Preserving the Submerged and Coastal Maritime Heritage of the United States

The United States is a nation founded upon a maritime heritage that allowed for the early colonies to form, trade, expand their frontiers and defend themselves. The material remains of this legacy are dispersed across the continent in inland waters, along coasts, and in the depths of the sea. This dissertation aims at presenting a structural overview and assessment of efforts designed at preserving, enhancing, and learning from the material remains of this maritime heritage.

The study reviews national and state laws and regulations that apply to such resources, which together create a mosaic of preservation mandates. Discussion of the legal framework is enhanced through incorporation of current issues and examples, and leads to a better understanding of the research element of the study based on a maritime heritage questionnaire distributed to over 100 organizations nationwide.

The maritime heritage questionnaire serves as the fundamental original research component of the dissertation, and through it this overview incorporates input from organizations in the public sector, universities, museums, non-profit organizations, avocational groups, and cultural resource management firms. These diverse perspectives offer insights into the current state of the field, identify legislative or other gaps, and suggest areas where efforts need to be redoubled in order to preserve the nation's tangible connection with its maritime past.

Together, the legislative overview and professional stakeholder input lead to a set of proposals through which the preservation of the nation's submerged and coastal maritime heritage resources can be enhanced.