Nez Perce people
In 1886, Old Chief Joseph's grave was desecrated by local property owners and his skull was removed as a souvenir. In 1926, his grave was moved, with permission from the Nez Perce, to this location, and the stone marker was placed. In the 1930s, the Works Progress Administration funded work performed by members of the Nez Perce tribe to make a number of improvements, including the stone wall at the highway, and the retaining wall. The cemetery is a sacred place for the Nez Perce people, and is held in trust for them by the United States government.