Cultural Resource Management... Dam Good Archeology, The Bureau of Reclamation's Cultural Resources Progran... Vol. 23, No. 1... U.S. Department of the Interior... 2000

50 Pages·2000·10.3 MB·English

by  Department of the Interior

The Bureau of Reclamation’s
Cultural Resources Program :
>
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
B® wNatxion al Park Service
Cultural Resources
Contents
PUBLISHED BY THE VOLUME 23. NO. 1 2000
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ISSN 1068-4999
Dam Good Archeology
Information for parks, federal agencies,
indian tribes, states, local governments,
and the private sector that promotes
and maintains high standards for pre-
serving and managing cultural
resources
Over Fifty Years of Dam Good Archeology—An Introduction to the Bureau of
DIRECTOR Reclamation’s Cultural Resources Program .. 0.0.0... 000 cece cece eee eee eens 3
Robert Stanton Myra J. Giesen and Jon S$. Czaplicki
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR The Bureau of Reclamation and its Archeology—A Brief History ................ 5
CULTURAL RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP
Wm. Joe Simonds
AND PARTNERSHIPS
Katherine H. Stevenson
The History of Archeological Research at Medicine Creek Reservoir .............. 9
EDITOR Robert Blasing
Ronald M. Greenberg
The Salt-Gila Aqueduct Project and Hohokam Archeology ..............000065 13
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Lynn S. Teague
Janice C. McCoy
GUEST EDITORS The Central Arizona Project .......ces. cc.ccc.ecn.ce.ceeccscceecseeceee s 14
Jon S. Czaplicki Jon S. Czaplicki
Myra J. Giesen
ns oc caes pease seeeesnasenensessonnend 16
ADVISORS
Bobbie Ferguson
David Andrews
Editor, NPS
Postwar Partners in Archeology—The Bureau of Reclamation, the National Park
Service, and the River Basin Surveys in the Missouri River Basin (1945-1969) ...... 17
Lynn M. Snyder, Deborah Hull-Walski,
John A. Burns Thomas D. Thiessen, and Myra J. Giesen
Architect, NPS
Harry A. Butowsky A View From the Lake—The Dolores Archaeological Program in the
Histonan, NPS
Pract Cassity McPhee Reservoir Area, SW Colorado .... 0... cc ccc ccc ccc ccc cece ccceeccces 21
William D. Lipe
Executive Director,
A Retrospective on the Four Corners Archeological Program .............00005. 25
Warren F. X. Hurley
New Melones—Public Interpretation of the Archeological-Historical Record. ..... 29
G. James West
Traditional Cultural Properties vs. Traditional Cultural Resource Management ..... 33
Kimball M. Banks, Myra J. Giesen, and Nancy Pearson
Antoinette J. Lee
Histonan, NPS
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriatien Act Activities .............. 36
ASSISTANT Myra J. Giesen
Denise M. Mayo
Off the Back Roads and onto the Superhighway—Reclamation Reports .......... 37
Thomas R. Lincoln
An electronic version of this
“Dam Good Archeology” —We'te Glad It Got Done!
issue of CRM can be accessed
The Historical Importance of Reservoir Archeology ..............0e0e0ec eeen s 4]
through the CRM homepage at
Francis P McManamon and Fred Wendorf
<http://www.cr.nps.gov/crm>.
Cover: Filling the McPhee Reservoir. This upstream view shows the completed dam with the reser-
voir rising behind it. Many archeological sites were mitigated prior to the filling and construction of
the reservoir. Photo courtesy J. Fleetman, Bureau of Reclamation.
Statements of fact and views are the responsibility of the authors and do not neces arily reflect an opinion or endorsement on the part of the editors, the CRM
advisors and consultants, or the National Park Service. Send articles and correspondence to the Editor, CRM, U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park
Service, 1849 C Street, NW, Suite 350NC, Washington, DC 20240 (U.S. Postal Service) or 800 North Capitol St. NW, Suite 350, Washington, DC 20002 ‘Federal
Express); ph. 202-343-3411, fax [phone]; email: <[email protected]>, to subscribe and to make inquiries; <[email protected]> to submit articles
2 CRM No 1— 2000
Myra J. Giesen and Jon S. Czaplicki
Over Fifty Years of
Dam Good Archeology
An Introduction to the Bureau of Reclamation’s
Cultural Resources Program
he articles in this issue of CRM This issue begins with an overview by Wm.
are based on papers originally Joe Simonds of Reclamation history and its early
presented at the 63rd Annual involvement in cultural resource management.
