Cultural and Historical Connections

This project seeks to evaluate visitor information for Joshua Tree National Park (JOTR). Investigators from Clemson University and the NPS will collaborate to complete the following study objectives. Firstly, they will identify and evaluate visitor demographics, preferences, and important experiences with statistical comparisons across multiple sites at JOTR. This evaluation will consider visitors across multiple user groups, including campers, day users, climbers, and backpackers, all within the spring season. Additionally, the project will collect and evaluate temporal and spatial patterns of visitor use and compare newly collected data to previous JOTR data, where methodologically appropriate and possible. The project will focus on previous visitor use data from 2019 and 2010 to evaluate changes in park visitation. 

Joshua Tree National Park encompasses 794,000 acres of land, including land culturally significant to four tribal communities: the Cahuilla, Serrano, Chemehuevi, and Mojave. Certain places within the park are associated with oral traditions about the creation, ceremonial traditions, and procontact experiences of those ancestral tribes. As Joshua Tree National Park is a popular place for recreational activities and visitors, there is a large number of recreational rock climbers who scale rock formations that are rich in rock art and other archaeological resources important to indigenous communities. Park visitation on a whole can have material and immaterial effects on archaeological resources, sensitive cultural areas, and culturally significant natural resources, such as plants within the park. The National Parks Service intends to collaborate with Portland State University to complete an inventory of ethnographic resources (ER), documenting places and resources of unique significance to park-associated tribes. They will conduct this by assembling information through literature reviews as well as extensive communications with park-associated tribes. The goal of this project is to incorporate tribal perspectives into park management planning to better understand the effects of rock climbing on different sites, such as Barker Dam area, and the Northern Wonderland/Indian Cove area, which will then guide the park's upcoming Climbing Management Plan (CMP), and overall provide a more holistic approach to improve protection and preservation of all cultural resources. 

The Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial was established in 1992 to mark the site of the Port Chicago explosion, the worst homefront disaster in the United States during World War II. During the explosion on July 17, 1944, one Victory ship and one Liberty ship and their contents were expelled into the surrounding area. Thousands of fragments of ship parts, munitions, supplies, furnishings, two piers, and several train cars destroyed by the explosion fell into the Suisun Bay, which is tidal and contains salty, brackish water. In a survey to determine the distribution and quantity of unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the Port Chicago area, debris was recovered from the Carquinez Strait and transferred to the National Park Service in 2014. 

Metal artifacts exposed to marine environments have higher levels of chloride salts, which accelerate corrosion and deterioration. This project aims to provide stabilizing conservation treatment and identification of these metal archaeological artifacts.  This work includes removing chlorides on the artifacts, converting any possible corrosion materials back to a lower oxidation state, and sealing the artifact to prevent future corrosion. Following conservation treatment, some objects will be included in future exhibits and displays at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial Visitor Center. 

Six agave cultivars have been found throughout Arizona that are likely associated with ancestral agriculture. This project will survey areas in Saguaro National Park, Coronado National Memorial, and other Sonoran Desert NPS units for evidence of past agave agriculture and living agave species. Additionally, the project will use survey data to investigate the former and continuing relationship between Indigenous inhabitants and agave agriculture. 

To do so, this project will train students in archaeological survey methods, including the use of GIS hardware and software. Participants will be educated on co-locating remnant agave stands and archeological features. The project will support an archaeological field school that is co-stewarded with Indigenous students and elders. The information generated by this project will be used to increase public awareness, knowledge and support for stewardship of archeological resources throughout the Southwest. It will also aid the NPS with cultural resource management across Saguaro National Park, Coronado National Memorial, and other areas.

This project aims to create ongoing opportunities for students to gain experience in cultural resource management and develop the necessary technical skills for public historians. More specifically, this project will provide multiple internship opportunities for students to work with the NPS to protect and preserve cultural resources in Death Valley National Park (DEVA). Students will work with Colorado State University’s Public and Environmental History Center and DEVA staff to apply classroom skills to work in the field. 

The first internship opportunity will involve working with oral histories to document historical information and share it with the public. Interns will be transcribing a series of oral history recordings from Pauline Esteves, and incorporating her story into the DEVA website.  Pauline Esteves is a retired Timbisha Shoshone Tribal Chairperson and activist who successfully fought for a portion of DEVA land to be returned to the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe in 2000. Interns will also be conducting additional oral history work with another chosen figure in DEVA modern history. There will also be opportunities for interns to participate in additional professional development activities like public presentations and shadowing park employees. The NPS will be better equipped to protect and share cultural resources within DEVA as a result of this project, increasing access to a piece of the cultural heritage of the United States.