To the editor
I would like to make a statement concerning the
destruction of our national and local Heritage archaeological
sites.
First I will describe a few examples that I have
observed in the past five years or so, while doing volunteer
recording of Native American sites in Clatsop County. I
previously had experience in archaeological field work with
the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service. Bureau of
Land Management, California and Oregon State Parks,
Umatilla Indian Reservation, and private contractors with over
a decade compiled since 1971.
One site recorded on the Necanicum River has been
heavily disturbed due to a large house constructed on the site.
I suggested |the| High School or Community College might
excavate before construction began. The State Historic
Preservation Office (Dr. Leland Gilsen) wrote to me
concerning this site. ‘The landowner who constructed a house
on (number for site) is in violation of State Law (ORS
359.920). It is a class B misdemeanor to disturb or destroy any
archaeological site on private land unless it is done under an
archaeological permit.” (Letter OcL 28, 1998)
1 felt bad it was heavily damaged but S.H.P.O. took
no action. I casually had mentioned the site before
construction to a Clatsop Co. Deputy Sheriff, no action was
taken.
Another site recorded in Seaside this spring near the
Golf Course now has a couple of duplex houses constructed
on it. I had hoped to get the High School and/or College
involved before construction. 1 talked to a neighbor who knew
the owner of this property and told him I planned to record the
midden site for the S.H.P.O. Three months later the
foundation was poured in the midden deposit.
I had called Neal Maine (Pacific Educational
Resources) in Seaside for help getting an educational field
school to excavate this site in areas to be impacted by
construction. The S.H.O.P. wrote about this site when it was
submitted. ‘T he sites in this area are all very important and
everyone should be working with the local planners to
preserve them.” (Letter March 3, 2000)
Yet another example in Seaside, the famous Palmrose
site east of Hwy 101, excavated by the Smithsonian Institute
in the early 1970’s, was recently exposed on the West Side of
Hwy 101 on the curve south o f town. This massive terrain
altering development began this spring. The high ground just
west of the highway contained midden deposits, which appear
to be from prehistoric times into contact period with
Europeans and eventually European occupation. This was
possibly an excellent previously unparalleled data bank of this
time period. I called Seaside Planning Commission and talked
to a person who indicated no provisions or policies for
archaeological sites were included in building or construction
permits, also little or no communication with the S.H.P.O. I
also called the S.H.P.O, but only left a message describing the
destruction of the Palmrose sites’ western edge. One or two
days after calling the Seaside Planning Commission I watched
the cultural deposits scraped o ff the cobbles that lay
throughout this construction development This development
project also filled in the natural flood channel of the
Necanicum River, possibly an old main channel o f the river
during prehistoric occupation. Another letter might address
this alteration, which may cause flooding waters to seek other
possibly destructive routes. Site material was intact across
west of this channel also and continues towards the golf
course. This site area is now totally lost forever!
I also have recorded sites on Oregon State Forestry
land here in Clatsop County. 1 would like to ask why the
Oregon State Forestry Department does not follow in the
footsteps of the U.S. Forest Service, and Bureau o f Land
Management and perform adequate surveys for sites before
road building and logging activities begin. S.H.P.O. wrote in
reference to these interior forest sites and why so few are
recorded. “The primary reason is the lack o f Federal driven
Section 106 compliance actions.” (Letter March 1, 1995)
In my experience the highest probability of site
locations is topographically on riparian terraces, saddles,
knolls and mountaintops. These are likely candidates for
roads and logging landings [which] destroy culture deposits.
I have talked to the local Oregon State Forestry Dept.
people concerning sites on Clatsop Stole Forestry lands. They
have been expanding efforts in cultural resource management
They have complained that the S.H.P.O. withholds
information needed to manage known sites, but have yet to
instigate surveys to locate new sites.
Observation of sites in the forestlands of Clatsop
County is extremely difficult due to vegetation, duff and
ground cover debris. Sub-surface testing would be required,
especially in areas to be disturbed. Many of the riparian sites
are located near salmon and steelhead spawning grounds.
Locating and recording such sites and perhaps excavation
could produce data on harvest methods, estimates on human
population and numbers of fish harvested. I believe human
activity and population in these remote forest areas were
greater than previously estimated or known. Perhaps we
could leant from a culture that harvested these fish for
thousands of years without depleting the runs!
