John Day Fossil Beds Historic Resources Study

LETTER OF INTRODUCTION

United States Department of the Interior
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
HCR 82, Box 126
Kimberly, Oregon 97848

IN REPLY REFER TO
H4217 (CCSO-CR)

Aug 30, 2001

Dear Friends:

Enclosed is a copy of Rocks and Hard Places: Historic Resources Study, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. This document was prepared for the National Park Service under contract with Florence Lentz, Cultural Resources Consulting, Ellensburg, Washington. The primary author was Stephen Dow Beckham, a history professor at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. The contract also included the updating of the Cant Ranch Historic District National Register of Historic Places nomination form.

This Historic Resources Study traces the human history of the land that today is managed as John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. Beginning with the indigenous people and their unique culture, the document details the various themes significant in the historical development of this area. Themes include early exploration, missionaries, settlement, transportation, economic development, paleontological exploration, and recreation and tourism. It also identifies what cultural resources are left today that speak to these historical themes and if they are potentially eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

I think you will find this study to be a useful reference in gaining a better understanding of the rich history of the John Day area. This document and the recent publication of the park's administrative history, Floating in the Stream of Time: An Administrative History of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, add to the growing body of literature about this important unit in our national park system.

Thank you for your interest.

James F. Hammett
Superintendent