Meeting of the Society for Robert Blasing’s discussion of history of federal
American Archaeology held in Seattle, archeology on Medicine Creek provides informa-
Washington in 1998. They were part of the sym- tion on Reclamation’s archeological involvement
posium, “Over Fifty Years of Dam Good in the Medicine Creek Valley of Frontier County
Archaeology,” organized to highlight the U.S. in south-central Nebraska. This Missouri River
Bureau of Reclamation’s (Reclamation) cultural Basin project began in 1947 to identify and exca-
resource program. Our intent was to have all 11 vate the many prehistoric occupations that would
papers and the discussant’s comments presented be inundated by the planned construction of
at the meeting published together; however, not Medicine Creek Dam.
all the authors were able to submit final versions The next paper by Lynn S. Teague !ooks at
of their papers to CRM. Expanded versions of all the results of the Salt-Gila Aqueduct (SGA)
papers, including the two unpublished papers, Project that continue to aid in the understanding
are available on Reclamation’s web site of the prehistoric Hohokam occupation in cen-
<http://www.usbr.gov/cultural/>. These papers tral Arizona. SGA was one of three major projects
now serve as the framework for planning an that preceded construction of the 335-mile
exhibit to highlight Reclamation’s centennial Central Arizona Project aqueduct that today
celebration in 2002. brings Colorado River water to Phoenix and
Reclamation is best known for the dams, Tucson.
reservoirs, powerplants, and canals it constructed Next, in “Postwar Partners in Archeology:
in the 17 western states over the past nine The Bureau of Reclamation, the National Park
decades, as it attempted to accomplish its man- Service, and the River Basin Surveys in the
date to reclaim the arid west. These early con- Missouri River Basin (1945-1969),” Lynn M.
struction projects were not accomplished without Snyder, Deborah Hull-Walski, Thomas D.
impacts to cultural resources. As you will see in Thiessen, and Myra J. Giesen address the part-
the following papers, the results of these projects nerships established as part of the River Basin
have contributed significantly to American arche- Surveys project. They also discuss some of the
ology in method, theory, and data. Today, major contributions to the profession resulting
although its mission has changed to water man- from “salvage” projects conducted on
agement and conservation, Reclamation contin- Reclamation lands.
ues to advance progressive solutions to cultural Moving back to the Southwest, William D.
resource issues through involvement in public Lipe’s “A View from the Lake: The Dolores
outreach programs and proactive strategies for Archeological Program in the McPhee Reservoir
handling such issues as Indian trust assets, the Area, SW Colorado” looks at five of the major
Native American Graves Protection and contributions to American archeology of the
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), and collection Dolores Archeological Program (McPhee
accountability. Reservoir area, 1978-85). In “A Retrospective on
the Four Corners Archeological Program,”
CRM No 1—2000
Warren F.X. Hurley continues a discussion of the 1985 in Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico—
Dolores Project, emphasizing the data recovery The Palmetto Bend, Choke Canyon, McGee
conducted since the conclusion of mitigation for Creek, and Brantley Projects” by Van Button and
McPhee Reservoir. Hurley explores how the Bobbie Ferguson and “The Glen Canyon
Dolores Project has redefined the archeology of Project” by Alexander J. Lindsay, jr. are the two
the northern Southwest. papeis missing from the original symposium.
The changing emphasis in American arche- Button and Ferguson reviewed Palmetto Bend,
ology and cultural resource manzgement is high- Choke Canyon, McGee Creek, and Brantley pro-
lighted in papers by G. James West; Kimball M. jects and tracked publications from each project.
