### LONG RANGE INTERPRETIVE PLAN

### NEZ PERCE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK

### NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

### DEPARTMENT OF INTERPRETIVE PLANNING -- HARPERS FERRY CENTER

### INTRODUCTION

In 1995 the National Park Service issued a completely revised and
updated interpretive planning chapter of the Service\'s Interpretation
and Visitor Services Guideline (NPS-6). This revised guideline outlined
the components of the Comprehensive Interpretive Plan - a park\'s
strategic planning document for interpretation and visitor services.
Every park has been encouraged to update their interpretive planning
documents using this guideline. A key component of the Comprehensive
Interpretive Plan process is the Long-Range Interpretive Plan.

The Long-Range Interpretive Plan examines a park\'s purposes and
significant resources in order to establish the park\'s primary
interpretive themes and visitor experience goals. The plan analyzes the
park\'s current interpretive facilities and outlines any changes
necessary to facilitate appropriate visitor experiences. The Long-Range
Interpretive Plan is a concept plan that lays the groundwork for
subsequent media planning and design. The actions recommended in the
plan are those that the park can reasonably be expected to accomplish in
7-10 years, the projected life span of the Long-Range Interpretive Plan.

Nez Perce National Historical Park completed its General Management Plan
in 1997. The Long-Range Interpretive Plan will provide the additional
strategic and tactical planning necessary to begin implementing the
interpretive and visitor experience actions prescribed in the General
Management Plan.

The park's interpretation and education program will be driven by the
park's significance, its resources and primary interpretive themes. The
Comprehensive Interpretive Plan defines ways the park can give each
visitor the opportunity to experience the park's resources and the
values they represent, and foster a personal stewardship ethic.
Interpretation and education will encourage dialogue and accept the
visitor's right to have their own individual point of view. Factual
information presented will be current, accurate, based on the best
available scholarship and science. Interpretation and education will
also reach out to park neighbors and community leaders, to stimulate
discussions about the park and its values in local, regional, and
national forums. In addition, interpretive and educational services will
help park employees better understand the park's history, resources,
processes, and visitors.

### PARK PURPOSE

Park purpose is the reason or reasons for which a park area was
established. Purpose statements are important to planning because they
are basic to all other assumptions about the park and the ways in which
it should be used and managed.

Nez Perce National Historical Park was established as a unit of the
national park system on May 15, 1965, by Public Law 89-19. The law
states that the park was created to \"facilitate protection and provide
interpretation of sites in the Nez Perce Country of Idaho that have
exceptional value in commemorating the history of the Nation.\" A total
of 24 sites were designated part of the historical park as a result of
the 1965 legislation. On October 30, 1992, Public Law 102-576 allowed
sites to be designated in Oregon, Washington, Montana, and Wyoming, and
specified14 additional sites in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Montana
to be included in the park. On the basis of provisions in the enabling
legislation, the 1997 General Management Plan for Nez Perce National
Historical Park and Big Hole National Battlefield identified these park
purposes:

Facilitate protection and offer interpretation of Nez Perce sites in
Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Montana, and Wyoming that have exceptional
value in commemorating the history of the United States.

Preserve and protect tangible resources that document the history of
the Nez Perce peoples and the significant role of the Nez Perce in North
American history.

Interpret the culture and history of the Nez Perce peoples and promote
documentation to enhance that interpretation.

### PARK SIGNIFICANCE

The significance of a park is summarized instatements that capture the
essence of the park\'s importance to our natural and cultural heritage.
Significance statements are not the same as an inventory of significant
resources. While the resource inventory is a basis on which significance
is determined, the significance statements describe the importance or
distinctiveness of the aggregate of resources in a park. Knowing the
park\'s significance helps set resource protection priorities, identify
primary park interpretive themes, and develop desirable visitor
experiences. The 1997 General Management Plan for Nez Perce National
Historical Park and Big Hole National Battlefield identified these
significance statements for Nez Perce National Historical Park:

The park preserves a continuum of at least 11,000 years of Nez Perce
culture. Its archeological record, museum collection, cultural
landscapes, and structures are of national significance. The park
contains historical and cultural landmarks that are of legendary
significance to the Nez Perce people. The Nez Perce (Nee-Me-Poo)
National Historic Trail commemorates a significant event in the history
of the Nez Perce people.

Nez Perce National Historical Park offers a unique opportunity for
visitors to gain an understanding of present-day Nez Perce culture
within and outside the Nez Perce homeland and to learn about important
events of the past.

Past and present Nez Perce culture were shaped by the geography and the
rich and varied resources of the Nez Perce homeland.

The park includes parts of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
and the Lolo Trail, both of which were used by other cultures. The Nez
Perce country, Nez Perce National Historical Park sites, and other
Native American cultures overlap but also differ in many ways.

The park contains burial sites and sacred sites; it is also a focal
point for current Nez Perce culture and allows for the continued
traditional use of resources. The park honors the rights retained in the
1855 and 1863treaties and will fully apply all applicable laws,
executive orders, policies, and treaties related to the protection of
cultural properties and sacred sites.

### PRIMARY INTERPRETIVE THEMES

Primary interpretive themes are based on a park\'s purposes,
significance, and primary resources. These themes are often described as
the key stories or concepts that visitors should understand after
visiting the park. The themes provide the foundation for all
interpretive programs and media developed for the park. They do not
include everything the park may interpret, but they do cover those ideas
that are critical to visitors\' understanding of the park\'s significant
resources.

Sub-themes identify the critical component story elements necessary for
visitors to understand and appreciate the more conceptual idea presented
in the primary interpretive theme statement.

**Primary Interpretive Theme #1**

*The Nez Perce people developed a distinct culture through more than
11,000 years of interaction with the environment and landscape of their
traditional homeland.*

Sub-Themes:

Although the archeological record supports human occupancy of the Nez
Perce homeland for at least 10,000 years, the Nez Perce (not their own
name for themselves) believe that they and their ancestors have always
inhabited this region.

A strong family structure, which extends to a bilateral kinship of 5-7
generations and includes some who are not blood relatives, was and is
the basis for traditional Nez Perce society.

The Nez Perce homeland-its land forms, its resources-shaped every
aspect of Nez Perce culture; it affected where people lived, their diet,
their economy, their recreational pursuits, and their spiritual
well-being.

The Nez Perce oral history tradition and the Nez Perce language provide
the human history record for that part of the country that is their
homeland.

The Nez Perce economy was based on homeland resources, included trade
with their plateau neighbors and other more distant cultures, and was
impacted in fundamental ways by the introduction of the horse.

The creative spirit of the Nez Perce people is embodied in their art,
literature, music, and dance and demonstrates their unique cultural
point of view.

The spiritual beliefs of the Nez Perce people reflected their
connection to their environment (both the living things and the physical
objects) and were totally integrated into every facet of their lives.

The Nez Perce\'s own unique values, standards, and processes guided the
institutions of health, education, religion, and government in Nez Perce
communities.

**Primary Interpretive Theme \# 2**

The Nez Perce people and their culture have undergone and continue to
undergo many changes as a direct result of their cooperation and
conflict with Euro-American culture and the United States government.

Sub-themes:

One of the most significant impacts of Euro-Americans on Nez Perce
people has been in the area of health; epidemics of smallpox and
measles, tuberculosis, changes in diet, and the introduction of alcohol
and tobacco are some of the more prominent health issues associated with
Euro-American contact.

It was impossible for the Nez Perce to maintain their traditional
hunting/gathering economy after the loss of their land base through
treaties, the imposition of individual land ownership through the Dawes
Act, and their coerced dependence on the cash economy of the
Euro-American culture. These economic changes profoundly affected the
Nez Perce\'s value system, the roles of men and women, and other basic
elements of their culture.

Beginning with their trade with the fur trappers, the Nez Perce
acquired manufactured goods that impacted their way of life, such as,
the rifle which made it easier to hunt and profoundly changed warfare,
or glass beads which they incorporated into their decorative arts.

Since its introduction by 19th century missionaries, Christianity has
been a powerful force in the lives and culture of the Nez Perce people.

Today, as the Nez Perce struggle to maintain many of their traditional
lifeways, there is a renewed interest in those lifeways from both inside
and outside the Indian community. This causes the Nez Perce concern
about exploitation and expropriation of their heritage by people who do
not share or understand the cultural or spiritual context of those
lifeways.

As a result of actions and policies of the United States government,
the Nez Perce live in three distinct groups on three different
reservations governed by three autonomous tribal governments.

The Nez Perce recognize the essential role natural resources play in
preserving their stories, values, and traditional culture, and their
tribal governments are working to restore, maintain, and preserve those
resources.

Some of the prejudice and racism that the Nez Perce and other Native
American cultures suffer is the result of the stereotypes of Indian
people presented in American popular culture.

Through their literature, art, cultural events, traditional place
names, traditional lifeways, etc., the Nez Perce continue to influence
the culture and identity of their homeland region.

**Primary Interpretive Theme #3**

*The treaty of 1855, the treaty of 1863, and the war of 1877 had severe
consequences for the Nez Perce people, and they illustrate the difficult
historical relationships between the United States and the indigenous
cultures of North America.*

Nez Perce National Historic Trail Primary Interpretive Theme

*The Nez Perce (Nee-Me-Poo) National Historic Trail symbolizes the
dramatic collision of cultures which shaped the region\'s past and
continues to change the region and its people today. This Trail
parallels the lives of all people who strive for peace, homeland,
wealth, security, spiritual freedom and a chosen way of life.*

Sub-themes:

During the 1877 War, the four Nez Perce bands, their ally-the
Husishusis Kute band of Palouse, and their leaders faced not only the
constant threat of battle with the U.S. Army, but also the enormous
challenge of providing for the health and welfare of their families
while moving them and their belongings across 1,200 miles of rugged
landscape.

For reasons that included their religious affiliation and the impacts
of the 1863 Treaty on their particular band, the majority of the Nez
Perce people remained on the reservation and were not part of the 1877
War.

The three key battles of the 1877 War were White Bird-the war\'s first
battle, Big Hole - the Nez Perce decide to flee to Canada, and Bear
Paw-the war\'s last battle.

The discovery of gold in the Nez Perce homeland was a major factor in
the United State\'s desire for the 1863 Treaty; the mining culture was
more hostile to the rights of the Nez Perce than previous settler groups
had been.

All of the 1877 War battlefields are very sacred places to the Nez
Perce people; they are cemeteries where the pain of the tragic loss of
Nez Perce lives is very intimately felt.

The 1877 War continues to impact the day-today lives of the Nez
Perce-especially those Nez Perce on the Colville Reservation who are
still exiled from their traditional homeland.

The 1863 Treaty, which divided the Nez Perce into \"treaty\" and
\"non-treaty\" groups, reduced the size of the Nez Perce reservation by
90% and fostered much of the hostility that led to the 1877 War.

The 1855 Treaty established a relationship between the Nez Perce people
and the United States which was based on Euro - American legal
conventions, erroneously established the concept that a single \"head
chief\" could speak for the Nez Perce, and established definite
boundaries for the Nez Perce nation. The treaty\'s use of the term \"Nez
Perce\" resulted in its use as the legal name for this plateau nation.

