Possible U.S. Role at Nixon Library Debated

News that partial control of the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace may be turned over to the National Archives drew a mixed response Saturday in Orange County, some of whom liked the idea of a federal takeover while others feared the landmark would never be the same.

Applauding the proposal were those saying that the federal government should begin supporting the privately run facility, the only presidential library not funded by taxpayer dollars.

Others, though, expressed concern that government management would change the nature of the hometown Nixon library in Yorba Linda, whose residents use it for parades, pageants, bar mitzvahs and weddings.

Local high schools have scheduled their proms at the museum. During election campaigns, the library also moderates a debate among the aspirants for City Council.

“It is so much a part of this community . . . and we have a great relationship with the people there,” City Councilwoman Barbara Kiley said.

The federal government doesn’t have its hands on the library just yet, though.

R. Stan Mortenson, an attorney for the Nixon estate, emphatically said that the Nixon family and the National Archives have not reached a deal--tentative or otherwise.

“There is no such deal and it would be inaccurate to describe the situation even as being a tentative deal,” he said. “This case has been going on in excess of a decade and over the years, as you would with any civil litigation, you talk about a lot of possibilities for how you might resolve the matter.”

However, Mortenson said there is no dispute over who controls more than 42 million items now held by the archives. A court decision 18 months ago found that the National Archives controls the materials and always will, whether they remain in Maryland or move to Yorba Linda, Mortenson said.

“The family has never nor would ever asked for any control over those materials,” he said.

Moving the items to Yorba Linda but retaining authority over them, the National Archives would be treating the Nixon library as it does other presidential libraries, Mortenson said.

“All other presidential libraries, where the presidents’ entire archives of papers are maintained, are operated under archive control,” he said. Housing some materials at the library and others in the National Archives provides an incomplete picture of the Nixon years in the White House, he said.

“Besides, Yorba Linda is about as accessible to historians as Green Belt, Md.,” where the National Archives is located, he said.

What remains to be settled is how much the materials are worth.

“When the government passed a law seizing all of [Nixon’s] materials it did so under eminent domain, and now it has to pay his estate fair market value,” Mortenson said. “It’s an extraordinarily difficult task; there are 42 million pages of material and 900 reels of tape covering 2 1/2 years.”

The amount discussed is a reported $26 million.

City officials said Saturday they had no idea that control over any part of the library would ever change hands.

“We have not heard one thing about it,” said Gene Wisner, a Yorba Linda councilman.

Wisner said library officials have planned to expand their exhibit space for many years and have shared those plans with the community.

It was never assumed, though, that the expansion would house the large collection held by the archives, he said.

One library foundation board member, Roy Knauft, said a government takeover would be a blessing if it meant reducing the burden of never-ending library fund raising.

“If the federal government wants to take it over, I have no objections because all other libraries are supported by the federal government,” said Knauft.

Knauft said he hoped that if the federal government took over the library, it would continue to be operated as it always has since it opened in 1990.

“I would hope they would keep the management because it is very well run and it is a valuable asset to our city,” Knauft said.