Banks, Myra J. Giesen, and Nancy E. Pearson; They provide some hypotheses on why important
and Thomas R. Lincoln. West discusses how data from these projects remain relatively
public interpretation of a major archeological unknown and unused today. Lindsay discusses
project was developed in “New Melones: Public the multi-disciplinary studies undertaken in the
Interpretation of the Archeological-Historical mid-1960s for the Glen Canyon Project in
Record.” In “Traditional Cultural Properties vs. northern Arizona.
Traditional Cultural Resource Management,” We hope this collection of papers is infor-
Banks, et al., provide a philosophical approach to mative and interesting for individuals unaware of
understanding what is a cultural resource. They whac Reclamation is or what it has done or is
direct their paper to archeologists involved in cul- doing with respect to cultural resource manage-
tural resource management with emphasis on the ment. It was our goal, in organizing the sympo-
impact of recent federal actions on archeologists sium and, then, generating this collection of
and Native Americans, and on Indian trust assets. papers, to stimulate further discussion on these
This paper points to the diverse topics now fac- topics. Visit Reclamation’s CRM web site and
ing federal cultural resource managers. Lincoln's read more about our cultural resource program.
“Off the Back Roads and onto the Superhighway: We would like your feedback, questions, or com-
Reclamation Reports” looks at how archeological ments about these papers or about Reclamation’s
data are reported and how changes in technology cultural resource program. At our web site, click
are changing the way archeologists report their on “feedback” and share your thoughts; we would
work. like to incorporate ideas on our cultural resources
Finally, Francis P-M cManamon and Fred program accomplishments into Reclamation's
Wendorf, two archeologists intimately familiar 2002 centennial celebration.
with the federal archeology program and each
with a unique perspective on it, provide conclud- Myra J. Giesen is a physical anthropologist with the
ing comments and insights on the papers. Their Bureau of Reclamation, Programs Analysis Office,
Lawrence, Kansas, and co-guest editor of this issue of
synthesis places the papers into a broader
CRM.
national context, yet speaks to the individual
im portance of each contribution.
Jon S. Czaplicki is an archeologist with the Bureau of
“Reservoirs of Resources: Bureau of
Reclamation, Phoenix Area Office, Phoenix, Arizona,
Reclamation Salvage Archaeology from 1975 to and co-guest editor oft his issue ofC RM.
SAA SympPoapesrs ionu thme W eb
e papers presented in this issue of CRM are shortened versions of the papers pre-
sented at the 1998 SAA Symposium “Over Fifty Years of Dam Good Archaeology.”
Readers interested in the full text versions of the papers, as well as information about
Reclamation’s Cultural Resources Program, are encouraged to visit Reclamation’s web site
<hetp://www.usbr.gov/cultural/>.
CRM No 1—2000
Wm. Joe Simonds
The Bureau of Reclamation
and its Archeology
A Brief History
he Bureau of Reclamation is the Irrigation Association head George Maxwell, the
nation’s largest water wholesaler western irrigation movement gained momentum.
and second largest producer of In 1900, each major political party inserted pro-
hydroelectric energy in the irrigation planks in their platforms, making it a
United States. Today's agency is a far cry from the national issue. The first bills introduced in
one created at the turn of the 20th century with Congress to establish a federal reclamation pro-
the goal of “reclaiming” the arid lands of the gram failed. Seen primarily as a western issue, few
West and providing homesteads for western set- eastern politicians showed much interest in west-
tlement. The many changes that the agency has ern irrigation. But after western interests blocked
undergone in the past 90 years has assured that a number of pet projects for eastern congressmen,
Reclamation will play an important role as the western irrigation suddenly became interesting to
West enters the next millennium. eastern politicians.