I would also like to mention the incredible
opportunities lost on the Necanicum River system when utility
lines, such as the water line along Hwy 26 a couple of years
ago and now the phone and power lines, [were moved]
underground. The miles of trench exposed strata in the soil, in
which, if a trained observer had been there, most likely
cultural deposits from unknown sites could have located. This
would have expanded our knowledge of previous human
occupation in the Necanicum Valley. This holds true in many
other areas as well, such as the excavation on Hwy 101 this
summer through Seaside.
I also suggest, once again, to the Necanicum Water
Shed Council that it consider archaeological site preservation
in the salmon habitat improvement projects. Planting trees,
etc. involves digging holes, which could be simultaneously
archaeological test holes for cultural deposits on the
Necanicum.
Cannon Beach also has cultural deposits from
prehistoric times. In Dec. 1994 utility excavation exposed a
portion o f cultural deposit near Cannon Beach Elementary
School. I wrote the City of Cannon Beach and explained that
cultural material was endangered by excavation in this area
and proposed a survey with subsurface testing. The city wrote
back expressing its concern for preservation. (Letter 1-4-95).
I offered to volunteer to observe future excavations and
monitor for cultural remains. I have yet to be taken up on my
offer.
In Nov. 1999 we recorded the site near the CBES
thanks to an observant resident and exposed cultural strata in a
water line repair ditch. There is little doubt this is the site
William Clark visited in 1806.
Arch Cape is included with areas containing
prehistone cultural deposits. Astoria has premier histone sites
as well as prehistory sites.
I would like to ask Seaside, Cannon Beach, Astoria,
Arch Cape and the Oregon State Forestry Dept. to draft
policies to record and preserve their cultural sites. Ideally the
initial step wold be surveys to record locations o f all
observable cultural deposits through systematic subsurface
testing. Hand augurs work well in sandy 9oils, shovel lest in
other soils. A map of sensitive areas could be created which
planners and developers could consult. All future excavations
in these areas by machine could be monitored by observers
trained to recognize cultural matenals and deposits, with
possible archaeological excavations when important
significant deposits were encountered.
These archaeological excavations could attract tourist
dollars and provide excellent educational opportunities for our
children and higher learning institutions. Field school is the
best way to learn archaeological field methodology. Local
children and adults could learn more about their surrounding
environment, becoming more in touch with their heritage and
place in these beautiful locations where people have lived for
thousands of years. The expanding big picture of the past,
created by gathering data from these sites, could alter our
perspective of our present culture, perhaps altering our social
economic behavior for the better.
Let Clatsop County and its cities lead the state in
creating these policies for municipalities to preserve their
cultural resources. I would also like to see State officials
allocate more dollars to the grossly underfunded S.H.P.O.
Also, make laws and policies more land owner friendly, with
low cost data recovery plans, involving field schools and
volunteers such as the Oregon Archaeology Society, etc.
A comment on the secrecy of archaeological sites.
We found in the winter of 1993, while encountering the major
condo development on the Necanicum, Neacoxie, and
Neawanna estuary, that secrecy of archaeological sites was
important It appeared to be kept secret from the public so the
development could continue without impediments from public
input, although the reason normally is to protect sites from
collectors digging into them and destroying them. Collectors
are working in Clatsop County and have recently dug into
both sites mentioned in Seaside. I have not heard of any local
police activities to prevent these illegal activities. Perhaps
police protection and enforcing laws through the planning and
development departments, so construction activity does not
destroy these sites, would lessen the need for secrecy. I
believe the Planning development department should have
locations of known sites. Also realtors and county land and
title records could use site data so buyers and developers
would know beforehand, instead of unknowingly or often
knowingly destroying our cultural resources.
1 realize the inconvenience and delays that
landowners and developers may encounter dealing with these
sites. I myself am a landowner with an archaeological site on
my property. I am also a licensed construction contractor and
know that unexpected delays can be devastating. If the proper
policies were in place for a few years the unexpected could be
expected to some degree.
I believe the value gained by retrieved data of the
past and educational value to our children is well worth the
trouble!
I would welcome any comments or suggestions or
advice concerning this matter. Also offering any assistance
drafting and/or implementing new policies.
Sincerely,
William Kirk
A
This carving of a mammal bone was found at the Palmrose site
by a local after a bulldozer ran over it and broke it Nov. 2000
gì The Writers' Block
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The future ain’t what it used to be. Casey Stengel
2000 Cannon Beach Magazine Cover
LIMITED EDITION LITHOGRAPH
A Very Unique Cannon Beach Memento!
