The U.S. National Park Service (NPS) has recently announced the appointment of Kerry Gonzalez as Chief of Cultural Resource Management for two units of the NPS. In her new role at George Washington Birthplace National Monument and Thomas Stone National Historic Site, Gonzalez will be responsible for a wide range of resources, including historic structures, museum collections, and archaeological assets.
According to a news release issued by the NPS on February 12, Gonzalez was hired to manage these cultural assets. The announcement also included a statement from Superintendent Melissa Cobern. "Although trained as an archaeologist, Kerry has an impressive background in managing a variety of cultural resources and is the perfect person for this position. We are delighted to have her on our team," said Cobern.
George Washington Birthplace National Monument is a 551-acre land area located in the northern neck of Virginia. Established in the late 1920s through the efforts of the Wakefield National Memorial Association, it was dedicated to restoring President George Washington’s birthplace under the guidelines of the Colonial Revival Movement. Although unable to accurately recreate what the property looked like in the 18th century, their efforts expanded the size of George Washington Birthplace National Monument, according to information available on the NPS website.
Gonzalez will also manage cultural assets at Thomas Stone National Historic Site. This site honors Thomas Stone, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence on August 2, 1776. The historic site includes a family cemetery where Stone and his wife Margaret are buried, as per details provided on its dedicated webpage focusing on Stone's history and life.
Gonzalez brings with her extensive experience in archaeology which includes a master’s degree in early American history from State University College at Brockport. Her career spans over two decades with previous roles at Gray & Pape Inc., Dovetail Cultural Resource Group and Cultural Resources Inc., among others as detailed on her LinkedIn profile.
Gonzalez expressed her enthusiasm about the new role in a statement. "There are so many important but unanswered questions here. I look forward to unraveling the mysteries of this place and starting to answer some of those questions," she said in the February 12 news release announcing her appointment with the NPS.
