The fort at the end of Main Street that has given Fort Scott its’ name, is reaching out to National Park Service visitors who want an online experience.

“Fort Scott National Historic Site is participating in a nationwide survey to characterize the NPS virtual visitor population so we can better meet their virtual needs, describe visitors’ motivations, and evaluate the effectiveness of NPS digital media products,” Carl Brenner, FSNHS Program Manager for Interpretation and Resource Manager, said.

“We are part of a pilot/pre-test program consisting of a handful of National Park sites nationwide,” he said. “This survey will run four weeks, February 16 through March 14, 2021. These National Parks are making weekly posts, on each social media platform they support, to invite virtual visitors to participate in the survey once they have completed their virtual visit.”

 

“The virtual tour of the park is a series of 360-degree images from all of the rooms here at the site,” Brenner said. “The Virtual Visit, as it is called in the survey, is browsing the posts on each of the social media platforms to gain a deeper connection and understanding of the park.”

 

To take the virtual tour:

http://www.nps.gov/fosc/learn/photosmultimedia/360tours.htm

 

Fort Scott NHS participates on the following social media platforms:

www.facebook.com/FortScottNPS

www.instagram.com/fortscottnps

https://twitter.com/FortScottNPS

Fortscott.biz interviewed Brenner by email.

Here are the questions and responses.

What is it designed to do?

“The public expects nearly all desired information to be found quickly and easily through websites and social media channels. They also expect that organizations frequently update these assets. The National Park Service (NPS) directly manages thousands of digital media web pages, mobile app pages, and social media channels. They also supply content, directly or indirectly, for third-party providers that share digital media information with the public. Within this large digital ecosystem, millions of online users from around the world rely on these resources for a wide range of information. While NPS has an established program for measuring and monitoring physical visitation to its park units, the program for describing and evaluating virtual visitors to its online resources is still being developed.

This study is part of that development. It aims to characterize the NPS virtual visitor population so we can better meet their virtual needs, describe visitors’ motivations, and evaluate the effectiveness of NPS digital media products.”

 

What will be done with the results?

“Through this program, the NPS, and specifically Fort Scott NHS, can better understand and meet the needs of our virtual visitors. We will be able to better evaluate the effectiveness of our digital media products in terms of the virtual visitor experience. With this information we can better prepare visitors for future visits,  increase resource protection, build a deeper understanding of the history and stories of our nation’s heritage, and build better connections to and stewards of National Park Service resources. Additionally, NPS will determine if the current allocation of resources for digital media is generating congruent virtual visitor value, and the NPS will be positioned to more strategically deploy resources where digital information needs are not being sufficiently met and/or where the highest value is being provided.”

 

When will the survey results be collected and analyzed?

“The evaluation of the virtual visitors’ experiences and digital media effectiveness will begin immediately following the close of the survey and we are hoping to receive results by the end of the summer.”

 

 

The fort’s contact info:

Office – 620-223-0310

www.facebook.com/FortScottNPS

www.instagram.com/FortScottNPS

http://twitter.com/FortScottNPS

 

 

Fort Scott Kan. – Fort Scott National Historic was impacted by the sub-zero temperatures last week when a fire suppression line valve and pipe failed and ruptured on Saturday, February 20, 2021 around 6:30pm in the Dragoons Barracks. The rupture caused flooding in the attic space, the exhibit area on the second floor, and the Laundress, Married Non-Commissioned Officer’s quarters, and the mechanical room on the first floor.

 

“The park is currently assessing the damages and undergoing a thorough inspection of the building, its fire suppression system, and electrical systems,” said Betty Boyko, Superintendent, Fort Scott National Historic Site. “We are also working closely with the regional Museum Curator and Harpers Ferry Center’s Museum Curation staff on how to best conserve and store affected museum objects and artifacts.” The Dragoons Barracks monitoring system has been restored but the building will remain closed through the assessment and rehabilitation process.

 

From November 1-March 31, Fort Scott National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service, will be open for its winter hours of operation. The site exhibit areas and historic buildings are open daily from 8:30 am-4:30 pm. The park grounds are open daily from ½ hour before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset. To find out more or become involved in activities at the Fort, please contact the park at 620-223-0310 or visit our website at www.nps.gov/fosc.

 

 

Fort Scott Kan. – Fort Scott National Historic Site and Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge will host a free guided bird walk Saturday, February 13, at the Fort from 10 am to noon for the Great Backyard Bird Count.

 

Join a Ranger on an easy, one-mile, two-hour birdwatching walk starting from the National Park Visitor Center. Rangers and participants will record all bird sightings and upload the data to the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). This walk is for birders of all skill levels and you don’t have to stay for the entire program to make a difference. Birders are encouraged to bring binoculars and warm, layered, clothing. A free Pocket Guide to Common Kansas Backyard Birds is available courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

 

Since 1998, “The Backyard Bird Count has been an opportunity for citizen scientists around the world to contribute to the understanding of wild birds, their environment, and numbers,” said Betty Boyko, Superintendent, Fort Scott National Historic Site. “We encourage everyone to join us each month for additional bird walks and programs.” Watch for scheduled bird walks in the park throughout the year on Facebook or at the Fort Scott NHS Website www.nps.gov/fosc.

 

For more information about the Great Backyard Bird Count, contact Fort Scott National Historic Site by calling 620-223-0310. If you can’t make it to the program, but wish to participate in the bird count, find out more at the Great Backyard Bird Count’s ‘How to Participate’ page.

 

Each checklist submitted during the GBBC helps researchers at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society learn more about how birds are doing, and how to protect them and the environment we share. Last year, more than 268,674 estimated participants identified 6,942 species of birds. You can make the difference this year. The results of these bird counts are available at www.birdcount.org.

 

-NPS-

 

Credit Photo as: NPS Photo: A. Schauer