presented in the Draft 

Study Report

The following section includes the alternatives 

presented in the Draft Cesar Chavez Special 

Resource Study and Environmental Assessment. For 

each alternative there is a description of the overall 

concept and key elements of the alternative, 

including management approaches, resource 

protection, visitor services, and the role of 

organizations and public agencies. 

ITEMS COMMON TO ALL ACTION 

ALTERNATIVES 

The following actions would apply to all of the action 

alternatives (alternatives B-E). 

The NPS would provide recognition and 

technical assistance for telling the story of 

Cesar Chavez and the farm labor movement. 

Interpretation and educational programs would 

present a wide range of stories about the farm 

labor movement, told from multiple 

perspectives (e.g. Filipino, Mexican, growers, 

farm workers). 

Interpretation would be accessible and relevant 

to diverse audiences and multiple generations. 

Information would be presented in multiple 

languages. 

The NPS recognizes that most of the sites 

significant to Cesar Chavez and the farm labor 

movement are owned by local government and 

private entities. Several of the nationally 

significant sites continue to be used for farm 

labor efforts or community organizing. The 

NPS would work cooperatively and in 

partnership with existing landowners and 

provide technical assistance opportunities for 

interpretation and/or preservation of sites 

included in the various alternatives. 

ALTERNATIVE A: CURRENT MANAGEMENT

Concept 

Sites, organizations, and programs significant to the 

life of Cesar Chavez and the farm labor movement 

would continue to operate independently without 

additional NPS management or assistance other than 

that available through existing authorities. 

Definition 

Under a “no action” alternative, current management 

of resources continues. Current programs and 

policies of existing federal, state, county and 

nonprofit organizations remain in place. 

Management 

Significant sites would continue to be owned and 

managed by their respective public and private 

owners. There would be no NPS staffing or 

operational support other than assistance under 

existing authorities if requested. 

Resource Protection 

The primary responsibility for preserving significant 

sites would fall to the current owners and managers 

of those sites including the Cesar E. Chavez 

Foundation, the United Farm Workers of America, 

the Filipino Community of Delano, Inc., local 

churches and organizations, private land owners, and 

state and local authorities. Resource protection would 

be voluntary and dependent on property owners’ 

initiative. 

The Forty Acres NHL and sites currently listed on the 

NRHP would receive some level of protection, 

including opportunities for technical assistance and 

grants for preservation from existing programs. 

Locally protected sites in Phoenix and San Jose 

would receive protection as defined by local 

preservation ordinances. Sites not listed or protected 

by local preservation ordinances could change use or 

ownership which could result in alterations to the 

structures and loss of integrity. 

Sites identified as potentially eligible for NHL 

nomination or nomination to the NRHP would 

continue to be owned by various public and private 

entities. These sites would continue to function for 

private and public uses not related to the farm labor 

movement. Interpretation and conservation of such 

sites would be uncoordinated, at the discretion of the 

current landowner. 
Cesar Chavez Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment 

Executive Summary xvi 

Visitor Experience 

Communities and organizations that provide visitor 

opportunities to learn about the life of Cesar Chavez 

and/or the farm labor movement would continue to 

provide visitor opportunities. For example, the 

National Chavez Center would continue to provide 

visitor opportunities at the La Paz visitor center and 

memorial garden and the City of San Jose would 

continue to provide signage and information for the 

self-guided Cesar Chavez Memorial Walkway. 

The majority of sites identified as significant to the 

life of Cesar Chavez and the farm labor movement 

are not managed to provide visitor opportunities to 

learn about or experience these sites. 

Operations and Maintenance 

Operations and maintenance of existing sites would 

be assumed to remain at existing levels. 

ALTERNATIVE B: NATIONAL NETWORK 

Concept 

Congress would establish a farm labor movement 

network to facilitate preservation and education 

efforts related to the life of Cesar Chavez and the 

farm labor movement. The program would consist of 

an integrated network of historic sites, museums and 

interpretive programs, coordinated with national, 

regional and local organizations. 

Definition 

A network program coordinates private and local 

preservation and education efforts and facilitates the 

creation of an integrated network of historical sites, 

museums, and interpretive programs that have a 

verifiable association to its subject. 