The Bureau of Reclamation was created in The “reclamation” movement received a sig-
1902 as the United States Reclamation Service, a nificant boost when Theodore Roosevelt became
division of the United States Geological Survey. president in 1901. A strong supporter of western
Creation of the Reclamation Service was the cul- irrigation and a former resident of the arid west-
mination of a decades long effort to “reclaim” ern regions, Roosevelt had first-hand knowledge
arid lands of the western United States through of the area's condition. Moving swiftly to estab-
development of irrigated agriculture. In the years lish a federal reclamation program in the West,
prior to passage of the Federal Reclamation Act Newlands re-introduced his reclamation bills.
of 1902, Congress passed several laws promoting Armed with strong public support and the
settlement of the West through disposal of public endorsement of the president, Newlands’ bill
lands and development of irrigation. These quickly moved through Congress and was signed
efforts proved to be unsatisfactory. into law on June 17, 1902.
The barriers to western settlement were Terms of the Reclamation Act authorized
unlike those which faced the first settlers in the the Secretary of the Interior to locate and con-
East. Throughout much of the eastern U.S., struct irrigation works in 16 (later 17) western
water was abundant and available year-round. states and territories. Funds for construction of
But in the West, rivers which ran full and fast those project were to come from sale of public
each spring often dwindled to near-nothing in lands within those states and territories. The sec-
the late summer and fall. Much of the region’s retary was further authorized to close to settle-
precipitation came during winter months when it ment all lands that would be irrigable under the
was of no use to irrigators. The solution to this prc cts. Following completion of project facili-
problem was development of storage reservoirs ties, these lands would be opened for settlement
and works to capture winter rains and spring under provisions of various homestead laws and
floods for later release. The cost of developing in tracts no larger than 160 acres to prevent spec-
such storage was high, and few private enterprises ulation and encourage homesteading by individu-
could afford such developments. als and families.
During the 1890s, demand for federal irri- Soon after passage of the Reclamation Act,
gation development in the West grew. Led by Secretary of the Interior Ethan Allen Hitchcock
Nevada Representative Francis Newlands, pub- formed the Reclamation Service within the U.S.
lisher William Ellsworth Smythe, and National Geological Survey, appointing Frederick H.
CRM No 1—2000
Newell, chiefo f the Survey's Division of would provide only ene benefit—revenue.
Hydrography, head of the new service. In forming Revenues from the sale ofe lectricity generated at
the organization, Newell drew heavily trom the Hoover Dam would be used to repay construc-
ranks of his former division, appointing men who tion costs. Unlike previous Reclamation projects,
had previously been involved in western resource water users did not pay for project development.
surveys. Power had become the paying partner of irriga-
Within a year after passage of the tion, and federal irrigation and hydroelectric
Reclamation Act, six projects were approved, and development became almost inseparable.
in August 1903, construction of the first project, Construction of Hoover Dam was the
the Truckee-Carson Project in Nevada, began. beginning of large-scale, multi-purpose, water
Over the next four years, 19 new projects were resource developments for the Bureau of
approved. In 1907, the Reclamation Service was Reclamation. Majo: projects undertaken at this
given independent status as a bureau of the time included the Colorado-Big Thompson
United States Department of the Interior. Project and the Central Valley Project. Following
The Reclamation Service soon established on the heels of Hoover Dam, the Columbia
itself as a world leader in dam engineering and Basin Project, with Grand Coulee Dam at its
construction. In 1910, the Service completed focus, emerged from the arid regions of central
Shoshone Dain near Cody, Wyoming. At 325 Washington State. Like Hoover, Grand Coulee
feet, it was the world’s tallest dam. In 1915, was centered around its hydropower potential.
Reclamation completed construction of While controversy over public vs. private power
Arrowrock Dam in Idaho, pushing the record to development continued, others questioned the
350 feet. Throughout the late teens and twenties, wisdom of building the world’s largest power-
Reclamation continued to hone its engineering plants in a region relatively devoid of people and
skills, pioneering numerous advancements in dam industry. Some of the power generated at Grand
design and construction. In 1932, the Bureau of Coulee would be used to pump water to project
Reclamation, so named in 1923, completed con- lands, but markets for surplus power seemed
struction of Owyhee Dam in Oregon. Rising a nowhere to be found. Few could have anticipated
record 417 feet, Owyhee Dam was the proving the surge in demand for power caused by the out-
ground for methods and technologies developed break of World War II.
for construction of Hoover Dam which would When the United States entered World War
rise 725 feet above the Colorado River. II, the national industrial complex geared up to
The construction of Hoover Dam marked provide materials and supplies for the war effort.