The 1877 War crossed several tribal political boundaries; the response
and involvement of those other tribal nations in the war provide other
voices and perspectives on the war and its history.

The United States\' Indian policy and its response to the Nez Perce in
1877 were the products of the country\'s political and economic climate
at the time and the effects of such recent events as the Civil War and
the 1876 Battle of the Little Bighorn.

During the 1877 War, both the Nez Perce and the pursuing military
largely followed centuries old trails (i.e., Bannock, Lolo, Imnaha,
Bighole) that were created by Native Americans for seasonal hunting and
gathering trips and trade between tribes and regions; Euro-Americans,
also, knew these trails and had used them for travel and commerce for
decades.

Although both the Army and the Nez Perce understood the rigors of
travel associated with the trail and its topography, life on the trail
was distinctly different for each group because of their different
cultural backgrounds, and their different roles in and perceptions of
the conflict.

The 1877 War was a tragic event and an epic story of the endurance and
survival of two groups of people who traversed vast distances - as much
as 1,700 miles in five months-while under the stress of war.

The 1877 War is just one example of the conflicts which occurred
between Native American cultures and the nascent Euro - American culture
of the United States, and like those other conflicts, each side in the
1877 War was composed of many factions and voices with opinions on what
actions should be taken to best serve their people.

### THE VISITORS

Nez Perce National Historical Park presents quite a challenge for
visitors and park interpretation. There is no single collective "park";
no managed entry and exit experience; no centrally located visitor
center providing basic park-wide thematic and way-finding orientation;
and, no park managed system of roads and trails to deliver visitors to
significant interpretive locations. Instead, there are 38 sites
dispersed over 4 states with more than a 1,000 highway miles between the
two most distant sites. Few visitors will ever visit all 38 sites and
most of the park's visitation occurs at only a handful of sites. The
majority of visitors discover Nez Perce sites as they travel to and from
other destinations.

Over 300,000 people do visit Nez Perce National Historical Park
annually. The most recent visitor profile information for Nez Perce
National Historical Park was compiled from a Visitor Services Project
survey conducted the week of July 17-23, 1994. Visitors were surveyed at
the following locations: Spalding Visitor Center and picnic area, White
Bird Battlefield, Old Chief Joseph's Gravesite, Big Hole Battlefield,
Bear Paw Battlefield, U.S.F.S. Lolo Pass Visitor Center, Heart of the
Monster, and Canoe Camp.

The survey found that 32% of visitors were between 41 and 55 years old
and 21% were 20 years old or younger. Fifty percent of visitors came in
groups of 2, 32% in groups of 3 to 5, 10% in groups of 6 or more, and
only 8% came to the park alone. Visitors were most often in family
groups (69%). The majority of visitors (79%) were coming to the park for
the first time and over half (54%) of visitors surveyed came to the park
from one of the four states (Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and Washington)
with park sites. Only 4% of visitors were international in origin, with
over half of those coming from either Canada or Germany.

Most (69%) visitors reported their length of stay at the park site where
they were surveyed as 1 hour or less. Thirty-six percent reported having
received no information about the park before their visit. Almost
two-thirds (64%) of the visitors cited learning Nez Perce history as a
reason for visiting the park. The most used services were the visitor
center exhibits (75%), park brochure/map (63%), and information from
park employees (51%). The most used facilities were the highway
historical signs (71%), highway directional signs to park sites (65%),
and restrooms (63%). The educational subjects visitors reported they
would most like to learn about were: the history of the Nez Perce, the
Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Nez Perce War of 1877, and
pioneers/settlers. Half of those surveyed (50%) said they would like
more contact with the Nez Perce tribe/people in the future.

### ISSUES, GIVENS, CONSTRAINTS

This section identifies areas impacting the park\'s interpretive program
that interpretation has little or no capacity to change, but must
acknowledge and work with to accomplish the park\'s interpretive and
visitor experience goals. Those issues include:

all but a small number of the 38 sites are owned by private citizens or
a public agency other than the National Park Service, making it
difficult or impossible for the park to adequately protect significant
resources or to offer visitors the opportunity to experience the
significant resources that support park themes.

most park sites are managed through cooperative agreements that may
limit the amount of influence the park can have on the interpretive
efforts of cooperative partners. All of these agreements are not in
place and this may impact the plan as it is implemented.

interpretive actions are often constrained by the time and effort the
three Nez Perce groups can devote to consultation.

people/groups mistrust that agents of the federal government can
adequately and accurately tell \"their\" story.

various stories, sites, and practices have sensitive
spiritual/religious values that are not considered \"commons\" property
to be shared with the public.

the traditional history of the Nez Perce culture is kept through the
oral tradition; information has been lost forever when elders have
passed away without the opportunity to pass on their knowledge.

several park sites are cemeteries (including battlefields) and there
are cultural sensitivity issues about inviting the public to them.

interest in the Nez Perce story is expanding and people are putting an
ever-increasing demand on the park to provide more and more in-depth
information.

personal names or images used in interpretive media may be
controversial.

because the park\'s 38 sites are so dispersed, it is difficult or
impossible to provide even a modest amount of personal services
interpretation at the majority of sites, and park interpreters have a
difficult time coming together to share and develop their professional
skills or work on park-wide projects.

two different cooperating associations operate within the park.

### VISITOR EXPERIENCE GOALS/ACTION PLAN

Visitor experience goals are statements that describe those fundamental
visitor experience opportunities that a park, through its visitor
services and interpretive program, most want to facilitate. Visitors
cannot be required to have certain experiences, but the park identifies
important experiences that should be available to visitors. In planning
facilities, exhibits, trails, wayside exhibits, activities, personal
services, outreach, and publications, the park will work to create and
enhance opportunities for these experiences. Because Nez Perce National
Historical Park encompasses 38 sites spread over 4 states, visitor
experience goals have been identified for each of those sites as well as
for the park as a whole. Paired with each set of visitor experience
goals is a set of proposed actions that when combined with the site\'s
current interpretive program will help facilitate successful attainment
of those visitor experience goals and visitor understanding of the
park\'s interpretive themes.

**PARKWIDE VISITOR EXPERIENCE GOALS AND ACTIONS**

**Visitor Experience Goals**.

Visitors will:

understand and appreciate the significance of the park and its
resources.

be satisfied with their experience at the park.

have a safe park experience.

have the opportunity for an emotional experience at the battlefields.

have the opportunity for a personal, reflective, contemplative
experience.

leave feeling glad about Nez Perce National Historical Park being a
national park area.

understand that the Nez Perce culture is alive and well.

appreciate and value the Nez Perce culture as representative of other
Native American cultures\' experience.

have the opportunity to hear the voices of people involved in the
story. Note: through use of primary documentation, quotes, images, oral
history, etc.

understand how any given site fits into the bigger story.

be able to easily find park sites.

visit multiple sites.

know the park is managed by the National Park Service.

have opportunities to receive interpretive information about park
stories beyond what is available at the park.

understand their role in resource preservation.

tribal visitors have a greater sense of ownership in the park.

have the opportunity to learn about cultural

have the opportunity to appreciate and value other cultures through
their experience with Nez Perce culture.

**Actions:**

When sites are as dispersed as they are at Nez Perce National Historical
Park, it is difficult to provide park visitors and the general public a
consistent understanding and appreciation of the significance of park
resources and the national heritage they embody. The proposed actions
address this problem as well as the visitor experience goals listed
above.

The park will produce two, 15-20 minute audio-visual presentations to
be presented at all of the park\'s visitor centers and contact stations.
These presentations will be available for the use of park partners in
their facilities and available for loan to schools, civic groups, and
other public and private institutions. Both presentations will be
packaged as stand alone sales items for the cooperating association to
help generate income and recover some of the costs of producing them.

One presentation will provide an introduction to the continuum of the
culture and history of the Nez Perce people. It will give the viewer a
basic understanding of the Nez Perce culture, their homeland, their
neighbors, and their status in the region prior to the arrival of the
Euro-Americans. Starting with Lewis and Clark, then the missionaries,
and finally the government of the United States, the presentation will
outline the major influences and impacts the Euro-American culture has
had on the Nez Perce culture, as well as other Native American cultures.
Finally, it will show the Nez Perce culture as it is today - working to
maintain its cultural identity while embracing modern technology and
lifestyles.

The second presentation will tell the story of the 1877 Nez Perce War.
Because the war and its aftermath covers great distances and time up to
and including the present, it is difficult for visitors, even those who
visit several sites associated with the war, to gain an understanding of
the entire story of the war and its continuing impacts on the Nez Perce
people. This presentation will provide a complete synopsis of the 1877
war-from its beginnings in early treaties, to the progression of battles
from White Bird to Bear Paw, and finally the continuing aftermath. It
won\'t provide an in depth blow-by-blow of each battle and skirmish, but
will provide context and insight into what happened and why.

The park will work with the Publications Department of Harpers Ferry
Center to reissue an updated version of the Nez Perce National
Historical Park Handbook. Out of print for several years, this handbook
provided park visitors with an affordable publication that presented a
good, short but well written summary of Nez Perce culture and history.

The park will work with the Publications Department of Harpers Ferry
Center to redesign the park\'s current unigrid park folder. Because the
park is spread over four states and 38 sites it is difficult for the
park folder to function as the primary wayfinding device for park
visitors. Maps drawn to a scale to encompass the entire park can\'t show
the level of detail necessary to identify local highways and landmarks.
The unigrid folder would be a valuable tool to orient park visitors to
the park in general-identify the 38 sites and their significance to the
park\'s themes, give the visitor an idea of what to expect in the way of
park experiences, and provide visitors with an interpretive piece to
take home or read at their leisure.

The park will work with the cooperating association or other partner to
produce a guidebook to the park\'s 38 designated sites and other related
sites. The guidebook will provide easy to follow directions to each
site, suggest various tour sequences that would enhance the appreciation
of a particular theme or idea, and provide a level of contextual detail
that would be impossible or inappropriate to on-site wayside exhibits.
The guidebook could be used as an activity planning device as well as a
reference for sites \"discovered\" while en route to other destinations.
Some suggested theme related tours might include: War of 1877 sites
(both park and non-park sites), legend sites (both park and non-park
sites), and Lewis and Clark sites (both park and non-park sites).

As detailed in the park\'s 1999 Wayside Exhibit Proposal, the park will
maintain a consistent design look to its wayside exhibits \"to achieve
consistency, to communicate NPS identity, and to link the widely
separate Nez Perce sites.\" This design will be fully compliant with any
system-wide standards established through the NPS Messaging Project. In
addition the park will produce a series of park-wide orientation panels
that will be repeated at key sites throughout the park. These
orientation panels will be identical except for the placement of \"You
Are Here\" locators which will be placed to indicate the current site.

The park will construct an expanded web site to include more
information on individual park sites and park themes. Visitors to the
web site will be able to get trip and activity planning information,
learn about park resources and the park\'s management and preservation
efforts, and link to other compatible and appropriate web sites to
receive the level of detailed information on park stories they desire.