Examples: 

Underground Railroad Network to Freedom 

Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network 

Proposed area 

Significant sites, museums, and interpretive programs 

related to Cesar Chavez and the farm labor 

movement in the western United States would be 

eligible to participate in the network (See Map, 

Alternative B: National Network).

Management 

The NPS would evaluate sites and programs 

nominated for inclusion in the network for their 

association to the life of Cesar Chavez and the farm 

labor movement. 

Elements of the network, such as historical sites and 

museums, would continue to be owned and managed 

by their respective public and private owners. 

The NPS would administer the program which would 

focus on: 

Education about the historic significance of 

the life of Cesar Chavez and the farm labor 

movement 

Technical assistance to organizations that 

identify, document, preserve and interpret 

significant sites or that develop or operate 

interpretive or educational programs or 

facilities 

Matching grants for research, preservation 

efforts, and interpretive programs 

Coordination of network sites, programs and 

facilities.

Resource Protection 

The primary responsibility for preserving significant 

sites would fall to current owners and managers of 

those sites including the Chavez Foundation, the 

UFW, local churches and organizations, private 

landowners, and state and local authorities. Resource 

protection would be voluntary and dependent on 

property owners’ initiative. The NPS would offer 

technical assistance to preserve historic structures 

and landscapes. 

Inclusion of a site or program in the network would 

recognize its association with the life of Cesar 

Chavez and the farm labor movement. This 

recognition could be used by advocates to leverage 

preservation and commemorative efforts. However, 

inclusion in the network would not assure 

preservation or resource protection. 

Visitor Experience 

In alternative B, there would be no NPS visitor center 

or established presence at any of the significant sites. 

Network members would have primary responsibility 

for providing opportunities for visitors to learn about 

or experience sites and stories. 

The NPS would support education and interpretation 

efforts through technical and financial assistance 

associated with NPS administration of the program. 

The NPS would work with network members to 

provide coordinated information about visitor 

opportunities through a website, brochures, etc. 
Cesar Chavez Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment 

Executive Summary xvii 

Operations and Maintenance 

Staffing 

A farm labor movement network would likely be 

managed from NPS regional offices and/or nearby 

national park units in the areas with the largest 

concentrations of related sites and programs. The 

NPS staffing for the network could include a network 

program coordinator, regional program coordinators, 

administrative support, an interpretive specialist, and 

a historic preservation specialist. 

Facilities 

All facilities, sites and programs participating in this 

network would remain under their existing ownership 

and management. Participation in the network would 

be completely voluntary. 

Funding and Costs 

NPS coordination of the farm labor movement 

network and financial and technical assistance would 

be funded through federal appropriations as part of 

the annual NPS budget. Any financial assistance 

provided to network participants would be on a 

matching basis that would require some level of nonfederal funding or in-kind services to match the 

federal funds. While no formal estimates of operating 

costs have been completed for this study, based on 

the breadth of the sites and programs that could be 

eligible to participate in this network, and the types 

of services and assistance proposed, the annual cost 

of NPS operations for the network could be expected 

to be $400,000 to $600,000. The estimated 

operational budget would primarily fund NPS 

salaries for coordination and technical assistance, and 

financial assistance to network participants. 

ALTERNATIVE C: NATIONAL HISTORIC 

TRAIL

Concept 

Congress would establish a new national historic trail 

(NHT) as a unit of the national trails system. The 

trail would commemorate the 1966 Delano to 

Sacramento march route. It would follow the historic 

route, recognizing associated historic resources 

significant to the life of Cesar Chavez and the farm 

labor movement for public use and enjoyment. 

Definition 

A national historic trail, operated under the authority 

of the National Trails System Act (16 USC 1241-

1251), follows an original trail or travel route of 

historic significance. National historic trails identify 

and protect a historic route and its historic remnants 

and artifacts for public use and enjoyment. 

There are specific NHT criteria that must be met, 

including significance of the route and potential for 

public appreciation. 

Examples: 

Selma to Montgomery NHT 

Juan Bautista de Anza NHT 

Lewis and Clark NHT 

Proposed Area 

The NHT would include approximately 300 miles of 

primary and secondary roads in the San Joaquin 

Valley along which farm workers marched from 

Delano to Sacramento in 1966 (See Map, Alternative 

C: National Historic Trail). 

