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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 2016)
SOU receives battlefield preservation grant from National Park Service Editor’s note: The Siletz Tribe has the primary connection to this battle site in particular. A mix of southwest coastal (Curry, Josephine and Jackson counties) Tribes were there and after this battle were rounded up and brought to the Siletz Reservation. The Siletz Tribe supported the grant application and is participating in the work. ASHLAND, Ore. – Southern Oregon University has received a grant of $92,600 from the National Park Service’s Ameri- can Battlefield Protection Program to produce a multiple property nomination to the National Register of Historic Places for sites related to the Rogue River War (1855-1856) in Southern Oregon. This is part of a long-term commit- ment by regional partners to interpret the Rogue River War in a holistic way for the public and interested scholars. The project will conduct historical research, an archaeological survey and geographic information system (GIS) mapping to determine conflict boundaries. “From the shores of the Mariana Islands to an old Dutch fort in Delaware to a man-made mountain defense in Vermont, these places hold clues to our past,” said National Park Service Direc- tor Jonathan B. Jarvis. “Preserving and understanding these sites allows us to reveal a complex history representing mul- tiple sides of the story, as well as stories of sacrifice and heroism that ultimately shape our nation today.” “As current events demonstrate, wars are often more than two armies oppos- ing each other across an open field,” said Mark Tveskov, principal researcher on the grant-funded project. “On the frontier of Oregon in the 1850s, the front lines were people’s homes – both settlers and Native Americans – and the conflicts involved men, women and children. This is our shared American history and the grant gives us the opportunity to tell the story.” This grant is one of 20 from the National Park Service totaling $1.198 million to preserve and protect signifi- cant battle sites from all wars fought on American soil. Funded projects preserve battlefields from the colonial-Indian wars through World War II and include site mapping (GPS/GIS data collection), archaeologi- cal studies, National Register of Historic Places nominations, preservation and management plans. Federal, state, local and Tribal gov- ernments, nonprofit organizations and educational institutions are eligible for National Park Service battlefield grants that are awarded annually. Since 1996, more than $18 million has been awarded by the American Battlefield Protection Program to help preserve significant his- toric battlefields associated with wars on American soil. Additional information is online at nps.gov/abpp. Rogue River War project The Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology (SOULA) currently is conducting archaeological research on eight historical sites of the Rogue River War. Anthropologists’ work includes his- torical research; precise mapping of the sites including archaeological excavation; and artifact analysis and mapping. This work will culminate in the presentation of several archaeological sites as a single collective of Rogue River War sites and will serve as a significant addition to State of Oregon history. “The timing of this news is perfect. Currently, our field school is exploring one of the missing pieces of the puzzle and that’s the archaeology of the pioneer side of this conflict,” said Chelsea Rose, project archaeologist. “This week we’ve recovered the bullets, bottles and beads of the settlers huddled in a muddy fort on the western frontier at the end of the war.” This summer, SOULA is conducting archaeological research on two sites asso- ciated with the Rogue River War as part of its summer archaeological field school. This portion of the project is funded in part by the Oregon State Parks and Rec- reational Department (OPRD). The proj- ect includes geophysical survey, extensive documentary research, large-scale excava- tion and a public archaeology program at the Geisel Monument State Heritage Site and at Miner’s Fort in Curry County. This project is the latest aspect of a multi-year collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management, OPRD, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Indians, the Coquille Indian Tribe, and the Con- federated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians. Previous work on Rogue River War sites includes archaeological excavations at the 1852 wreck of the schooner Captain Lincoln on Coos Bay, the remains of the U.S. Army’s Fort Lane near Central Point and the site of the Battle of Hungry Hill that took place in late October 1855. This summer’s Curry County research will benefit from the partnerships devel- oped during these earlier projects. hands-on experiences in fieldwork, labo- ratory analysis, conference presentation, writing and career networking. SOULA regularly works with the Coquille Indian Tribe, the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Indians, the Siletz Tribe, the Grand Ronde Tribe, ODOT, OPRD, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, City of Jackson- ville, City of Bandon and many other agencies and municipalities. Visit SOULA at sou.edu/soula and on Facebook at facebook.com/SouthernOre- gonUniversityLaboratoryofAnthropology. About SOU Southern Oregon University is a medium-size campus that provides com- prehensive educational opportunities with a strong focus on student success and intellectual creativity. Located in vibrant Ashland, Ore., SOU remains committed to diversity and inclusion for all students on its environ- mentally sustainable campus. Connected learning programs taught by a host of exceptional faculty provide quality, innova- tive experiences for students. Visit sou.edu for more information. Courtesy photo by Andrea Suitter Welcome, Joe Lane Jr. – new Tribal Council member Joe Lane Jr. is sworn into office by Election Board Chair April Middaugh on Oct. 18. Lane replaces David Hatch, who passed away Sept. 20. The Constitution of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians states the following about vacancies on the Tribal Council: “In the event that any elective Tribal office becomes vacant between elections, the chairman shall recommend a person who meets the requirements of a candidate for that position to fill the vacancy. Such person shall assume office to serve the remainder of the term upon approval of the appointment by the Tribal Council.” Since Hatch most recently was elected to the Tribal Council in February 2015, Lane will complete a term that expires in February 2018. About the National Park Service More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 411 national parks and work with com- munities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit nps.gov; on Facebook, facebook. com/nationalparkservice; on Twitter, twit- ter.com/natlparksservice, and on YouTube at youtube.com/nationalparkservice. Tribal RV parks have space available for you Lincoln City, Oregon Salem, Oregon Logan Road RV Park loganroadrvpark.com or 877-LOGANRV Hee Hee Illahee RV Resort heeheeillahee.com or 877-564-7295 About SOULA SOULA connects culture, history and place in a meaningful way. We conduct grant- and contract- funded research that includes archaeological survey, excavation, and analysis; GIS mapping; and oral his- tory and ethno-historic research. We serve the interests of our university and community, and we select projects in partnership with private, local, state, fed- eral and Tribal organizations in ways that meet our collaborators’ needs and such that the resultant data become a source for expanded research and public education. Students pursuing sociology, anthro- pology and other majors benefit from November 2016 • Siletz News • 11