the beginning of a new era in the federal reclama- The western United States, with a ready supply of
tion program: the era of multi-purpose, water cheap electrical power, was one of the major ben-
resource development with far-reaching benefits eficiaries of the industrial build-up. Throughout
including irrigation, hydroelectric power, flood the war, generators at Hoover, Grand Coulee,
control, recreation, and fish and wildlife enhance- and numerous other Reclamation power facilities,
ment. Hydropower had long been a part of the operated full-time providing power for war
Reclamation program. Generating plants on related industries. In addition, Reclamation facil-
Reclamation projects provided power for pump- ities supplied water to grow food for domestic
ing and other project-related uses with surplus and overseas use. Power and water supplied by
power sold to farms and towns. While the poten- western Reclamation projects played a significant
tial for hydroelectric development at many role in securing an Allied victory.
Reclamation reservoirs was recognized, contro- As World War II drew to a close,
versy over public vs. private power development Reclamation officials and planners turned their
hindered significant developments. Even so, by attention toward the future. Following the end of
1923, powerplants were operating on 12 World War I, returning veterans rushed to claim
Reclamation projects. newly opened farm units on Reclamation pro-
The passage of the Boulder Canyon Act in jects, and Bureau officials believed the same
1928, authorizing construction of Hoover Dam, would be true following World War II. In addi-
placed Reclamation at the forefront of the hydro- tion, thousands of veterans would return to a
electric industry in the west. The enormous gen- booming economy in need of employment. With
erators turning deep inside Hoover's powerhouses this in mind, Reclamation planners readied pro-
CRM No 1—2000
jects for construction and prepared project lands Second only to Hoover Dam as the nation’s
for settlement. tallest concrete dam, Glen Canyon Dam looms
A significant step in preparing for the post- more than 700 feet above the Colorado River
war period was reorganization of the Bureau. In standing as a monument to the struggle between
1943, Reclamation announced the formation of western resource development and environmental
six regions headquartered in Boise, Sacramento, protection.
Billings, Salt Lake City, Boulder City, and The last major round ofp roject authoriza-
Amarillo. A seventh region, headquartered in tions took place in the late 1960s. The few pro-
Denver, was added later. The regional directors jects authorized since then were generally exten-
had broad administrative authority to deal with sions of existing projects or projects to improve
the daily operation of projects within their water quality. Throughout the 1970s, the envi-
regional borders while maintaining close relation- ronmental movement continued to gain strength,
ships with local water users. Responsibility for the resulting in strong opposition to western water
technical aspect of project design and construc- development projects. The public’s growing polit-
tion remained with the Chief Engineer's office in ical awareness and the economic difficulties of
Denver while overall responsibility for ihe era also hindered further developments.
Reclamation’s operation came from the In the 1970s, two events took place that
Commissioner's office in Washington, DC. resulted in significant changes in the Reclamation
In the post-war era, Reclamation’s construc- program. In June 1976, Teton Dam, a 300-foot
tion program grew, fueled by the Pick-Sloan high earthfill dam in Idaho, failed. Although the
Missouri Basin Program—a joint program of only such occurrence in Reclamation’s then 75
Reclamation and the Corps of Engineers for the years of dam construction, the disaster called
comprehensive development of the Missouri attention to the subject of dam safety and helped
River Basin. The Missouri Basin Program was the tuel opposition of water resource development
largest water resource development ever envi- projects. The second event was the release of
sioned and included the full spectrum of multi- President Jimmy Carter's “hit list” of several
purpose benefits. The Pick-Sloan Plan called for dozen large water projects, including several
construction of more than 300 project units Reclamation projects, which Carter refused to
including over 100 dams providing 107 million fund. While Carter's list proved to be politically
acre-feet of storage, 2.6 million kilowatts of elec- unpopular and many of the projects survived, it
tricity, and water to irrigate more than 4,000,000 was one more manifestation of the growing
acres of land. Other benefits included naviga- opposition to large-scale water resource develop-
tional improvements, flood control, recreational ment projects.
developments, and water for municipal and The 1980s was a period of transition during
industrial uses. which Reclamation slowly and painfully turned
Between 1945 and 1960, Reclamation from being a water resource development agency
began construction of more than 60 proyects. In to a water resource management agency with
addition to the Pick-Sloan Program, Reclamation environmental protection, water conservation,
initiated construction on additional units of the and fish and wildlife enhancement given equal
Central Valley Project. In the Colorado River consideration with the needs of water users.
