Dwight Pitcaithley Retires: Search for the Next Chief Historian of the NPS to Begin

In June 2005, Dwight T. Pitcaithley retired as chief historian of the National Park Service (NPS), after a distinguished career that began in 1976. Janet Snyder Matthews, the National Park Service’s associate director for cultural resources, will soon begin a national search for his replacement.

Finding the next chief historian is an important step for the National Park Service. It comes at a time when the NPS is more conscious than ever of the need to pursue its educational mission vigorously. The NPS has long been among the most conspicuous stewards of places where people come to commemorate and learn about American history, and to gain fresh perspectives on the intersections of history and memory. While for many Americans "National Park Service" immediately conjures up visions of Yosemite Falls and the Grand Canyon, the National Park System today includes more places set aside for human history than for natural history—and it is as remarkable for research potential as it is for grand scenery....