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August 25, 1977
Mrs. Margaret M. Gibbens Historic Sites Survey Chairman Hancock County Historical Society 111 Citizen Street Bay St. Louis, Mississippi 39520
Dear Mrs. Gibbens:
Thank you for your letter concerning the survey being conducted by the Hancock County Historical Society. I very ouch regret that because of our current workload, it will not be possible at this time to inspect the sites you	mentioned. We will try,	however,	to	schedule	a	visit	the
next time one	of our archaeologists is	in the area.
Meanwhile, I would suggest that you forward to us a U.S. Geological Survey i^p on which the'archaeological '8ite8v'uruin8v>'f'arul ’'pre8uoed arsenal ':i in question have been clearly indicated. We can then check our files to determine if these locations have been	recorded	in	previous	surveys,	and
if so, we can	send you the information	we have.
May I also offer a word of caution in regard to the eventual publicizing of the locations of these sites, since they are thereby rendered vulnerable to potential vandalism and looting.
In awarding a certificate of recognition for the restoration of a property, it would, as you Indicated, first be necessary to know the criteria which the restoration met. Since the award would be sponsored by the Hancock County Historical Society, these criteria, I believe, could best be determined locally on the basis of the contribution made by the restoration to preserving the cultural heritage of the community. For information as to the general format such an award might take, I am enclosing a sample copy of the certificate this Department issues to owners of properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places.