Management and Administration 

The NPS would administer the NHT. NPS 

responsibilities would include facilitating 

coordination among and between agencies and 

partner organizations. 

The trail rights-of-way would continue to be owned 

by their respective public and private owners. 

Through partnership with owners and other interested 

parties, the NPS would engage in planning and 

marking the NHT; certifying qualifying segments as 

protected; supporting voluntary resource preservation 

and protection; and assisting with interpretation, 

educational programs, and visitor enjoyment of the 

trail. 

The NHT could include a visitor facility in Delano (at 

the Forty Acres or Filipino Community Hall). All 

visitor facilities developed to interpret and assist 

visitors along this proposed trail would be established 

through partnership agreements. 

Resource Protection 

The NPS would enter into agreements with 

landowners, private organizations and individuals to 

provide the necessary trail rights-of-way for the 

NHT. If portions of the historic trail are located on 

federally owned lands and meet the national historic 

trail criteria, they could be included as federally 

protected components of the NHT. The NPS could 

also acquire or accept dedications of rights-of-way 

for the NHT. Other lands included in the NHT could 

be certified as protected segments if they meet NHT 

criteria and if the landowner voluntarily applies for 
Cesar Chavez Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment 

Executive Summary xviii 

certification. Preservation of significant sites along 

the trail would be encouraged; however NHT 

designation would not assure preservation or resource 

protection. 

Visitor Experience 

Visitors could experience the trail in segments or as a 

longer trip. One or more visitor centers operated by 

the NPS or partners would provide interpretation and 

visitor services. A virtual visitor center would use 

emergent technologies to provide information about 

the NHT and farm labor movement stories. 

Local communities along the trail could collaborate 

to develop tour itineraries that identify destinations 

along the trail route. Managers of significant sites 

along the route could choose to make the sites 

available to visitors. 

Operations and Maintenance 

Staffing 

A national historic trail would be staffed initially by a 

trail superintendent, supplemented over time by 

additional staff as funding became available. A 

comprehensive management plan would identify trail 

priorities, management emphases, and required 

staffing for a 15-20 year timeframe. 

Some positions might be seasonal, temporary, or 

shared with nearby parks. In addition, partner 

organizations would likely retain staff, with types and 

numbers dependent on the functions provided by 

these partners. Types of partner functions might 

include staffing a visitor contact station, running a 

museum, developing and implementing educational 

programs. 

Land Acquisition 

The NPS would acquire little or no land as part of a 

national historic trail. The trail would be marked on 

existing public land and rights of way, such as 

existing roads, freeways, and trails. 

Operational and Visitor Facilities 

Construction of new administrative facilities for NPS 

operations and management would not likely be 

required to support the national historic trail. The 

NPS could share administrative and operational 

facilities with partner organizations, or adaptively 

reuse historic structures. A comprehensive 

management plan for the trail would identify specific 

operational and visitor facility needs. 

Funding and Costs 

NPS management of this national historic trail would 

be funded through federal appropriations as part of 

the annual NPS budget. While no formal estimates of 

operating costs have been completed for this study, 

based on the size and scope of this trail, and the types 

of services and assistance proposed, the cost of NPS 

operations for the network could be expected to be 

$500,000 to $1,000,000. The estimated operational 

budget would primarily fund NPS salaries for 

identification and marking of the trail, interpretive 

and educational programs, outreach, and trail 

planning. 

ALTERNATIVE D: NATIONAL HISTORIC 

SITE

Concept

Congress would establish a national historic site 

(NHS) as a unit of the national park system. 

The national historic site would preserve and 

interpret resources significant to the life of Cesar 

Chavez and the farm labor movement at the Forty 

Acres in Delano, CA. 

Definition

A national historic site usually contains a single 

historical feature with a direct association to its 

subject. National historic sites preserve places and 

commemorate persons, events, and activities 

important in the nation’s history. 

Examples: 

Martin Luther King Jr. NHS 

John Muir NHS 

Hubbell Trading Post NHS 

Proposed Area 

The national historic site would include the 40 acres 

that comprise the Forty Acres National Historic 

Landmark (See Map, Alternative D: National 

Historic Site). 