Basin, the first units of the Colorado River Beginning in 1988, Reclamation began a major
Storage Project began to take shape. reorganization that significantly reduced both the
By 1960, numerous forces began pressuring budget and staff o’ he organization. The change
Reclamation, eventually resulting in a fundamen- was difficult, and even today a few voices of dis-
tal shift in Reclamation’s program and mission. content can be heard in the halls of the
Budgetary cutbacks, the shift in the western econ- Engineering and Research Center in Denver,
omy away from agriculture, and the rise of the renamed the Reclamation Service Center—a
environmental movement, were all factors con- name that reflects the new mission of the Bureau
tributing to the change. Despite these forces, of Reclamation:
Reclamation accomplished some of its most To manage, develop, and protect water and
notable achievements during the 1960s. In 1964, related resources in an environmentally and eco-
Reclamation completed Glen Canyon Dam, the nomically sound manner in the interest of the
key feature of the Colorado River Storage Project. American public.
CRM No 1—2000
The changes at Reclamation were difficult, federal agencies to consider the effects of any fed-
but Reclamation survived and will continue to eral undertakings on historic resources. In 1971,
play an important role in the American West of President Richard Nixon issued Executive Order
the 21st century. 11593 calling for protection and enhancement of
Reclamation’ involvement in archeology the cultural environment. In 1980, amendments
and Cultural Resources Management (CRM) to the NHPA codified sections of Executive
began in the mid-1940s with participation in the Order 11593, and required inventories of cul-
River Basin Surveys Program. The establishment tural resources on federal lands. The amendments
of the basin surveys was in response to the Pick- also required agencies to develop programs to
Sloan Missouri Basin Program. A group of promi- protect historic and cultural resources under their
nent archeologists, concerned about potential control.
destruction of archeological resources in the In 1974, the Bureau of Reclamation hired
Missouri Basin, formed a committee to lobby for its first archeologist, Dr. Ward Weakley. As
establishment of a federal salvage archeology pro- responsibility for protection of cultural resources
gram. [he group sought and received support and under their control grew, so too did
sponsorship for the program from the Reclamation’s CRM staff. Soon, CRM personnel
Smithsonian Institution. were employed in many of Reclamation’s regional
All of the agencies involved in developmen: and area offices.
of the Missouri River Basin were aware of the Today, Reclamation’s archeologists and his-
potential threat to archeological sites, but only the torians work to identify, evaluate, and preserve
National Park Service had any responsibility for cultural resources located on lands administered
protection of archeological data, and recovery of by the agency. In addition Reclamation'’s CRM
that data was outside the agency's mission. The personnel play an important role in management
Park Service agreed to conduct recreational sur- of those lands by participating in development of
veys of reservoir sites in the Missouri River Basin, land use plans. Reclamation CRM personnel
and assessment of archeological and historic work closely with state officials, other federal
resources was part of those surveys. In 1945, the agencies, and tribal representatives to provide
Park Service and Smithsonian signed a memoran- assistance and guidance in management of cul-
dum of understanding whereby the Park Service tural properties. Recent passage of the Native
would provide the Smithsonian with survey American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
results. The Smithsonian would then analyze the has increased Reci. nation’s responsibilities, and
reports and provide the Park Service with plans Reclamation CRM personnel are working closely
and budgets for any proposed work. Funds for with tribal representatives and federal officials to
salvage operations were provided by Reclamation fulfill those responsibilities.
