Human remains, tattered mining claims, a 19th-century set of books containing the complete works of Shakespeare, and well-worn curtains that shaded the windows at Scotty's Castle in Death Valley National Park are among the millions of artifacts that National Park Service experts revive from decades of wear, disaster, and decay, piece together so their stories can be brought to life in park museums, and preserve.

History, and traces of it, abound across the National Park System and is held in parks. Thomas Moran's sketch book from his 1870s' travels through Yellowstone. A rich collection of 19th-century Plains Indian footwear and clothing. A resplendent parade saddle blanket from Death Valley. Paintings from the Hudson River School of artists. Prehistoric artifacts. Buckskins belonging to Gen. George Armstrong Custer. Breast plates worn by Spanish conqistadors. Civil War artifacts.

Archaeological artifacts that come to the surface — whether through erosion, disturbance, the unraveling of midden piles, or searching before a ground-disturbing project is begun — also must be preserved and catalogued so researchers can try to tease out hints of history and prehistory.

"Parks tell the history of the United States in its many, many forms. Natural and cultural history," says Sue Consolo-Murphy, who spent four decades working for the National Park Service within the realm of natural and cultural resources. "We preserve the history of not just the parks, but the broader evolution of our country and the landscape. The Park Service is like the flagship of preservation for museum collections in the country."

But that history could be at risk from the Trump administration's plans to dispose of government facilities it doesn't deem essential.

Across the country, the Park Service maintains six facilities focused on the conservation and preservation of artifacts found within the National Park System. Inside the buildings staff carefully monitor and control temperature, humidity, and lighting. Before applying cleaning substances to objects, they test them to ensure they don't damage the artifacts. They develop strategies to ensure insects don't damage objects in their care. They work with paintings, books and parchments, leather products, glass, and metal. There are oral histories on file and paleontological puzzles explained.

As Kim O'Connell noted in her 2018 article, The Care and Keeping Of History, the conservators come from a wide range of fields — art history, studio art, and chemistry. Many have advanced degrees in art conservation and have served extensive internships in some of the nation’s best-known art and history museums as well as other heritage institutions.

At least two of those facilities — the Harpers Ferry Center Museum Conservation and Collections facility in West Virginia and the Southeast Archeological Center in Florida — are proposed for disposal by the Trump administration to save rent.  

Combined, those two centers hold millions of objects that are restored, preserved, studied. Through the years, the Park Service staff at the centers have worked with fragile photographic slides, negatives, and motion picture film that are kept in cold storage to prevent their deterioration, rare books that might need rebinding, paintings and tapestries that need restoration, even Native American remains that must be protected for possible repatriation. 

Personnel at the Harpers Ferry facility also help parks build visitor center displays, produce park films, maintain standards for Park Service brands (e.g., the agency's arrowhead), and more.

Among the artifacts held at the Southeast Archeological Center is a Civil War-era olive oil bottle found at Fort Pulaski National Monument/NPS

"We have these six facilities that serve the entire nation, 400+ parks with a fairly small, dedicated staff of preservation specialists, museum curators, archivists," says Consolo-Murphy, who sits on the executive council of the Coalition to Protect America's National Parks. 

Whether the other four facilities will be eyed for disposal remains to be determined, but "there's certainly nervousness" within their staff, she said during a phone call Friday.

"The Coalition has been trying to figure out why the things that showed up on the list did," Consolo-Murphy added. "As you know, there are some park headquarters in there, there are visitor centers that receive a lot of use. It does not appear to be well thought through in terms of how these facilities serve the public and [protect] the history, the objects, and the records for the United States."

Also unknown is where the collections might go and how they might be transferred if indeed Congress allows for the buildings to be disposed.

"The first question I have is what would happen to all of the artifacts? They cannot just be boxed up and placed in some warehouse or, worse yet, disposed of," said Sheridan Steele, another member of the Coalition who worked 38 years for the Park Service, serving as superintendent in six parks during a career that culiminated with a 12-year stint at Acadia National Park in Maine. "These artifacts are part of this nation's collective natural and cultural heritage. This administration's approach is incredibly irresponsible, short-sighted, and without justification or forethought. Like the indiscriminate firings of park employees, there is no regard for the consequences of their actions.

"The national parks were already underfunded and understaffed before these firings and it sounds as if more are to come. Surely America's national parks and the many dedicated National Park Service employees deserve better."

The National Park Service declined to go into detail on how it might handle closure of the facilities, saying only that the agency "is committed to upholding our responsibilities to visitors and is working with [General Services Administration] to ensure facilities or alternative options will be available, as we embrace new opportunities for optimization and innovation in workforce management. As always, NPS will continue to provide critical services, deliver excellent customer service and will remain focused on ensuring that every visitor has the chance to explore and connect with the incredible, iconic spaces of our national parks." 

Also singled out for money-saving cuts are contract historians who work with the National Park Service. Last week the Interior Department canceled all of the contracts Montana-based Historical Research Associaties, Inc., had with the agency's Midwest Regional Office. While two of the projects had been completed, three others remained to be concluded, Emily Greenwald, the firm's principal historian, told U.S. Sens. Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy and U.S. Rep, Ryan Zinke, all Montana Republicans.

"As one of your constituents, I ask you to take this seriously and find out what is going on," she wrote in a letter sent to the politicians on Friday. "These contract cancellations have an impact on small business owners like me and my fellow shareholders. In addition, it is terribly wasteful to stop a project so far along, for no apparent reason. The government has already expended money on these projects and will have nothing to show for it."

One of the unfinished projects was a historical study of cultural resources at Indiana Dunes National Park in Indiana; one was for an administrative history of Keweenaw National Historical Park in Michigan; another involved producing interpretive content for the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail.

"As a professionally trained historican, I believe that American history should be deeply researched and broad in scope," wrote Greenwald. "Understanding the past is critical for making informed decisions and planning for the future. As members of Congress, you know that a strong grasp of America's collective, complex history helps you govern this country successfully and fairly."