Spalding Unit: Historic Landscape Report, Nez Perce National Historical Park, National Park Service

Gilbert, Cathy; Luxenberg, Gretchen; Tolon, Marsha

Historic Landscape Report for Spalding Unit at Nez Perce National Historical Park. The Spalding unit of Nez Perce National Historical Park is a complex landscape that portrays evidence of human use and occupation spanning more than 10,000 years. Previous historical studies at Spalding have identified only two significant historic periods: a missionary era from 1838-1847; and an era associated with the occupation and administration of the area by the Indian Agency from 1860-1902. While current interpretation focuses on these two periods, the landscape itself suggests that other events and cultural activities have shaped the site. This has led to considerable confusion in regard to managing the “appropriate” historic scene and cultural context. One major thrust of this study is, therefore, to explore the potential significance of other historic periods, and to develop a landscape context for interpreting the full range of significant cultural resources at the site. In a broader sense, the overall purpose of the study is to document and comprehensively evaluate historic landscape features and patterns at Spalding. Out of this evaluation, management guidelines and design concepts for the preservation and enhancement of significant landscape resources have been developed. This Historic Landscape Study was programmed as a two-year project, beginning in 1987. The first year was spent conducting historical research and site assessment. Several institutions were contacted and/or visited as a part of this investigation, including the National Archives (Washington DC); the Federal Archives and Records Center (Seattle, WA); Idaho State Historical Library and Archives (Boise, ID); National Park Service files (Pacific Northwest Region and Nez Perce National Historical Park, Spalding); the Soil Conservation Service (Boise, ID); the National Park Service, Cooperative Park Study Unit, University of Idaho; and the Oregon Historical Society (Portland, OR). These collections provided historical maps, early aerial photographs, historic photographs, archeological reports, newspapers, written narratives and manuscripts that were critical in tracing the environmental history of Spalding. Also during this phase of the project, a field survey was completed documenting existing conditions at the site. At the end of the year, a project review was held in the park itself and all documents were presented for comment. During this review the park set forth several operational site issues and management philosophies for Spalding that were fundamental to the second phase of the project. In the second year of the study, all historic information and base data was organized, plotted on base maps, and synthesized in the form of a written landscape history. The base maps, six in all, reflect the historical record for five significant periods of landscape development at Spalding, including Nez Perce Prehistory and History, the Mission Era, the Indian Agency Era, the Spalding Memorial State Park Era, and the NPS Era. Each historical base map graphically depicts both specific and conceptual landscape data for its period and each map is annotated with data from the written history and other documentary sources. In this regard, the landscape history text and the historical base maps can be used as separate but supplementary references. Using these products in conjunction with other historic source materials and a careful review of the archeological record, project staff completed an analysis and evaluation of the cultural landscape. As part of this evaluation, six individual landscape components were traced through each historic period and analyzed in the context of the site as a whole. National Register criteria was used to evaluate these resources and provide a basis for development of appropriate management zones for the historic landscape at Spalding. Based on these zones, a design concept was developed for Spalding that integrates both contemporary park nee

Spalding Unit: Historic Landscape Report, Nez Perce National Historical Park, National Park Service

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