Management

The NPS would have primary responsibility for: 1) 

overall interpretation and education associated with 

the national historic site and its resources, including 

the development of interpretive media and programs; 

2) community outreach and assistance in training of 

park volunteers in association with local 

organizations; and 3) technical assistance for 
Cesar Chavez Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment 

Executive Summary xix 

resource preservation efforts for both the historic site 

and community-based resources in Delano. 

The NPS would manage the Forty Acres in 

partnership with the Chavez Foundation, through 

management agreements for historic preservation, 

interpretation, and educational programs. The NPS 

would provide staffing to manage a visitor or 

education center, interpretive exhibits, and 

educational programs at the Forty Acres. 

Resource Protection 

The NPS and existing owners share in the protection 

and preservation of the Forty Acres. The NPS would 

work with the Delano community to assist property 

owners in interpreting and preserving significant 

sites. 

Visitor Experience 

Visitor opportunities to learn about the life of Cesar 

Chavez and the broader farm labor movement would 

be available at a visitor facility at the Forty Acres, 

which could be located in an existing building. The 

NPS would have a highly visible presence. Visitor 

services could include ranger-led and self-guided 

tours, exhibits, and interpretive and educational 

programs. Visitor opportunities could also include 

walking tours and waysides at other significant sites 

in Delano. 

The Forty Acres could function as a research or 

education center for topics related to the life of Cesar 

Chavez and the farm labor movement. The NPS 

would partner with the owners to provide program 

development and exhibit design and construction. A 

virtual visitor center would use emergent 

technologies to provide information about the Cesar 

Chavez and farm labor movement stories. The NPS 

would play a primary role in developing curriculum 

about Cesar Chavez and the farm labor movement. 

Operations and Maintenance 

Staffing 

The national historic site would be staffed initially by 

a superintendent, supplemented over time by 

additional staff as funding became available. A 

management plan would identify priorities, 

management emphases, and required staffing for a 

15-20 year timeframe. 

Some positions might be seasonal, temporary, or 

shared with nearby parks. In addition, partner 

organizations would likely retain staff, with types and 

numbers dependent on the functions provided by 

these partners. Types of partner functions might 

include staffing a visitor contact station, running a 

museum, developing and implementing educational 

programs. If the NPS took ownership of the site at 

some point in the future, maintenance staff would be 

required to maintain the historic structures and visitor 

facilities.

Land Acquisition 

NPS acquisition of the Forty Acres property is not 

required for the NPS to manage a national historic 

site. However, legislation would provide the NPS 

with authorization to acquire the Forty Acres should 

the existing owners wish to donate or sell the 

property at some future time. 

Significant sites other than the Forty Acres would 

continue to be owned and managed by their 

respective public and private owners. 

Operational and Visitor Facilities 

Construction of new administrative and visitor 

facilities for NPS operations and management would 

not likely be required to support the national historic 

site. However, some alterations to the site and 

circulation (e.g. trails, parking, exhibits) would likely 

occur. The NPS could share administrative and 

operational facilities with partner organizations, or 

adaptively reuse historic structures. 

Funding and Costs 

NPS management of a national historic site at the 

Forty Acres would be funded through federal 

appropriations as part of the annual NPS budget. 

While no formal estimates of operating costs have 

been completed for this study, based on the size and 

scope of this site, and the types of services and 

assistance proposed, the annual cost of NPS 

operations for the national historic site could be 

expected to be $1 million to $3 million. The 

estimated operational budget would primarily fund 

NPS staff, interpretive and educational programs, and 

outreach. The higher end of the range would be more 

likely if the NPS were to acquire the property and 

assume full responsibility for operations, 

management, and maintenance of the historic 

structures.

ALTERNATIVE E: NATIONAL HISTORICAL 

PARK

Concept 

Congress would establish a national historical park 

(NHP) as a unit of the national park system. 

The national historical park would consist of 

nationally significant sites in California and Arizona 
Cesar Chavez Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment 

Executive Summary xx 

related to the life of Cesar Chavez and the farm labor 

movement including the Forty Acres, Filipino 

Community Hall, Nuestra Senora Reina de La Paz 

(La Paz), and the Santa Rita Center. 

The Secretary of the Interior would be authorized to 

add significant associated sites or districts to the 

national historical park. These sites would likely be 

owned and operated by park partners. 

