Devils Postpile National Monument: Scope of Collection Statement

The museum collections of the Devils Postpile National Monument (monument) preserve and reflect the natural and social history of a significant region of the central Sierra Nevada mountain range. The monument's fundamental resources and values are identified in a draft Foundation Statement (2009). The collections document the monument's "textbook quality evidence of volcanism, glaciations, and mountain building forces of plate tectonics." They also document the biotic environment of the river corridor of the Upper Middle Fork of the San Joaquin. Lastly, they provide opportunities for science and learning and help to document "the monument's natural and administrative history, cultural significance, and topographic importance in the Sierra Nevada ecoregion." Important collections include: an herbarium of plant specimens collected within the monument's boundaries; several collections of aquatic invertebrates used to establish baseline water quality; a collection of historic photographs documenting development and changes in infrastructure; a small collection of prehistoric archeological artifacts; and archival material documenting the monument's administrative history. These collections are housed primarily in the museum collections area of the Ash Mountain headquarters building in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (SEKI). A smaller number of objects are kept in the monument's winter office located in Mammoth Lakes.

Devils Postpile National Monument: Scope of Collection Statement

Collections