Murray, Hyde H., 1930-2009

American lawyer and political adviser; attorney, Office of the General Counsel, United States Department of Agriculture, 1957-1958; counsel, Committee on Agriculture, United States House of Representatives, 1958-1979; minority counsel, United States House of Representatives, 1979-1988.

The Civil War Sites Advisory Commission was created by Congress on November 8, 1990, to identify important Civil War sites, determine their significance and current condition, evaluate any threats to their integrity, develop alternatives for preservation and interpretation, and report these findings to Congress. The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields were excluded from the purview of the Commission due to an earlier study already underway. The Commission was to have 13 members (later amended to 15) appointed by the Secretary of the Interior, Congress, and designees from the National Park Service and Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. It held sixteen public meetings in eleven states, which allowed for public comment and expert opinions on Civil War battlefields and the issues surrounding their preservation, as well as site visits. Its report, entitled "Report on the Nation's Civil War Battlefields," was presented on July 12, 1993. The Commission officially disbanded on October 10, 1993.