and the Corps of Engineers, and work was carried Reclamation’s CRM program is also dedi-
out by the Smithsonian. The River Basin Surveys cated to the preservation of archeological and his-
Program was headed by noted archeologist Frank toric resources located throughout the West, not
H. H. Roberts. Although created in response to just on federally-administered lands. Reclamation
the pending development of the Missouri Basin, CRM personnel actively participate in programs
the River Basin Surveys Program conducted work to promote public education and awareness of
in numerous river basins. the importance that cultural resources play in
In 1960, Congress began passing legislation understanding our past. Through their participa-
that would establish a legal obligation for agencies tion in public education programs, sponsorship
to develop CRM programs. The Reservoir Salvage of archeological and cultural resource activities,
Act of 1960 required any federal agencies and their continuing efforts to protect and pre-
involved in reservoir construction to notify the serve the evidence of past human activities,
Secretary of the Interior of potential harm to Reclamation’s CRM personnel have shown their
archeological or historic sites. In 1974, the dedication to the preservation of the past for che
Archaeological and Historic Preservation Act benefit of future generations.
extended those provisions to include all federal or
federally-sponsored construction activities. Wm. Joe Simonds is a historian with the Office of Policy,
In 1966, Congress passed che National Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, Colorado.
Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) which requires
CRM No 1--2000
Robert Blasing
The History of Archeological Research
at Medicine Creek Reservoir
edicine Creek is a tributary and it occasionally occurs in numerous beds
which flows southeast into which may be several feet thick at a given exposure.
the Republican River, which In addition to the Niobrara Jasper, several
in turn contributes to the other natural features made Medicine Creek a
Kansas River. The drainage basin is in southwest focal point for prehistoric populations. The creek
Nebraska and is about 75 km or 50 miles in is spring fed, and was a very reliable source of
length. It drains an area ofs lightly under 700 good quality water, even in periods of drought.
square miles. The large deposits of clam shell in some archeo-
Medicine Creek Reservoir (Reservoir) was logical sites on the Reservoir attest to the avail-
completed in 1949. It was built primarily to con- ability of aquatic food sources. This corner of
trol destructive flooding on both the Medicine Nebraska is often referred to locally as the
and Republican drainages. It is also part of the “Banana Belt” because the aica consistently has
Frenchman-Cambridge Irrigation Project, admin- the warmest winter temperatures in the state.
istered by the Bureau of Reclamation Another draw to the area is the Fort
(Reclamation). McPherson Trail which followed the divide
The area around the Reservoir is covered by between the Deer and Medicine Creek drainages
a deep mantel of wind blown or water rede- and was a military trail in the historic period, but
posited loess, which has enhanced the burial and no doubt used in prehistoric times as well.
preservation ofa rcheological sites. The terraces of The History of Archeological Research
this deposit have themselves been the focus of sci- Prior to the planning of Medicine Creek
entific inquiry.!* Where bedrock is exposed, it is reservoir, several archeological sites had been
the Cretaceous Niobrara Formation, which recorded along the Medicine Creek Drainage,
Excavation of
house floor at includes a major source of raw material for pre- though not all were within the boundaries of the
| Medicine Creek.
historic stone tools. This material is usually called federal reservoir. These sites were identified by
| River Basin
Surveys photo. Niobrara, Smoky Hill or Rc, uvlican River Jasper, the early explorations by William Duncan Strong
and A.T Hill? and Waldo Wedel in 1931.4
Paleontologist Erwin H. Barbour,® ’ also doing
research in the area, identified two species of
shovel tusked mammoths as well as other extinct
species.
In August 1946, planning for the Reservoir
was begun by Reclamation. Marvin Kivett and J.
Mett Shippee spent eight days looking for arche-
ological sites in the proposed Reservoir area.
They found 14 Upper Republican sites and one
Woodland site which encouraged a return for
further excavation in 1947.8 In the spring of
1947, a Nebraska State Historical Society
(NSHS) crew led *y A.T. Hill began excavations.
In September, October, and early November, a
River Basin Surveys crew led by Marvin Kivett
continued the work.”
