Historic Sites
As Secretary of the Interior, Stewart L. Udall sparked a cultural renaissance in national U.S. heritage, beginning with the passage of the 1966 National Historic Preservation Act, whihc created the National Register of Historic Places, with the Secretary of the Interior designating qualifying federal properties as National Historic Landmarks.
In total, Secretary Udall added twenty sites to the Register. These included such sites as Liberty Island National Monument in New York; Fort Davis National Historic Site in Texas; Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site in Arizona; and Ford's Theater in Washington D.C.
Among the nascent National Historic Landmarks added by Secretary Udall was Ford's Theater, newly restored and reopened initially with a dedication ceremony on January 21, 1968, followed with a subsequent opening gala performance on January 30th.
The dedication ceremony on January 21st featured music by the U.S. Army Chorus and the National Gallery Orchestra, readings from Lincoln's works, and a poetic reading. The opening gala on January 30th consisted of a production called "A Lincoln Evening" featuring performers such as balladeer Harry Belafonte, actor Henry Fonda, and folk singer Odetta.
Ford's Theater would be renovated again in the 2000s, expanding its seating capacity to 665 and reopened with a ceremony on Feburary 11, 2009, the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birthday. Its success traces back to the work of Stewart L. Udall as Secretary of the Interior.