The park will develop curriculum-based education programs that link
park themes to national standards and state curricula. Professional
educators and teachers will be involved in planning and development of
these programs.

### IDAHO UNIT

### SPALDING

The Spalding site is the most visited site in the park. Located here are
the park\'s major visitor center, park headquarters, the park library,
the park\'s primary museum collection, and these cultural resources:
three cemeteries, Indian Agent\'s Residence, Spalding Home site, Indian
Agency Cabin, Watson\'s Store, memorial arboretum, and the Spalding
Presbyterian Church.

The Spalding visitor center is divided into three areas-the main
reception space, the museum, and the auditorium. Visitors enter the
visitor center into a large room with an information desk, exhibits, and
book sales area. Exhibits in this initial space discuss the traditional
Nez Perce year Nez Perce portraits and sites. A space at the rear of the
auditorium is used for temporary and revolving exhibits.

The museum displays an incredible collection of Nez Perce cultural
artifacts. Each of the eleven exhibits displays a collection of
artifacts unified by theme. Some of the themes are: the role of women in
traditional Nez Perce culture, the role of men in traditional Nez Perce
culture, Nez Perce celebrations, horses and the Nez Perce, and contact
with Lewis and Clark.

The visitor center\'s interpretive staff conducts interpretive tours of
the museum, provides a variety of interpretive programs, and manages an
extensive education program for school groups.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

understand why Nez Perce tribal groups are located on three different
reservations.

receive orientation to the entire park- orientation to all major
interpretive themes, park sites, and other Nez Perce related sites.

receive basic orientation to the Nez Perce homeland and the continuum
of Nez Perce culture.

understand that the Nez Perce people shared in the same larger
experience as all Native American groups-boarding schools, loss of
language, loss of culture, loss of land, etc.

understand that the Nez Perce and their culture continue to this day.

walk through the historic area to better understand the site and its
history.

understand Henry and Eliza Spalding\'s different roles at the mission
and their individual relationships with the Nez Perce people.

understand the cultural landscape of the Spalding site over time to the
present.

have the opportunity to be aware of contemporary resource
programs/issues that the tribes are involved with and interested in, and
the importance of these resources to the tribes\' future.

understand the mission movement and its impacts on the Nez Perce and
other Native American cultures.

will understand the Indian agency period and its impacts.

receive a strong preservation message that focuses on their
responsibilities in preserving the site\'s cultural resources.

**Actions**

Spalding Visitor Center

Produce an outdoor orientation exhibit near the visitor center
entrance, either along the walkway from the parking lot or near the
front doors. This exhibit will include at least two panels. One will be
the standard orientation panel to Nez Perce National Historical Park.
The second will orient visitors to the resources and activities
available at the Spalding Site. This orientation exhibit will be
available to visitors anytime the park is open, even if the visitor
center is closed.

Inside the visitor center orientation will continue with exhibits that
reinforce the information given on the outside panels, but with more of
a focus on activity planning. These exhibits will suggest to visitors
how they can maximize their enjoyment of the park and will take into
consideration such variables as interest level, time available, and
group type and size. The suggestions will not be limited to just park
resources, but will also include park partners and neighbors where
experiences are available that further park goals and values.

Relocate the current information desk from the center of the display
area to a position near the entrance and along the wall. This will
improve the visitor\'s reception experience by giving the staff person
working the desk a more immediate and more intimate opportunity to
personally greet the visitor and the visitor will be able to better see
who is greeting them (the current location of the desk presents the
visitor with an impersonal silhouette against a wall of bright glass.)

In the auditorium/multi-purpose room, both the new park-wide
audio-visual presentations will be shown. The new Nez Perce cultural
continuum presentation will take the place of the now outdated \"Nez
Perce: Portrait of a People\" presentation. The second presentation on
the Nez Perce War of 1877 will give visitors an opportunity to learn
about this important park story without taking up limited and premium
exhibit space in the visitor center.

The exhibit and museum space will be enlarged (per 1997 Nez Perce
National Historical Park General Management Plan and the May 1996
Spalding Unit Design Charette). The old, outdated exhibitry will be
replaced with exhibits designed to provide visitors a focused, coherent
overview experience of the Nez Perce cultural continuum. The new
exhibits will give visitors the opportunity to appreciate the Nez Perce
culture as a living, evolving culture with more than 10,000 years of
history and heritage intricately bound to the landscape and environment
of the homeland. The exhibits will also show how the Nez Perce culture
has been and continues to be impacted and influenced by the
Euro-American culture and how the Nez Perce experience is both
representative of and different from the experience of other Native
American cultures. Wherever possible and appropriate the exhibits will
use artifacts from the park\'s extensive collection and will link the
cultural tradition or historical event being interpreted to the relevant
park site(s). Part of the exhibit space will be reserved for exhibits
that can be changed by park staff. These exhibits will allow park staff
to interpret current research findings, preservation efforts, showcase
newly acquired artifacts, or highlight something that is taking place in
contemporary Nez Perce culture.

With the support provided by the new exhibitry and audio-visual
presentations, the personal services programs will be able to focus on
more in-depth and intimate details of the Nez Perce culture.

Spalding Historic Area

The Spalding Historic area offers visitors the opportunity to
immediately connect the interpretive experience in the visitor center
with real tangible park resources.

Better orientation both inside and outside the visitor center will
increase the number of visitors who use the historic area for its
culture and history values rather than the purely recreational
experience provided by the picnic area and shaded green space.

Implement the wayside exhibit actions outlined in the 1999 Wayside
Exhibit Proposal. These actions include rehabilitating and updating all
of the current wayside exhibits in the historic area and
relocating/re-orienting several to enhance the view across the panel to
the resource. Define and harden a trail through the historic resources
to bring visitors to each individual resource and its wayside exhibit
panel.

Develop exhibits for the Indian Agency Cabin. This cabin, with its
restored exterior façade, represents the Indian Agency period at
Spalding that spans the years between 1860 - 1902. Exhibits will be
produced for the building\'s interior to interpret this critical initial
period of the Nez Perce\'s formal relationship with the United States
government. These interpretive exhibits will be designed to withstand
years of ambient temperature and humidity conditions and unattended
public use.

Develop and print a site bulletin on the cemetery.

### WHITE BIRD BATTLEFIELD

White Bird Battlefield is the largest park-owned site. The first battle
of the 1877 Nez Perce War was fought here and prior to the war, a Nez
Perce village was located along White Bird Creek.

Most of the formal interpretation at this site occurs at the large
pullout area on U.S. Route 95 above the battlefield. In the parking area
there are two interpretive signs: one is titled \"Nez Perce War\" and
very briefly describes the battle from the military\'s point of view,
and the other is titled \"White Bird Grade\" and gives a brief
description of the old highway, now replaced by US 95. An interpretive
shelter overlooks the battlefield. Inside the shelter a series of
wayside exhibit panels discuss the events leading to the battle, provide
a summary of the battle\'s action, present a Nez Perce and an Army
perspective on the battle, and discuss the aftermath of the battle.

Visitors can also hike a short interpretive trail on the battlefield.
The trailhead is on old Highway 95 and there is a trail guide keyed to
numbered stops.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

understand this was a village site and the Nez Perce people were
fighting for their homes.

have an opportunity for a contemplative experience.

understand how different groups viewed this battle and reported on
it-the different documented stories, by whom, and the different
viewpoints.

understand the events leading up to the battle in the context of the
Nez Perce perspective loss of sovereignty, the injustice to the Nez
Perce under the Euro-American legal system.

understand the differences between how the Nez Perce were organized for
war versus how the military organized for war. (Example: the Nez Perce
were self-supporting/the military was supported from the outside by
supply lines.)

understand the events leading to the battle, the battle, the role the
landscape and vegetation played in the battle, the opportunity for
peaceful resolution before the battle, and the impact the battle had on
the 1877 War.

be aware of the misunderstandings and stereotypes about this battle.

understand the events in the context of the entire war. Especially,
those battles/skirmishes that happened nearby and on the prairie.

understand the skill level of the Nez Perce warriors.

be aware that this and other events of the war took place near settled
areas, not in a far off wilderness.

receive a strong preservation message that focuses on their
responsibilities in preserving the site\'s cultural resources.

**Actions:**

Construct the visitor contact facility as called for in the 1997 Nez
Perce National Historical Park General Management Plan. The facility
should be large enough to contain an information desk, exhibit space, a
small audiovisual space or theater, and a small cooperating association
sales area. Exhibits would provide both site orientation and orientation
to the park as a whole, introduce visitors to the Nez Perce people\'s
long term occupancy and use of the area, explain the major factors
leading up to the battle, and discuss the outcomes of the battle for
both the Nez Perce and the Army. The audio-visual space would be used to
show the two park-wide videos-the Nez Perce cultural continuum and the
1877 Nez Perce War.

Several of the goals for this site can most efficiently be reached
through the level of in depth interpretation provided by personal
services interpretation. Currently the site has no place where groups of
visitors can collect to make it possible and profitable to offer walks
and talks on a regular basis. The visitor contact station will provide
those opportunities.

Implement the wayside exhibit actions outlined in the 1999 Wayside
Exhibit Proposal. These actions include: rehabilitating the panels at
the U.S. Highway 95 overlook shelter, installing one of the park-wide
orientation panels at the shelter, and producing a series of wayside
exhibits for the battlefield\'s interpretive trail including a trail
orientation panel at

the trailhead.

### HEART OF THE MONSTER/McBETH HOUSE

Heart of the Monster (also referred to as East Kamiah) is a 53-acre
park-owned area that protects and interprets two Nez Perce legend
landscape features. The McBeth House and First Indian Presbyterian
Church are less than half a mile south of this site.

The site has an interpretive shelter with two exhibits and an audio
program. One panel uses graphics and text to give the visitor background
information on the role of legends in Nez Perce culture. The second
panel tells a part of the \"Coyote and the Monster\" legend both in a
phonetic representation of the Nez Perce language and English. By
pressing a button to the left of the panel visitors can hear the legend
told in Nez Perce. The shelter looks out onto the \"Heart of the
Monster\" landscape feature.

A short trail leads to the \"Heart of the Monster\" feature and a small
semi-circle of seating. An audio program tells the \"Coyote and the
Monster\" legend in English.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

understand the role of stories and legends in the Nez Perce culture.

have the opportunity to hear the \"Heart of the Monster\" story and
understand its significance to the Nez Perce people.

receive an introduction to Nez Perce culture.

understand the site\'s use as a traditional, and geographically
significant, Nez Perce gathering place and crossroads.

understand the role of the McBeth Mission in the missionary era of Nez
Perce history.

understand the Dawes Act and its impact on the Nez Perce.

understand the role Alice Fletcher played in the allotment process.

receive orientation to other park sites.

**Actions:**

Construct the visitor contact facility as called for in the 1997 Nez
Perce National Historical Park General Management Plan. This facility
would be small with space for an information desk, exhibit area, and
small cooperating association sales area. The exhibits will explain the
role of legends in Nez Perce culture, discuss the use of the area by the
Nez Perce as a traditional gathering place, introduce the Dawes Act and
the allotment process, and explain who Alice Fletcher was and the role
she played in the allotment process. In-depth interpretation of the
stories represented by the site\'s resources will be through personal
services programs. The visitor contact station will provide the focal
point necessary to attract and hold enough visitors to make regularly
scheduled programs feasible and profitable.