From the end of March through August
1948, both the RBS and the NSHS had crews
CRM No 1—2000
working at the Reservoir. These crews comprised destroyed by shoreline erosion. In 1987, the
as many as 15 to 20 men mostly provided by author and Brad Coutant, working for
Reclamation. It was during this 1947-48 work Reclamation, became involved in the archeology
that large-scale mechanical stripping of the sod at Medicine Creek. That same year, during a six-
was first used in the excavations; this also was week stay at the Reservoir, they discovered mam-
done with Reclamation equipment. The 1946 to moth bone in an eroding high cut bank. Steve
1949 work by River Basin Surveys and NSHS Holen and David May began salvage excavation
focused on archeology from the Woodland and and research on this mammoth site in 1988. The
Upper Republican periods. In all, 21 sites were site is approximately 18,500 years old and con-
investigated with 49 houses and many other fea- tains bone flakes, impact points, and other pat-
tures excavated. terns which seem to indicate human involve-
Somewhat overlapping the time of these ment. Holen has revisited this site regularly in the
excavations was a series of excavations by the succeeding years to continue research and protect
University of Nebraska State Museum newly exposed material.**» *9 In 1988, the author
(UNSM).!° Thi work focused exclusively on relocated to Grand Island Nebraska as the
Paleo-Indian and paleontological sites in the Nebraska-Kansas Area Archeologist. and began to
Reservoir area, specifically Lime Creek (25FT41), visit the Reservoir regularly.** >> 26
Red Smoke (25FT42) and Allen (25FT50). This The 1990s saw a more methodical attempt
research took place from 1946 to 1952, under to fully inventory and evaluate all archeological
the leadership of C. Bertrand Schultz and W. D. sites around the Reservoir. A series of cooperative
Frankforter,!'! Preston Holder and Joyce Wike,!? agreements between Reclamation and area uni-
and E. Mort Davis.!3: !4 All work at the versities were implemented to aid with this work.
Reservoir from 1946 to 1952 was research This began in 1990 with the UNL field school
directly related to construction of the Medicine under the direction of Douglas Bamforth.
Creek dam. Bamforth continues to re-evaluate collections
In the fali of 1967, additional research was from the 1940s and 1950s work of UNSM
undertaken at the Reservoir. A University of through his current position at the University of
Missouri seminar class on central plains archeol- Colorado, Boulder. Additional field schools have
ogy, taught by W. Raymond Wood, excavated the followed, including several seasons of research by
Mowry Bluff Site, a single Upper Republican Don Blakeslee (Wichita State University) and
phase house. For comparison, a second house of Donna Roper (now with Kansas State
the Nebraska Phase also was excavated along the University). Members of the Nebraska
Missouri River. The field work was completed in Archeological Society, a statewide amateur group,
September with the analyses taking place during have donated time making some significant con-
the following fall semester. A comparison of the tributions to the various field projects. Virtually
information recovered from the two houses was all federal lands at Medicine Creek have now
detailed and interpreted in a “Memoir of the been surveyed and more than 350 archeological
Plains Anthropologist” edited by Wood.!> sites have been recorded.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the UNSM!©: !”; Archeology
18 and Anthropology Department, University of Medicine Creek Reservoir is located in an
Nebraska, Lincoln (UNL)!° continued to assist area of low population density where federal land
Reclamation by salvaging archeological and pale- is scarce. Federal reservoirs are important to local
ontological materials exposed by construction at archeological research in the area because they are
the Reservoir. In the 1980s, Reclamation archeol- the only large areas examined extensively. Because
ogists became concerned with shoreline erosion funding for excavation on private land is often
and began a series of small surveys in advance of difficult to procure, federal reservoirs also provide
construction projects around the Reservoir. At a large percentage of the excavated sites in the
this time, 35 sites had been recorded on federal region.
land at the Reservoir. Jeff and Suzanne (Bradley) The work done at Medicine Creek has con-
Kenyon began working at the Reservoir,?”: *! tributed heavily to the definition of at least three
along with Donna Roper, then working for cultural units. The work by the UNSM identified
Gilbert Commonwealth under a contract with what was called the Frontier Complex. These are
Reclamation, to identify and evaluate sites being the only late Paleo-Indian sites found in the area.
10 CRM No 1—2000