Definition 

A national historical park extends beyond single 

properties or buildings. Resources include a mix of 

significant historic features. National historical parks 

preserve places and commemorate persons, events, 

and activities important in the nation’s history. 

Examples: 

Nez Perce NHP 

Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front NHP 

Tumacacori NHP 

Proposed Area 

The national historical park would include lands and 

historic structures associated with Forty Acres, 

Filipino Community Hall, La Paz, and the Santa Rita 

Center (See Map, Alternative E: National Historical 

Park). 

Management 

The NPS would have primary responsibility for: 1) 

overall interpretation and education associated with 

the national historical park sites, including the 

development of interpretive media and programs; 2) 

community outreach and assistance in training of 

volunteers in association with local organizations; 

and 3) technical assistance for resource preservation 

efforts for associated sites. 

The NPS would work cooperatively with the owners 

of sites within the national historical park to preserve 

resources and provide appropriate opportunities for 

the public to learn about the life of Cesar Chavez and 

the broader farm labor movement. The NPS role 

could vary at each site, and could include staffing, 

visitor programs, and assistance with cultural 

resource protection. The NPS could enter into 

management agreements with public and private 

owners of park sites for historic preservation, 

interpretation, and education. 

Associated sites significant to the life of Cesar 

Chavez and the farm labor movement could be later 

added to the national historical park. The NPS would 

develop a process for adding associated sites to the 

national historical park. Criteria would include 

significance of the site or district to the life of Cesar 

Chavez or the farm labor movement, local 

commitment to preservation of the site or district, and 

the ability to offer interpretive opportunities or 

educational programs. Associated sites would be 

owned and managed by park partners. The NPS could 

provide technical assistance and grants to associated 

sites to establish visitor facilities, interpretive 

exhibits, and educational programs. 

Resource Protection 

The NPS would work with partners to protect the 

resources and setting associated with the historical 

park sites. Through this study, the NPS has identified 

a number of sites that appear to be nationally 

significant, but need further research to determine 

eligibility for National Historic Landmark status or 

listing in the National Register of Historic Places. In 

alternative E, the NPS would conduct additional 

research and provide assistance in preparing 

nominations for such sites. 

The NPS would work with the Delano community to 

identify and establish preservation zones or districts 

for neighborhoods with a high concentration of 

significant sites. The NPS could assist property 

owners in interpreting and preserving significant sites 

if requested. 

State and local governments, nonprofit organizations, 

and private property owners would be responsible for 

protection and preservation of associated sites. NPS 

matching grants could be available to conduct 

research and preserve sites, stories and artifacts. 

Visitor Experience 

Visitors would have the opportunity to learn about all 

aspects of the life of Cesar Chavez and the farm labor 

movement through key historical park sites in 

California and Arizona. The NPS would work with 

park partners to develop educational and interpretive 

media and programs (e.g. walking tours, ranger-led 

tours, waysides, school curriculums, exhibits, and 

hands-on programs such as working in the fields). 

The NPS could work with partner organizations and 

agencies to mark and interpret march routes, or 

establish interpretive trails. 

At the Forty Acres visitors could be welcomed at a 

visitor facility, which could be located in an existing 

building. A smaller visitor display could be located at 

the Filipino Community Hall. The Forty Acres or La 
Cesar Chavez Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment 

Executive Summary xxi 

Paz could function as a research or education center 

for topics related to the life of Cesar Chavez and the 

farm labor movement. A visitor facility or exhibits 

could be developed at the Santa Rita Center in 

partnership with Chicanos Por La Causa as part of 

future development of the site as a community center. 

Associated sites would provide visitor interpretation 

and education related to the significant events which 

occurred in these locations. A virtual visitor center 

would use emergent technologies to provide 

information about the Cesar Chavez and farm labor 

movement stories. NPS matching grants could be 

available for development of visitor services and 

interpretive materials. 

Operations and Maintenance 

Staffing 

The national historic park would be staffed initially 

by a superintendent, supplemented over time by 

additional staff as funding became available. A 

management plan would identify park priorities, 

management emphases, and required staffing for a 

15-20 year timeframe. 