Install two orientation panels just outside the contact station (or in
a visually prominent location near the current parking area until the
contact station is constructed.) One of these panels will be the
parkwide orientation panel and the other panel will orient visitors to
the Heart of the Monster site including the nearby McBeth House.

Install a wayside exhibit panel at the McBeth House to interpret its
connection to both missionary efforts among the Nez Perce and the
allotment period.

### ANT AND YELLOWJACKET

A basaltic rock arch, along U.S. Highway 12, that is associated with an
important Nez Perce legend. There is a large wooden interpretive sign at
this highway pullout on Route 12 that tells the Nez Perce legend
associated with distinctive formation resembling two insects locked in
combat.

# Visitor Experience Goals

Visitors will:

be able to easily find the feature associated with the legend.

be aware of other nearby legend sites.

understand that Nez Perce legends may be family specific and not
necessarily culture-wide.

understand the importance of the Nez Perce oral tradition and how
legends were used to pass on important cultural information.

understand how Nez Perce legends illustrate the close relationship the
Nez Perce have with the land.

**Actions**

As called for in the 1997 Nez Perce National Historical Park GMP, work
with the Idaho Transportation Department and the Idaho Historical
Society to remove the large interpretive sign that is currently on the
site.

Install a wayside exhibit that is properly oriented to the feature that
explains the Ant and Yellowjacket legend.

Exhibits at the Spalding Visitor Center and Heart of the Monster will
explain the role legends play in the Nez Perce culture.

The guidebook called for in the park-wide actions section will briefly
explain the role of legends in the Nez Perce culture and link this site
with others in the region.

A separate site bulletin on the legend sites will be produced.

### BUFFALO EDDY

Clusters of petroglyphs and a few pictographs on rock outcroppings on
either side of the Snake River 20 miles south of Lewiston, Idaho. The
Asotin County side is accessible by car; the rock art on the Idaho side
is only accessible by boat. Currently the only interpretation at the
site is that provided by the Snake River tour boat operators.

# Visitor Experience Goals

Visitors will:

receive a strong resource protection message that emphasizes their role
in protecting these valuable resources.

appreciate the fact that the rock art was produced over a period of
time rather than all at

once.

understand the relationship of the petroglyphs and pictographs to the
Nez Perce people.

appreciate how the rock art certifies the ancient use of this area.

understand that all of the art is special, but some are sacred and some
are not.

get a consistent message about the rock art in the area from all the
agencies which manage rock art sites.

# Actions

When cooperative agreements and road construction are complete on the
Asotin County side, produce and install a wayside exhibit that
interprets the significance of the petroglyphs and the importance of
their preservation.

When and if cooperative agreements are in place with the owners of the
Idaho side of the river, produce and install one or two wayside
exhibits. Because the two audiences on either side of the river are
likely to be distinct, one panel will be a duplicate of the one on the
Asotin County side and the other panel may discuss the differences
between petroglyphs and pictographs.

Work with the Snake River outfitters and the U.S. Forest Service to
provide interpretive training for the jetboat guides. The training will
address other significant cultural sites along the river in addition to
Buffalo Eddy and will have a strong resource preservation focus.

### CAMAS PRAIRIE

The Camas Prairie site is a large expanse of prairie viewed from a
highway pullout on U.S. Highway 95. Another park site, Tolo Lake, is
also visible from the same pullout. There is one large interpretive sign
at the roadside pullout that identifies camas as a traditional food of
interior Northwestern Indians, points out Tolo Lake in the distance, and
mentions the outbreak of the War of 1877.

# Visitor Experience Goals

Visitors will:

appreciate the size of the prairie.

understand the importance of camas - both as food and the importance of
all foods as sacred.

receive a strong preservation message that focuses on their
responsibilities in preserving the site\'s cultural resources.

understand the impact of both the physical loss of camas resources and
the loss of access to traditional camas areas.

receive orientation to nearby park sites-1877 sites, Tolo Lake.

be aware of the events on the prairie that led up to the 1877 War and
those events that occurred here during the war.

be aware of the continuum of use for prairie resources-from camas
gathering to today\'s agricultural uses.

# Actions

Work with the Idaho Transportation Department and the Idaho Historical
Society to remove the large interpretive sign that is currently on the
site. The sign doesn\'t meet National Park Service standards or values
for site development, view shed preservation, or interpretation.

Design and produce one or two wayside exhibits which interpret the
extent of the prairie, its role as a traditional camas harvesting site
for the Nez Perce, the importance of camas to the Nez Perce-historically
and today, and the current agricultural use of the prairie.

The guidebook called for in the park-wide actions section will provide
more detail on the prairie, link it to other root gathering sites, and
briefly outline the events of the Nez Perce War of 1877 that took place
on the prairie.

### CANOE CAMP

Adjacent to the Clearwater River, this is the site where in 1805 the Nez
Perce helped Lewis and Clark build five canoes for their journey down
the Columbia River watershed. There are six wayside exhibits at the
Canoe Camp site spaced along a short interpretive trail. They interpret
the story of the initial meeting between Lewis and Clark and the Nez
Perce, the Nez Perce role in the building of five canoes on this site by
Lewis and Clark\'s group\--this wayside is positioned in front of a
reproduction of one of those canoes, the mission of the Lewis and Clark
expedition, and the Nez Perce historic use of the area.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

receive basic orientation to the Lewis and Clark expedition.

understand that the site, and other nearby sites, was occupied by the
Nez Perce for generations before the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

appreciate how skilled the Nez Perce men were in canoe building and
fishing.

receive orientation to other points of interest in the area.

appreciate the contribution of the Nez Perce canoe builders to the
Lewis and Clark expedition.

understand, from the Nez Perce perspective, the impact of the Lewis and
Clark expedition on the Nez Perce and other Indian people.

**Actions**

Implement the 1999 Wayside Exhibit Proposal. This includes adding a
site orientation panel, an area orientation kiosk, relocating and
replacing some of the existing wayside exhibits, and adding panels to
interpret the pit house and nearby historic village site and the
significance of what happened here to the success of the Lewis and Clark
expedition.

### CLEARWATER BATTLEFIELD

The Clearwater Battlefield on Battle Ridge is on private property and
inaccessible to the public. A small interpretive pullout on Idaho
Highway 13 near the town of Stites identifies the significance of the
battle to the 1877 Nez Perce War. The one large interpretive sign at the
pullout gives a very brief description of the Clearwater Battle.

# Visitor Experience Goals

Visitors will:

receive basic orientation to events of the battle.

understand that the battle takes place within reservation boundaries.

understand the role the battle played in the 1877 War.

have a limited number of opportunities to experience the battlefield
site.

be aware of the nearby village site.

**Actions**

The current interpretive pullout is in a location that is unsafe due to
poor sight lines and the nature of the highway in that location, and
there is no direct visual connection to any of the resources which
represent the battle story. Remove the signs and relocate an
interpretive panel discussing the battle to a site with a visual
connection to the battlefield or at least a safer location near the
battlefield.

Work with the landowners to provide guided interpretive tours of the
battlefield.

The audio-visual presentation on the 1877 Nez Perce War called for in
the park-wide actions section will discuss this battle and its
significance.

### COTTONWOOD SKIRMISHES

The Cottonwood Skirmishes site commemorates a series of military
engagements that occurred just after the White Bird Battle in which
several soldiers, volunteers, and one Nez Perce were killed. The
designated site, a one-acre undeveloped rest stop on U.S. Highway 95,
contains no tangible resources associated with the skirmishes and none
are recognizable within the view shed. There are four large signs at
this location. One provides a large picture map of the area indexed by
number to side panel explanations of area attractions; another gives a
very brief account of the Cottonwood Skirmishes, detailing army
casualties and giving the impression that the Nez Perce went directly to
Montana after these skirmishes; one discusses the Lewis and Clark
Expedition; and a sign that explains what the Weiss Rockshelter is and
gives very minimal directions on how to get there.

A stone memorial erected by the Idaho County Pioneer Association lists
the names of all seventeen soldiers involved in the skirmishes.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

understand the skirmishes in the context of the entire war.

understand that the skirmishes took place in several nearby locations.

receive orientation to the Weiss Rockshelter.

receive orientation to other nearby significant sites-White Bird, Tolo
Lake, and Clearwater Battlefield.

receive a strong preservation message that focuses on their
responsibilities in preserving the park\'s cultural resources.

know that the first Nez Perce fatality of the 1877 War occurred during
the Cottonwood Skirmishes.

**Actions**

Both the park-wide audio-visual presentation on the 1877 Nez Perce War
and the park-wide guidebook will place the skirmishes in the context of
the entire war and link them to White Bird and Clearwater Battlefields.

If the site is developed as U.S. 95 rest area, the park will install an
orientation kiosk that provides wayfinding and thematic orientation.

### COYOTE'S FISHNET

Coyote\'s Fishnet is a Nez Perce legend site consisting of two surface
geological features on opposite sides of the Clearwater River about 7
miles east of Lewiston, Idaho.

There are three large interpretive signs at this pullout. One provides a
map of the Clearwater Canyon region with points of interest identified;
one discusses a nearby Nez Perce village archaeological site; and the
third briefly tells the Nez Perce legend of Coyote\'s Fishnet.

# Visitor Experience Goals

Visitors will:

be able to easily find the sites.

be aware of other nearby legend sites.

understand that Nez Perce legends may be family specific and not
necessarily culture-wide.

understand the importance of the Nez Perce oral tradition and how
legends were used to pass on important cultural information.

understand how Nez Perce legends illustrate the close relationship the
Nez Perce have

with the land.

**Actions**

As called for in the 1997 Nez Perce National Historical Park General
Management Plan, work with the Idaho Transportation Department and the
Idaho Historical Society to remove the large interpretive sign that is
currently on the site.

Install a wayside exhibit that is properly oriented to make the
features easy to locate and identify, and that explains the Coyote\'s
Fishnet legend.

Exhibits at the Spalding Visitor Center and Heart of the Monster will
explain the role legends play in the Nez Perce culture.

The guidebook called for in the park-wide actions section will briefly
explain the role of legends in the Nez Perce culture and link this site
with others in the region.

### CRAIG DONATION LAND CLAIM

A pullout on the west side of U.S. Highway 95, about 8 miles south of
Lapwai, Idaho commemorates William Craig\'s friendship with the Nez
Perce, and his being the first settler in Idaho to obtain title to a
farm through the Oregon Donation Land Act. There are two interpretive
signs here which relay those two facts.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

know who William Craig was and what kind of relationship he had with
the Nez Perce

people.

understand Craig\'s special status in the 1855 Treaty.

be able to contrast Craig\'s relationship with the Nez Perce with the
relationship the Nez Perce had with later settlers.

# Actions

Work with the Idaho Transportation Department and the Idaho Historical
Society to remove the large interpretive sign that is currently on the
site. The sign doesn\'t meet National Park Service standards or values
for site development, view shed preservation, or interpretation.

