A resource assessment of the Vicksburg National Military Park was released by the National Parks Conservation Association last week. The following are some of the key findings of the report: 

* VNMP scored a 67 on a 100-point system in overall conditions of its cultural resources, indicating “fair” conditions.

* The current level of interpretive staffing is insufficient to adequately serve the approximately 700,000 who visit the park each year.

* A lack of planning documents and a limited number of staff to care for cultural resources are key challenges at the park.

* The park suffers from a considerable lack of historic resource studies, which are meant to provide overviews of the park’s history and related cultural resources.

* Resource studies about Vicksburg’s women and the experiences of African-Americans at Vicksburg are needed in the park’s interpretive program.

* The historic structure report for the USS Cairo, written to guide treatment and use of the boat, was completed in 1981 and is now outdated.

* 9.4 additional employees and an extra $716,000 in annual funding is needed to operate Pemberton’s Headquarters on Crawford Street, protect historic and cultural resources and maintain the battlefield.

* VNMP received a “poor” rating for its archaeology resources (53), and scored its highest marks for its historic structures (69), history resources (78) and museum collection and archives (78). 

The complete report is available here.