Some positions might be seasonal, temporary, or 

shared with nearby parks. In addition, partner 

organizations would likely retain staff, with types and 

numbers dependent on the functions provided by 

these partners. Types of partner functions might 

include staffing a visitor facility, running a museum, 

developing and implementing educational programs. 

If the NPS took ownership of a site at some point in 

the future, maintenance staff would be required to 

maintain the historic structures and visitor facilities. 

Land Acquisition 

NPS acquisition of the park sites is not required for 

the NPS to manage a national historic park. 

Legislation would provide the NPS with 

authorization to acquire the nationally significant 

park sites should the existing owners wish to donate 

or sell the property at some future time. 

The legislation establishing the park would provide 

the NPS with authorization to acquire sites within the 

national historical park should the existing owners 

express interest in donating or selling their properties. 

Operational and Visitor Facilities 

Construction of new administrative and visitor 

facilities for NPS operations and management would 

not likely be required to support the national historic 

park. However, some alterations to the site and 

circulation (e.g. trails, parking, exhibits) would likely 

occur. The NPS could share administrative and 

operational facilities with partner organizations, or 

adaptively reuse historic structures. 

Funding and Costs 

NPS management of a national historic park would 

be funded through federal appropriations as part of 

the annual NPS budget. While no formal estimates of 

operating costs have been completed for this study, 

based on the size and scope of this park, and the 

types of services and assistance proposed, the cost of 

NPS operations for the network could be expected to 

be $1,000,000 to $3,000,000. The estimated 

operational budget would primarily fund NPS staff, 

interpretive and education programs, and outreach. 

Environmental Assessment 

Background 

Before taking an action, the National Environmental 

Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to 

identify a range of alternatives for that action and to 

analyze the potential environmental impacts of that 

action, including any potential adverse environmental 

effects that cannot be avoided if the proposed action 

is implemented. The NPS prepared an environmental 

assessment (EA) for the Cesar Chavez Special 

Resource Study to identify and analyze the potential 

environmental and socioeconomic consequences of 

each of the alternatives considered in the study. A 

Finding of No Significant Impacts (FONSI) was 

completed for this document in December 2011. The 

FONSI also contains a summary of public comments 

on the draft study report. 

Impacts

Consequences are determined by comparing likely 

future conditions under each alternative with the 

existing baseline conditions as described in the “no 

action” alternative. The analysis includes 

consideration of the context, intensity, and duration 

of direct and indirect effects of all the alternatives. 

The NPS based analysis and conclusions on a review 

of existing literature, information provided by experts 

within the NPS as well as outside organizations, 

analysis of case studies of existing programs in other 

locations, and the professional judgment of the team 

members. 

Given the broad nature of the study, this impact 

analysis must also be broad and avoid speculation as 

to site-specific types of impacts. 
Cesar Chavez Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment 

Executive Summary xxii 

The outcome of the study is a recommendation to 

Congress. If Congress takes action, then new 

environmental analysis would be undertaken prior to 

specific implementation actions. This new analysis 

would propose specific actions whose specific 

impacts would be assessed prior to implementation. 

The NPS evaluated the environmental consequences 

of each alternative on the following topics: land use; 

water resources (water quality and hydrology); 

vegetation; wildlife; federally listed species; 

prehistoric and historic archeological resources; 

historic structures / cultural landscapes; museum 

collections; visitor experience; and socioeconomics. 

Environmentally Preferred 

Alternative

The NPS is required to identify an “environmentally 

preferred alternative” in an EA. The environmentally 

preferred alternative is determined by applying 

criteria set forth in the National Environmental Policy 

Act (NEPA), as guided by direction from the Council 

on Environmental Quality (CEQ). 

The NPS has determined the selected alternative, 

formed by combining elements of alternatives B and 

E, to be the environmentally preferable course of 

action. These actions would protect the largest 

number of resources potentially eligible as national 

historic landmarks including opportunities for 

protection in perpetuity should current owners choose 

to donate or sell the properties to NPS in the future. 

The analysis and findings contained in this study do 

not guarantee the future funding, support, or any 

subsequent action by the NPS, the Department of the 

Interior, or Congress. Identification of an 

environmentally preferred alternative should not be 

viewed as a positive or negative recommendation by 

the NPS for any future management strategy or 

action.