Work with the Idaho Transportation Department to make the pullout safer
by enlarging it and providing better signage; then produce and install a
wayside exhibit to interpret William Craig and his status in the 1855
Treaty.

The guidebook called for in the park-wide actions section will provide
more detail about William Craig, his friendship with the Nez Perce, and
his special status in the 1855

Treaty.

### CONFLUENCE OVERLOOK

This is a large pullout near the top on Lewiston Grade on U.S. Highway
95 that overlooks the confluence of the Clearwater and Snake Rivers. The
panoramic view takes in many square miles of the original Nez Perce
homeland. This site was formerly the Donald MacKenzie\'s Pacific Fur
Trading Post site.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

receive an introduction to the Park and the area.

receive their initial orientation to the Nez Perce homeland.

At a location closer to the Donald Mackenzie Trading Post, visitors
will:

be introduced to the fur trade.

learn why fur traders were not very successful in engaging the Nez
Perce in the fur trade.

understand the influences-marriages, trade items, art/material
goods-the fur trade had on the Nez Perce.

**Actions**

Work with the Idaho Transportation Department and the Idaho Historical
Society to remove the large interpretive sign on Donald Mackenzie that
is currently on the site.

Install the park-wide orientation panel.

Produce and install a wayside exhibit introducing visitors to the Nez
Perce homeland.

Interpretation of the fur trade and its influences

upon Nez Perce culture will be handled both through the park-wide
audio-visual presentation and exhibits at Spalding Visitor Center on
Euro-American cultural influences and impacts on Nez Perce culture.

### FORT LAPWAI OFFICERS\' QUARTERS & NORTHERN IDAHO INDIAN AGENCY

Two of the few remnants of Fort Lapwai in Lapwai, Idaho. The Officers\'
Quarters dates from 1883 and Northern Idaho Indian Agency Building from
1904. There is one wayside exhibit in front of the Officers Quarters
which identifies the building and Fort Lapwai.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

learn about the meeting in 1877 with Toohoolhoolzute and other Nez
Perce leaders.

appreciate what life was like for soldiers stationed at the fort.

understand why the fort was established-to protect the Nez Perce.

understand the role Ft. Lapwai played in the 1877 Conflict, its place
in a regional series of forts, and the Redheart Band story.

get a basic understanding of federal Indian policy.

understand the relationship between the military and the Indian bureau.

understand the basics of the Nez Perce tribal government organization
and its relationship with the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

understand the reservation era and its impacts.

be aware of how today\'s Nez Perce feel about the fort.

understand contemporary Nez Perce feelings toward war veterans and
their roles.

**Actions**

Remove the orientation wayside located at the turn off from U.S.
Highway 95.

Replace the current officers\' quarters wayside with a new updated
panel.

The Nez Perce War of 1877 audio-visual presentation will address the
role Fort Lapwai played in the war.

The guidebook called for in the park-wide actions section will discuss
the Northern Idaho Indian Agency and provide the link with the original
Indian agency at Spalding.

Produce a site bulletin on the Fort that summarizes its history, its
role in the Nez Perce War of 1877, and its relationship with Northern
Idaho Indian Agency.

The park will work with the Nez Perce Tribe and the Bureau of Indian
Affairs in Lapwai to find other appropriate venues to interpret historic
and contemporary relationships between the Nez Perce and the Bureau of
Indian Affairs.

### HASOTINO VILLAGE SITE

Hasotino Village is an archeological site of one of the largest Nez
Perce villages along the Snake River. The village was occupied until the
late 19th century. Hasotino Village and the Nez Perce are interpreted in
a small display in the visitor center of the adjacent Hell\'s Gate State
Park.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

learn the original Nez Perce name for the site and what it meant.

understand the physical size of the village site/gathering place.

understand the social structure of the site prior to Euro-American
contact.

receive a strong preservation message that focuses on their
responsibilities in preserving the site\'s cultural resources.

learn about the traditional eel fishery at the site.

understand the relationship to Old Chief Looking Glass to the site.

**Actions.**

Work out a cooperative agreement with the adjacent Hell\'s Gate State
Park to provide them with technical and production assistance to more
fully incorporate the Hasotino Village interpretive goals into their
exhibits as those exhibits are replaced as part of their normal exhibit
rehabilitation cycle.

Wayside exhibits, which will attract attention to the site and specific
site resources, will not be installed on this site because they would
undermine the park\'s preservation goals for the site.

### LAPWAI MISSION

This site commemorates Henry and Eliza Spalding\'s first mission
attempt. The actual site of the mission is unknown. There is one large
interpretive sign here that briefly describes the history of Henry
Spalding\'s first mission.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

understand why the site was selected as the first mission site and the
site\'s relationship to the Spalding Site.

be aware of the nearby pre-contact village

sites.

learn the significance of the site\'s being the first incidence of
agriculture within the Nez Perce homeland.

**Actions**

The guidebook called for in the park-wide actions section will provide
more detail on the mission, the nearby pre-contact village sites, and
the story of the first European agriculture in the Nez Perce homeland.

### LENORE

A known archeological site, Lenore was inhabited by the Nez Perce and
their ancestors for as long as 10,000 years. The site is now a highway
rest area on U.S. Highway 12 and has two interpretive panels\--one
discusses the village that once stood here and gives a brief description
of what the houses in the village looked like, and the other welcomes
visitors to Idaho and includes a map that describes some of the regional
points of interest.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

be able to visualize what the village looked like.

understand the reason the Nez Perce located a village here and how long
the village was occupied.

receive a strong preservation message that focuses on their
responsibilities in preserving the site\'s cultural resources.

be able to connect this site to other documented village sites in the
area.

learn the Nez Perce name for the site and the name\'s meaning.

# Actions

Work with the Idaho Department of Transportation and the Scenic Byway
group to remove the current panel on the village and enlarge the kiosk
to include more interpretation of the village, its choice location on
the river, and the fishing that went on there.

Install one of the park-wide orientation panels.

The guidebook called for in the park-wide actions section will connect
this village site to other known village sites along the river (Heart of
the Monster, Hasotino Village, Lapwai Creek confluence, etc.).

### LEWIS AND CLARK LONG CAMP/ASA SMITH MISSION

This site commemorates the brief period of missionary work by Rev. and
Mrs. Asa Smith in the Kamiah area and the nearly one month stay at a
camp site along the Clearwater River by Lewis and Clark during their
return trip in 1806. There are no resources at the current roadside
pullout on U.S. Highway 12 connected to either of these interpretive
stories.

This highway pullout has seven very large interpretive/informational
signs and little view of anything else. Four of the signs provide
orientation to sites and activities in the Clearwater region. The other
three signs discuss the Lolo Trail and use by Lewis and Clark and later
the Nez Perce in 1877, Lewis and Clark\'s long encampment at a nearby
site, and Asa Smith\'s missionary effort.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

understand the Asa Smith story and its relationship to Utsinmallikan
(chief at Kamiah).

appreciate Asa Smith as part of the larger Missionary effort (in
context).

appreciate, from a Nez Perce perspective, the impacts of the prolonged
contact between Lewis and Clark and the Nez Perce people at this site.

appreciate the site in the context of the whole expedition and receive
information on other Lewis and Clark sites.

**Actions**

Work with the Idaho Transportation Department and the Idaho Historical
Society to remove the large interpretive signs that are currently on the
site. These signs don\'t meet National Park Service standards or values
for site development or interpretation. The lack of site-specific
resources and general ambiance of the highway pullout provide no
opportunity for a quality interpretive experience.

The interpretive exhibits at Spalding on the impacts of the missionary
period on the Nez Perce people will include the Asa Smith missionary
effort.

Work in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service to include the Lewis
and Clark long camp story in the exhibits at their ranger station in
Kooskia.

If and when the park can acquire a pullout at the actual sites for
either of these stories, wayside exhibits will be produced and
installed.

### LOLO TRAIL AND LOLO PASS

The Lolo Trail is an ancient trail across the Bitterroot Mountains. The
Nez Perce and other native peoples used the trail for thousands of
years. In historic times the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the fleeing
Nez Perce during the Nez Perce War of 1877 used the trail. Lolo Trail is
a national historic landmark, part of the Nez Perce National Historic
Trail, the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, and Nez Perce
National Historical Park.

The Lolo Pass Visitor Information Center has an exhibit area with nine
flat panel exhibits, an information desk, and book sales area. Two of
these exhibits interpret the history of the Lolo Trail; three exhibits
discuss the Nez Perce \-- briefly who they are, the 1877 flight, and who
were their leaders during the 1877 flight; one exhibit discusses the
Lewis and Clark expedition; two panels introduce the U.S. Forest
Service; one panel provides a regional map with sites and activities
marked.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

be able to locate the trail.

receive comprehensive interpretive messages on the Lolo Trail at Lolo
Pass rather than draw people to the trail.

receive interpretive messages that are consistent in quality and format
no matter which agency or group produces the interpretive product.

be able to contrast and compare traditional native trade routes and
economics and current trade routes and economics.

receive orientation to Nez Perce National Historical Park and the
Trail.

have the opportunity to experience a small section of the ancient
trail.

understand the use of the trail before the 1877 War, use of the trail
during the war, and use of the mountain environment prior to the horse.

receive strong resource protection messages.

understand the complex logistical challenges the Nez Perce and the
military had to face crossing the trail and the pass.

have an opportunity to have a contemplative experience when they are on
the trail.

be able to contrast the historic use of the trail and its resources
with the trail\'s role in the 1877 conflict.

recognize Highway 12 as modern expression of the trail and its
importance to the region.

appreciate the impact the Bitterroot Mountains had on the native
cultures of the region as a geographic barrier and obstacle to
transportation and trade.

understand the sadness of the four Nez Perce and one Palouse bands as
they traveled the trail in 1877 not knowing if they would ever return to
their homeland.

have the opportunity to personally experience the \"sense of place\" of
the Lolo Trail and Lolo Pass.

receive orientation to the entire spectrum of what there is to see and
do on the trail and within the trail corridor.

understand the traditional relationship of the Nez Perce people to the
Bitterroot Valley.

**Actions**

Continue to partner with the U.S. Forest Service to provide consistent,
high quality interpretive products on the trail. Work with the
Clearwater National Forest to insure that as many of the visitor
experience goals as possible can be met through new and expanded
interpretive exhibits at the Lolo Pass Visitor Center when it is
rehabilitated.

Provide the Lolo Pass a copy of both park-wide audio-visual
presentations when they are completed.

The guidebook called for in the park-wide actions section, links
significant sites along the trail thematically to either Nez Perce
traditional culture, Lewis and Clark, or the Nez Perce War of 1877.

Install one of the park-wide orientation panels at an appropriate
location at Lolo Pass.

