Staff at Fort Laramie National Historic Site in Wyoming has completed its Foundation Document, which provides a basic understanding of the park's resources, values, and history. National Park Service personnel use this information to effectively manage the park and plan for its future. The primary benefit of a foundation document is the opportunity to integrate and coordinate all kinds and levels of planning from a single, shared understanding of what is most important about the park.

According to the document, the purpose of the historic site is to preserve the historic scene and resources at the confluence of the Laramie and North Platte rivers, and to interpret the roles and significance of the diverse and vibrant cultures that interacted at this crossroads of the West.

Park foundation documents aim to answer critical questions such as:

• What is the purpose of the park?
• Why was it included in the national park system?
• What makes the park significant?
• What are the park’s fundamental resources and values?
• What legal and policy requirements, special mandates, and administrative commitments apply to the park?
• What are the park's key planning and data needs?

The newly released document will serve as the core of Fort Laramie NHS’s planning portfolio.