Awiloble in Connon Beoch: Chomber of Commerce Information Center, Mo's, Picnic Basket, Coffee Cabana,
Jupiter's Rare & Used Books, Cannon Beach Arts Association Gallery, Pacific Rim Gallery, Copies & Fax
(laminated), Henry's, and at Windridge and Haystack Galleries (framed tool). In Seaside: Seaside
Aquarium and ExposureArt Gallery. In Astoria: RiverSeo Gallery. Tillamook: Tillamook Cheese Factory.
JA N U A R Y B IR T H D A Y PA R T IE S H O N O R
PO E T W IL L IA M ST A FFO R D
Friends o f William Stafford, P.O. Box 592, Lake
O sw ego, OR 97304
Contact: Paulann Petersen, <ppetersen@jps.net>
PORTLAND—The birthday o f poet William
Stafford will be celebrated by a cornucopia o f
thirty-seven Oregon poets and readers at six
different reading parties throughout the Portland
area during the month o f January. An additional
five reading parties will be held in Bend, Salem,
Eugene, Ashland,
and Vancouver, Washington.
The public is invited to these free events
sponsored by The Friends o f W illiam Stafford. But
these are not the usual poetry readings. Each
"party" features five to seven readers, each o f whom
will read a Stafford poem and one o f their own
written in the spirit o f Stafford's work. Members o f
the audience, the guests, are then invited to read
their favorite poem by the late Oregon poet laureate.
Am ong the participating poets at the Portland
readings are Primus St. John, David H edges, W illa
Schneberg, Judith Barrington, Barbara Drake, Greg
Simon, Martha Gatchell, Vince W ixon, Lisa
Steinman, Sherron Norlen, Jane Glazer, and Vem
Rutsula. Dorothy Stafford will be an honored guest
at each o f the parties, all o f which are hosted by
Paulann Petersen, FWS Events Director.
The readings will be held at the W est Linn Public
Library, Thursday, January 1 1 ,7 P.M.; Mountain
Writers Center, Friday, January 1 2 ,8 P.M.;
Multnomah Central Library, W ednesday, January
1 7 ,7 P.M.; O sw ego Heritage House, Sunday,
January 21, 2 P.M.; Belmont Branch Library,
Tuesday, January 23, 7 P.M.; and Broadway Books,
Tuesday, January 30, 7 P.M.
One o f America's most celebrated poets and a
favorite professor at Lew is and Clark C ollege,
Stafford, who died in 1993, was bom on January 17,
1914. Known for his encouragement o f other
writers, Stafford is the author o f more
than fifty books and a recipient o f the National
Book Award.
The Friends o f W illiam Stafford is a nonprofit
organization that, by keeping alive Stafford’s gift as
a teacher devoted to all types o f free expression,
provides ongoing education in literature,
particularly in poetry, in w ays that will encourage
and broaden the community o f readers and writers.
Dear rev billy:
I know -1 know the geese are getting fat and deadline passed a week ago
and time and tide wait for no man , and all that kind of thing but you
know there's a revolution cooking in the valley - I'm asking if there's
a possibility you might spread that word in your esteemed publication.
We're organizing a PEOPLE'S INAUGURAL BALL for the evening of January
20, 2001, at the BENTON COUNTY FAIRGOUNDS in CORVALLIS, OREGON. It's
not your usual celebration of a done deal; yes there will be dancing and
costume, JIM PAOE is coming from Seattle to do his political folksongs,
GENERAL STRIKE will remind us that union songs are a popular ait form,
CHAD and the CHADETTES are showing up from Florida, (in complete, dimpled
as well as pregnant versions) and some other interesting folk expect to
show up. ADULTS must pay $10 to get in; and the proceeds are intended to
benefit KBOO (Portland's unique alternative community radio station), the
CORVALLIS ACTION ON GLOBALIZATION group (our local WTO/Seattle veterans'
creation), as well as the struggling artists
Integrative Mae
CranioSacral Therap
Reiki Master • Yoga
Aromatherapy • Reflexology'
Certified Herbalist
Nutritional Consultation
Hannonizing‘Boay-Mind-Spirit
PATRICE T ilka , lm t
12 Years o f Service
Gift Certificates Available
(503) 436-9004 Cannon Beach
Nature is an infinite sphere whose center is
everywhere and whose circumference is
nowhere.
Blaise Pascal
Info from Michael at 541-753-3138.
Michael Papadopoulos
UPPER LEFT EbßEJKMUKM 2.004