### LOOKING GLASS CAMP

The site of Looking Glass\'s Camp is part of the U. S. Fish and
Wildlife\'s Kooskia National Fish Hatchery. Here the Looking Glass Band
of Nez Perce was attacked while within the Nez Perce Reservation; this
attack caused Chief Looking Glass to join the Nez Perce War of 1877.
There is one large interpretive sign at the roadside pullout on U.S. 12
across the Clearwater River from the fish hatchery. The sign very
briefly describes the incident that brought Looking Glass and his band
into to the 1877 War.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

learn about the attack on Looking Glass at this location and that
attack\'s impacts on the 1877 War.

understand who Old Looking Glass and Young Looking Glass were.

learn about the McWhorter monument and its history.

understand that the site is ancient and extensive archeology has been
done here.

appreciate the relationship between Chief

Joseph and Young Looking Glass during the Nez Perce War of 1877.

understand Looking Glass\'s influences on the decisions of the 1877
War.

appreciate Looking Glass Band\'s daily life at the
site-gardens/agriculture.

understand this was a village site and the Nez Perce people were
fighting for their homes.

**Actions**

Work with the Idaho Transportation Department and the Idaho Historical
Society to remove the large interpretive sign that is currently on the
U. S. Highway 12 pullout site. The sign doesn\'t meet National Park
Service standards or values for site development or interpretation. The
lack of site specific resources on that side of the river, the general
ambiance and safety of this highway pullout provides no opportunity for
a quality interpretive experience.

Produce and install a wayside exhibit at an appropriate site along the
trail at the fish hatchery to interpret the attack on the Looking
Glass\'s camp and the unintended consequences of this action.

Work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to develop a site bulletin
for the site to provide additional information about Looking Glass\'s
camp, the band\'s gardens, the attack and its effect, and the archeology
showing long term, continued use of the site by the Nez Perce.

The audio-visual presentation on the Nez Perce War of 1877 called for
in the park-wide actions section will address this attack and its
impacts on the war.

Work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to develop a wayside
exhibit that interprets the McWhorter Monument.

### MUSSELSHELL MEADOW

Musselshell Meadow has been used by the Nez Perce people as a place to
gather and harvest camas roots for thousands of years. There is one
wayside exhibit at Musselshell Meadow that describes camas roots as an
important food source of the Nez Perce and includes a graphic of a pit
oven and a description of how it was used to bake camas.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

identify the site as a traditional camas gathering area that all Nez
Perce bands used.

understand the significance of how the camas gathering camps were
organized.

understand the meadow\'s relationship to the 1877 War.

understand there is continued traditional use of the meadow today.

**Actions**

The guidebook called for in the park-wide actions section will provide
more detail on the site\'s traditional use as root gathering site and
link the site to other park sites where the camas harvesting is
interpreted.

The guidebook could also introduce the site\'s connection to the Nez
Perce War of 1877.

### PIERCE COURTHOUSE

Pierce Courthouse is the oldest building in Idaho and represents the
gold mining period and its impact on the Nez Perce people-ultimately
leading to the treaty of 1863. There is one wayside exhibit on the
outside of the courthouse that briefly summarizes the impact of gold
mining on the Nez Perce leading to the reduction of their reservation by
the Treaty of 1863. Inside the courthouse a display of eight graphic
panels details the history of the area and one panel, \"The Children of
the Coyote\" expands on the information given on the outdoor panel about
the impact of gold mining on the Nez Perce. At the north end of Pierce,
there is a large interpretive sign titled \"Pierce Courthouse\" which
gives a brief history of the courthouse building.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

understand the purpose and significance of the building as it related
to the Nez Perce (why it's part of the Park).

understand the impact of the discovery of gold on the Nez Perce and the
discovery\'s role in the 1863 Treaty.

be able to easily find the building.

**Actions**

Work with the town of Pierce and the Idaho Transportation Department to
provide adequate signs that make it easy for visitors to find the
building.

Replace the current wayside exhibit with a new updated one.

Continue to work with the Idaho State Historical Society and the Pierce
Historical Society Logging Museum to update the exhibits inside the
courthouse, as funds are available.

### SAINT JOSEPH\'S MISSION

Saint Joseph\'s Mission is a semi-active Roman Catholic Church that was
built in 1874 in the former community of Slickpoo, Idaho. The site
exemplifies the renewed missionary activity among the Nez Perce that
began in the 1870s.

There are two wayside exhibits at the site. One on St. Joseph\'s
Mission, gives a brief history of the mission. The other panel is on the
village of Slickpoo and its relationship to the mission. The park has
produced a brochure on the history of the mission. The Mission is open
to the public Thursdays-Mondays, Memorial Day to Labor Day and guided
tours are given. An annual Mass, is held on the first Sunday of June.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

understand the entire complex of sites at this location.

understand that the cultural landscape at the site is
incomplete-elements are missing.

understand what life was like in the village of Slickpoo.

understand the influence of a second missionary era and connect the
mission to other missions in the region.

recognize Jackson Sundown as a world champion rodeo performer in roping
and horsemanship.

**Actions**

Work with the Saint Joseph\'s Mission Historical Society to revise and
update the two wayside exhibits.

Revise the current site bulletin on this site to include additional
information on both the mission and the community of Slickpoo.

The guidebook called for in the park-wide actions section will provide
additional information and link the site to the other mission sites in
the park.

### TOLO LAKE

Tolo Lake, the largest natural body of water on Camas Prairie, is an
ancient rendezvous site the Nez Perce used for gathering roots and for
meeting neighboring bands. In early June of 1877 while several bands
were camped here prior to moving on the reservation, several Nez Perce
young men participated in two raids on white settlers; these raids are
seen as events which precipitated the beginning of the Nez Perce War of
1877. There is currently no interpretation at Tolo Lake.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

understand the site\'s role as a traditional rendezvous point for the
Nez Perce on the Camas Prairie.

learn that the Nez Perce oral history supports the discovery of the
Mammoth\'s bones.

understand the events that happened at Tolo Lake that precipitated the
battle at White Bird and the beginning of the 1877 War.

learn the story of the person, Tolo.

understand why the bands were gathered at Tolo Lake in the days prior
to the outbreak of the 1877 War.

**Actions**

Work with Idaho Department of Fish and Game to develop an information
kiosk that will provide orientation to the site for the recreational
visitors and provide an introduction to the site\'s cultural
significance.

Develop a site bulletin on the Nez Perce use of the site including the
events leading to the Nez Perce War of 1877. This site bulletin will be
distributed at the Spalding Visitor Center, the White Bird Battlefield
visitor contact station (when completed), and by other local park
partners.

The audio-visual presentation on the Nez Perce War of 1877 called for
in the park-wide actions section will address the events at Tolo Lake
that led up to the war.

### WEIPPE PRAIRIE

Weippe Prairie is a traditional Nez Perce root gathering site and is the
location where the Nez Perce first met Lewis and Clark. There are two
locations associated with this site. The first is encountered on Idaho
Route 11 and consists of a roadside pull off and two large signs. One
sign is a large, color graphic depicting the meeting of the Nez Perce
and Lewis and Clark and the text is simply \"Welcome to Weippe-Where the
Nez Perce Indians met Lewis & Clark in 1805.\" The other sign \"Lewis
and Clark\" briefly describes that first meeting. A directional sign
identifies the other site as being 3 miles away. There is also a small
granite \"National Historic Landmark Monument\" commemorating the Lewis
and Clark Expedition. The second location is a pull off on a gravel road
with one informational sign. This sign tells the story of the first
meeting in a little more detail and includes a long passage from William
Clark\'s journal.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

learn about the first contact between the Nez Perce and Lewis and
Clark.

understand the traditional use of the prairie as a camas gathering
area.

understand the role of the site as the beginning of the trail to
buffalo country.

receive a strong preservation message that focuses on their
responsibilities in preserving the site\'s cultural resources.

appreciate the long and continued use of the area by the Nez Perce.

**Actions**

Produce and install a wayside exhibit to interpret the first contact
between the Nez Perce and Lewis and Clark.

Install the park-wide orientation panel.

The guidebook called for in the park-wide actions section will provide
more detail on the prairie, the Lewis and Clark contact, and link the
site to both other root gathering sites and Lewis and Clark sites in the
park.

### WEISS ROCKSHELTER

Weiss Rockshelter is an archeological site that was inhabited by Nez
Perce peoples from more than 8,000 years ago until about 600 years ago.
The site was excavated in 1962.

There is one wayside exhibit at the site and it discusses in very little
detail: the excavation of the shelter by archaeologists during the early
1960s; the ancient Nez Perce and historic Nez Perce housing; and
pictures some of the kinds of points found at this site.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

understand how the site fits into the bigger picture of Nez Perce
cultural continuum and other prehistoric sites of that same time period.

be able to find the site more easily.

understand that Wiess Rockshelter was lived in and used by ancestors of
the Nez Perce people.

receive a strong preservation message that focuses on their
responsibilities in preserving the site\'s cultural resources.

**Actions**

Work with the Idaho Transportation Department to provide better highway
directional signs to the site.

Replace the current wayside exhibit with an updated one that emphasizes
the human occupation of the site over thousands of years.

The guidebook called for in the park-wide actions section will provide
more detail on the cultural and archeological significance of the site
and manage visitors\' expectations of the site and the experience of
locating it.

### **MONTANA UNIT**

### BIG HOLE NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD

Big Hole Battlefield commemorates one of the most important battles of
the Nez Perce War of 1877. The Nez Perce had been camped here several
days when on the morning of August 9th their camp was overrun by Colonel
John Gibbon\'s troops. The Nez Perce were able to regroup and kept the
soldiers pinned down on the hillside above the camp while their families
escaped. The siege lasted nearly 24 hours. Numerous casualties were
suffered by both sides, and included Nez Perce women and children.

The National Park Service owns 655 acres of the battlefield. The park\'s
second largest and second most visited visitor center is located here.
The visitor center is divided into three interpretive spaces: main
reception room, an exhibit space, and an auditorium. The main reception
area includes-an information desk, book sales area, a map exhibit which
shows the sequence of events of the 1877 War, and mountain howitzer
exhibit. The formal exhibit room contains 23 black and white portrait
photographs of individuals who took part in the battle and nine large
Plexiglas cases displaying Nez Perce and U.S. Army artifacts. The
auditorium seats about 35 visitors and is set up to show both a
20-minute video on the Nez Perce National Historic Trail and a 12-
minute show on the Big Hole Battle. The auditorium has a wall of
windows, which look out on the battlefield, and there are two wayside
exhibits mounted on the outside of the windows showing the positions of
the Nez Perce and the Army and the flow of the battle. There is a
spotting scope set up in front of the windows for visitors to use and
interpreters use the view to do interpretive talks. A deck on the west
side of the visitor center has two wayside exhibits identical to those
on the auditorium windows.

There are two self-guiding trails. One, the \"Nez Perce Camp Trail\",
goes from the lower parking area out to the area where the Nez Perce
were camped when they were attacked. The other trail, \"Siege Area
Trail\", goes from the lower parking lot up onto the hill overlooking
the Nez Perce camp where the Nez Perce besieged the soldiers for nearly
24 hours while their families escaped. Park staff gives formal guided
walks on both trails. A short spur trail leads to an overlook of the
camp and has a wayside exhibit. The location of the howitzer capture is
also accessible by trail and has a replica howitzer and wayside in
place.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

understand the battle and its relationship to the 1877 Nez Perce War.

understand how the relationship between Nez Perce and the Crow changed
during and after the 1877 War.

understand the role of other tribes in the 1877

War.

understand the differences between how the Euro-American and Nez Perce
cultures commemorate the battle and the battlefield.

understand how the Nez Perce feel today about the site.

recognize that six soldiers received Congressional Medals of Honor for
their acts of bravery in rescuing their fallen comrades at the Battle of
Big Hole.

understand that the seventh infantry and volunteers killed women and
children as well as Nez Perce warriors.

understand that the Nez Perce won the battle despite their losses.

have the opportunity to see how the press, in 1877, reported the events
of the war and battle.

recognize the impact of the Battle of the Little Bighorn on the 1877
War.

understand the role civilians in the area played in the battle and its
aftermath.

recognize that the battle was a \"turning point\" for the Nez Perce,
changing both their perception of the war and their tactics.

understand the role Nez Perce women and children played in this battle
and in the conflict as a whole.

understand that the battlefield is a cemetery for the men, women, and
children killed here and should be accorded the respect of a sacred
burial ground.

understand everyone\'s responsibility in preserving the site\'s
cultural resources.

understand the relationship of the U.S. Army to the Indian Bureau in
controlling the disposition of Indian tribes and placement onto
reservations.

understand the U.S. Army served as an instrument of American Indian
Policy in the 19th century.

understand the role the U.S. Military Officers and 7th Infantry played
as individuals in this battle and in the conflict as a whole.

understand the role of Nez Perce chiefs and warriors played as
individuals in this battle and in the conflict as a whole.

recognize the role of the natural landscape and how it contributed to
the events that occurred on August 7-10, 1877.

recognize the Battle of the Big Hole is a well documented event in the
history of the American West, including the role of L. V. McWhorter in
documenting the Nez Perce views of the battle.

recognize the Big Hole Battlefield is a place for commemoration in
honor of all who died from this battle.

understand how this battle was one of the most devastating battles in
the Indian War era.

understand the integrity of the landscape today aids in understanding
the events that occurred in 1877.

understand the Indian Policies of 19th century still have a profound
effect on the way the Nez Perce live their lives today.

**Actions**

Implement the 1996 Big Hole National Battlefield Design Charette. The
expansion of the visitor center outlined in this plan will provide the
additional exhibit space necessary to interpret the complexity of the
Big Hole Battle reflected in the visitor experience goals. The new
audio-visual theater/meeting room will provide a much better environment
for viewing the park\'s audio-visual presentations than the current
multiple use space with its ambient noise and light and small seating
area. The current auditorium space with its view of the battlefield will
be used for interpretive talks (especially valuable when the weather is
bad or staffing is limited.)

Complete the new 20-minute audio-visual presentation on the Big Hole
Battle.

Both of the audio-visual presentations called for in the park-wide
actions section will be available here.

Implement the actions called for in the 1999 Wayside Exhibit Proposal
for Big Hole Battlefield. These actions include a three panel trailhead
kiosk for the trailhead parking lot and redesign and updating of several
existing wayside exhibits.

Revise the existing trail guide to be more engaging and site-specific.

### BEAR PAW BATTLEFIELD

Bear Paw Battlefield, a national historic landmark, is about 16 miles
south of Chinook, Montana. This battlefield is the site of the attack
upon, siege, and eventual surrender of the nontreaty Nez Perce at the
end of their 1877 flight. The White Bird Band succeeded in escaping to
Canada, but after Chief Joseph\'s surrender, the rest of the Nez Perce
were exiled first to Kansas and later to Oklahoma.

The Blaine County Museum in Chinook, MT has devoted one of their exhibit
rooms to the Bear Paw Battle. Exhibits include artifacts from the site,
a 1936 map, portraits of Chief Joseph, Cow Island photographs, other
memorabilia. The Museum also has a sophisticated audio-visual
presentation on the War of 1877 in their auditorium. The scope of this
20-minute presentation is the entire war, but emphasis is given to the
Bear Paw Battle and surrender.

At the battlefield site, a series of nine low mounted wayside exhibits
dispersed around the site\'s one mile long interpretive trail outline
the battle\'s story. These waysides, which were produced by the state of
Montana when the site was a state park, are outdated and inaccurate.
Locations where Nez Perce died in battle are marked by a series of metal
stakes with brass caps and identifying inscriptions. A self-guiding
trail guide with text keyed to numbered stops along the trail is also
available. During the summer months ranger guided walks are provided.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

understand the battle and its relationship to the 1877 War.

understand the significant role communications \-- the telegraph and
military couriers \-- played in the battle.

understand the reason the Nez Perce selected the campsite and why they
stayed rather than continue to Canada.

understand the relationship between the landscape and the battle.

understand that the battle was the end of the campaign, but not the end
of the story.

understand how the story after the battle continues today.

appreciate the roles played by various individuals and groups in
preserving the story.

be aware that the soldiers who died here are buried in Custer National
Cemetery.

understand what happened to the Nez Perce leadership before, during,
and after the battle.

be aware of the different tribes involved, their relationships\' and
their roles.

learn what happened to the Nez Perce and their possessions after the
battle was over.

understand the \"surrender\" as a strategy for survival-to save the
people, bring them back together.

understand the role of Chief Joseph as leader before, during, and after
the battle.

understand that the surrender decision was based, in part, on promises
from the U.S. government that they later failed to keep.

understand that American popular culture maintains many misconceptions
and stereotypes about the Bear Paw Battle.

understand that many Nez Perce made it to Canada.

be aware of what happened at Cow Island and Cow Creek and the
implications of those events.

understand the self-sacrifice of those that \"surrendered\" so that
others could go on.

be able to contrast the military\'s treatment of Chief Joseph with the
Nez Perce treatment of Lieutenant Jerome.

understand the relationships and conflicts within the military.

understand that the battlefield is a cemetery for the men, women, and
children killed here and should be accorded the respect of a sacred
burial ground.

understand that the area around the battlefield has a history of use by
native people for generations prior to the battle of 1877.

receive a strong preservation message that focuses on their
responsibilities in preserving the site\'s cultural resources.

**Actions**

Continue to work with the Blaine County Museum to provide interpretive
exhibits and audio-visual presentations that meet the interpretive goals
and values of the park. The park will continue to facilitate visitors
using the museum to get interpretive services the park cannot provide at
the present time. When the two audio-visual presentations called for in
the park-wide actions section are completed, they will be made available
to the museum to show in their theater.

If a visitor facility at or near the battlefield site is found to be
feasible and the planning for that facility enters the design stage,
adequate exhibit space will be planned to allow for interpretation of
the events leading up to the Bear Paw Battle (including the course of
the 1877 War, the impact of the Little Bighorn Battle, U.S. Indian
Policy, Treaty/Non-treaty Nez Perce, etc.), and the aftermath of the
battle (Oklahoma, exile, Nez Perce tribal divisions, Canada, etc.).
Other exhibits will provide orientation to the battle and battlefield
resources to enhance the visitor\'s experience and understanding as they
interact with those onsite resources and interpretive media. A small
theater space might be included to show both of the park-wide
audio-visual presentations - one on the continuum of Nez Perce culture
and the other on the Nez Perce War of 1877-when they are produced.

Implement the actions called for in 1999 Wayside Exhibit Proposal.
These actions include removing all of the current wayside and exhibits
and replacing them with wayside exhibits that provide more accurate
information, are sited to take advantage of onsite resources and trails,
and meet National Park Service standards.

### CAMAS MEADOWS BATTLE SITES

Camas Meadows Battle Sites in southeastern Idaho consist of General
Oliver O. Howard\'s Camp Calloway and about 3 miles away, Captain
Randolph B. Norwood\'s encounter site. These two skirmish sites
represent General Howard\'s unsuccessful attempt to capture the fleeing
Nez Perce less than 2 weeks after the Big Hole Battle. The sites are in
a sparsely populated, rural area, accessed by a seasonal unpaved road
east of Interstate Highway 15, and are difficult to find.

At the rest stop on Interstate 15 there is an interpretive sign entitled
\"Nez Perce War\" which very briefly summarizes the events of the 1877
War which happened in this area. There is no interpretive media at the
Howard\'s Camp site, but a simple white headstone marks the grave of
bugler Bernard A. Brooks. At the Norwood encounter site a large
interpretive sign at the entry gate to the site just off County Road A-2
gives a brief summary of the siege of Captain Norwood\'s group by the
Nez Perce. At the site itself there is a concrete monument with an
interpretive plaque entitled \"Flight of the Nez Perce Indians-Camas
Meadows Battle\". This plaque gives a summary of the 1877 War and a
detailed account of the Camas Meadows battle.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

understand everyone\'s responsibility in preserving the site\'s
cultural resources.

understand the story from multiple points of view and the impact of
these events specifically on the military.

be able to put in perspective the rumors in the communities near the
flight path and the fear those rumors caused.

recognize that the Nez Perce crossed other tribes\' territories during
their flight and each of those tribes reacted in different ways.

understand the events that occurred at \"Camas Meadows\" and how the
skirmish relates to the overall 1877 Nez Perce War.

**Actions**

Work with the Idaho Transportation Department and the Idaho Historical
Society to redo the interpretive panel at the I-15 rest area near
Dubois, Idaho and to install one of the park-wide orientation panels.

The audio-visual presentation on the Nez Perce War of 1877 called for
in the park-wide actions section will include the story of these two
skirmishes.

The guidebook called for in the park-wide actions section will link
this site chronologically with other Nez Perce National Historic Trail
sites.

### CANYON CREEK

The September 13, 1877 battle at Canyon Creek delayed the fleeing Nez
Perce for a day and contributed to the opportunity Col. Miles would have
at Bear Paw to stop the Nez Perce from getting to Canada. Harassment of
the Nez Perce by the Crow after the initial skirmish indicates the
complexities of inter-tribal relations. A roadside pullout with a stone
monument and bronze plaque erected by the Yellowstone Historical Society
marks the skirmish site. The plaque lists the number of cavalry
casualties, commanding officer, and gives a brief summary of other Nez
Perce encounters in the area. In Laurel, Montana at the Chamber of
Commerce visitor center, there is a statue of Chief Joseph with a plaque
that mentions the \"Battle of Canyon Creek\" having taken place seven
miles north of town.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

understand the events of the skirmish and how it relates to the overall
1877 Nez Perce War.

recognize the skirmish as a victory for the Nez Perce.

appreciate the impact the Battle of the Little Bighorn had on this
skirmish.

recognize that at this point in the war, the press was very involved in
reporting the latest developments.

appreciate the Nez Perce were traveling with a sense of urgency since
departing Yellowstone.

receive basic orientation to the whole 1877 Nez Perce War story.

recognize that Nez Perce were now in Crow/Cheyenne Territory and very
far from their own home.

understand the changing relationship of the Nez Perce with the Crow
after they were denied help.

understand everyone\'s responsibility in preserving the site\'s
cultural resources.

**Actions**

Design, produce, and install the two wayside exhibits and the park-wide
orientation panel called for in the 1999 Wayside Exhibit Proposal. One
wayside will interpret the opening phases of the battle in terms of the
visible terrain; the other will interpret the conclusion of the battle,
the Nez Perce escape route, and the consequence of the delay the battle
caused in the Nez Perce\'s flight to Canada.

The park will continue to work with the Friends of Canyon Creek to
develop an interpretive site at the battle site that provides
interpretation consistent with park interpretive standards and goals.

The audio-visual presentation on the Nez Perce War of 1877 called for
in the park-wide actions section will include the Canyon Creek battle.
The presentation will be made available to the Laurel Chamber of
Commerce for use in their visitor center.

### **OREGON/WASHINGTON UNIT**

### DUG BAR

Located in Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, this is the site where
the Chief Joseph Band crossed the Snake River in route to the Nez Perce
Reservation to comply with General Howard\'s order. The crossing was
difficult, with men, women, children, elderly, and the band\'s large
herd of livestock struggling to cross the spring runoff-swollen Snake
River. The Nez Perce War of 1877, which began a few weeks later,
prevented the band from ever returning here to their homeland.

On the western side of the Dug Bar eddy, the U.S. Forest Service has
erected a large interpretive sign titled \"Nez Perce Crossing\". The
text briefly describes why the Nez Perce were crossing the Snake River,
the crossing experience, the beginning of the War of 1877 and where the
war ended. The sign is meant to be read from the river by passing
boaters.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

understand how much the Nez Perce left behind, and why they left it, as
they traveled to the reservation in 1877.

appreciate the difficulty of moving the entire band and their
possessions across the river in high water.

understand the reason the band was crossing the river at that time of
year.

appreciate that the Nez Perce were never going to return to Wallowa -
this is the last time they saw their homeland.

understand how the Nez Perce were able to cross the river.

**Actions**

Work with the U.S. Forest Service to construct an interpretive kiosk
near the boat landing. The kiosk will include panels that orient
visitors to the site-its facilities and trails, and introduce visitors
to the site\'s cultural and historic features and the stories they
support.

Work with the U.S. Forest Service to remove the large interpretive sign
at the Dug Bar eddy and replace it with a more aesthetically pleasing
marker which can be easily identified from the river and a wayside
exhibit to interpret the crossing story.

The audio-visual presentation on the Nez Perce War of 1877, called for
in the park-wide actions section, will discuss the Dug Bar crossing as
part of the events leading up to the war.

### JOSEPH CANYON VIEWPOINT

The site is a highway pullout and overlook on Oregon State Route 3, 30
miles north of Enterprise, Oregon. The view of Joseph Canyon provides an
example of the canyon-bottom environment where the Nez Perce people
traditionally lived in winter. There is currently no interpretation at
the site.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

receive orientation to the park, the Nez Perce Trail, and other sites
in the Wallowa Valley.

understand Nez Perce traditional use of the area.

learn about the actions Howard took to prevent the Nez Perce from
returning to the area after they had left for the reservation.

learn how the area is used today.

understand the seasonal economies of the Nez Perce.

have the opportunity to experience the landscape and appreciate why the
Nez Perce made their homes here.

**Actions**

Continue to partner with the U.S. Forest Service as they implement
their site development plans. This includes providing one of the
park-wide orientation panels for a cluster of such panels-one on the Nez
Perce National Historic Trail and another on the Wallowa- Whitman
National Forest, and wayside exhibit panels on the Nez Perce traditional
use of the canyon to be installed on a new viewing deck constructed
below the brow of the hill.

The site will be included in the guidebook called for in the park
actions section.

### LOSTINE CAMPSITE

The site, at the historic junction of the Lostine and Wallowa Rivers,
represents the traditional summer campsite of the Wallowa Band of Nez
Perce. Near here Old Chief Joseph established a boundary line to
identify the band\'s ownership of the valley to the white settlers.

Currently the confluence area is an Oregon State Wildlife Refuge, but
there is no development or interpretation associated with the refuge. A
nearby site to the north of the town of Wallowa and along the Wallowa
River is being developed to provide the Nez Perce with a place to
practice some of their traditional cultural activities and interpret
their history in the valley. Wallowa Band Nez Perce Trail Interpretive
Center, Inc. will build a small visitor contact station at the site.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

learn about the previous Oregon treaties and how they were nullified by
the Stevens Treaty.

learn how the Nez Perce people made their living in the Wallowa Valley.

understand the Nez Perce frequently traveled from the Wallowa Valley to
buffalo country.

understand the Nez Perce\'s relationship to the settlers-both positive
and negative.

be able to identify the original territory that belonged to the Chief
Joseph Band as was marked by Old Chief Joseph.

understand where Nez Perce people live today and why.

be aware of the traditional religion of the Chief Joseph Band and the
rest of the nontreaty bands.

understand the relationship of the Chief Joseph Band of Nez Perce on
the Coville Reservation to other Nez Perce bands and other Indian
nations in the region.

understand how returning to the Wallowa Valley would signify the
closing of the circle for the Chief Joseph Band.

understand who Old Chief Joseph was.

understand the historic continuum of the Nez Perce and other tribes in
that area.

understand how, even after over a century of exile, their traditional
homeland continues to be a sacred and spiritual place to the Chief
Joseph band.

understand why the Chief Joseph Band continues to identify itself with
Chief Joseph.

**Actions**

The park will continue to work with the Wallowa Band Nez Perce Trail
Interpretive Center, Inc. (WBNPTIC) and provide interpretive media
planning, design, and production expertise upon request and to the
degree funding allows. The visitor contact station with interpretive
exhibits and an audio-visual space will provide an excellent opportunity
for both the community and the park to work together to reach their
shared interpretive and visitor goals.

When completed, both audio-visual presentations called for in the
park-wide actions section will be made available to the Wallowa Band Nez
Perce Trail Interpretive Center, Inc. to show in their visitor contact
facility.

Design, produce, and install a wayside exhibit panel near the
confluence site once an appropriate location is found.

Install one of the park-wide orientation panels at the gravel pullout
on Highway 82 near the top of Minam Grade or other appropriate location.

Design, produce, and install wayside exhibits at the Wallowa Band Nez
Perce Trail Interpretive Center, Inc. site to interpret the individual
cultural landscape features of the site and the view of the Wallowa
Valley from the trail overlook near the summit of Tick Hill.

### OLD CHIEF JOSEPH GRAVESITE

The Old Chief Joseph Gravesite is a 5.1-acre cemetery with an 8-acre
buffer to the northwest. After Old Chief Joseph\'s original grave was
vandalized, his remains were reinterred at this site in 1926. The
cemetery is a national historic landmark. A single wayside exhibit on
the site interprets Old Chief Joseph\'s gravesite and affirms the sacred
and sensitive nature of the site to the Colville Nez Perce, Nez Perce
Tribe, and Umatilla Tribe.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

recognize the cemetery and the area as a sacred, spiritual place to the
Nez Perce.

identify the Nez Perce people as an integral part of this landscape.

learn Old Chief Joseph\'s Nez Perce names.

learn the correct date (1872) of Old Chief Joseph\'s death.

learn how Old Chief Joseph\'s remains and the monument came to be here.

understand that this location was not the primary place where Nez Perce
lived in the valley.

receive a strong preservation message that focuses on their
responsibilities in preserving the site\'s cultural resources.

**Actions**

Because of the sensitive and sacred nature of the site no other
interpretive media will be placed at the site. Interpretation on Old
Chief Joseph will be done at the Wallowa Band Nez Perce Trail
Interpretive Center, Inc. location.

Design and produce a site bulletin for this site.

### NEZ PERCE (NESPELEM) CAMPSITES

The two Nez Perce campsites have been identified as the last home sites
on the Colville Reservation of the exiled Chief Joseph the Younger. The
exact boundaries and locations of these sites have not been determined.
They were selected because they illustrate the perpetuation of the
traditional seasonal movement from high to low ground, in spite of the
fact that the climate and geology of the Colville area did not require
such movement for survival success. The cultural landscape in Nespelem
area is full of historic and more current structures that portray the
continuing culture of the Chief Joseph Band's exile on the Colville
Reservation. There is currently no formal interpretation of the Chief
Joseph Band\'s exile in Nespelem.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitors will:

understand who the Chief Joseph Band people are and how and why they
are here.

understand the sacredness and sensitivity of the cemetery at Nespelem.

understand the relationships within the Colville Confederated Tribes.

understand that Nez Perce culture continues in Nespelem.

understand that Chief Joseph Band is still in exile from their
homeland.

receive a strong preservation message that focuses on their
responsibilities in preserving the site\'s cultural resources.

**Actions**

The Joseph Band is currently working with the Colville Confederated
Tribes to establish a cultural center for the band. Nez Perce National
Historical Park will provide, as requested by the band and as funding
will allow, technical expertise in planning interpretive media for the
cultural center.

When completed, both of the audio-visual presentations called for in
the park-wide actions section will be made available to the Nespelem
cultural center, The Tribal Museum in Coulee Dam, and the Grand Coulee
Dam Visitor Arrival Center in Grand Coulee.

Design, produce, and install the wayside exhibit interpreting the
historic Nez Perce Longhouse in Nespelem as called for in the 1999
Wayside Exhibit Proposal.

### NEZ PERCE CEMETERY

The Nez Perce Cemetery is an active, traditional Nez Perce cemetery in
Nespelem that contains the remains of several participants in the Nez
Perce War of 1877, including Chief Joseph the Younger and Yellow Wolf.
This is a very sacred and sensitive site.

Nearby on State Route 155, the Washington State Highway Commission has
erected a large historic marker that eulogizes Joseph as a military
genius and a peacemaker in the Nez Perce War of 1877 and mentions the
band\'s exile on the Colville Reservation.

**Visitor Experience Goals**

Visitation to the cemetery by the public will not be encouraged by the
park.

### PLANNING TEAM

**Nez Perce National Historical Park**

Bob Chenoweth, Curator

Arthur Currence, Park Ranger

Doug Eury, Superintendent

Tim Fisher, Park Ranger

Dan Foster, Resource Management Specialist

Otis Halfmoon, Idaho Unit Manager

Jon James, Superintendent, Big Hole Battlefield

Diane Mallickan, Park Ranger

Marie Marek, Chief of Interpretation

Tim Nitz, Washington/Oregon Unit Manager

Kevin Peters, Park Ranger

Frank Walker, former Superintendent

**Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation**

Frank Andrews

Rodney Cawston

Sheilah Cleveland

Wes (Stretch) Cleveland

Anne C. George

Charlie Moses

Keith (Soy) Redthunder

John Sirios

LeRoy (Chas) Williams

# Nez Perce Tribe

Allen P. Slickpoo, Sr.

**Nez Perce (Nee Me Poo) National Historic Trail**

Keith Thurlkill, Region I

**U.S.D.A. Forest Service**

Dave Clark, Wallowa Whitman National Forest

Sandi McFarland, Clearwater National Forest

Allan V. Pinkham, former Tribal Liaison

**Harpers Ferry Center**

Don Kodak, Interpretive Planner