Whitman Mission
General Management Plan

Chapter I - Background of the Park

Whitman Mission National Historic Site (NHS) is located to the west of the Blue Mountains in southeastern Washington. In 1836, Marcus and Narcissa Whitman arrived at a valley near the confluence of the Walla Walla River and Mill Creek to set up a Christian mission for the Cayuse people. The area was called Waiilatpu, "Place of the Rye Grass," by the Cayuse Indians. The present 98.15 acre historic site is on a portion of the original land settled by the Whitmans.

The NHS is within Washington's Fifth Congressional District in Walla Walla County and is located approximately seven miles west of the city of Walla Walla. Vehicular access to the NHS is from U.S. Highway 12 at the Swegle Road intersection. (See Figure 1, Palouse Grassland Ecoregion.)

Background

Establishment of Whitman Mission National Historic Site

On June 29, 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed legislation (Public Law 840, H.R. 7736) that established Whitman Mission at Waiilatpu as a unit of the National Park Service (NPS). The act stated the following:

The property acquired under the provisions Section 1 of this Act shall constitute the Whitman National Monument and shall be a public national memorial to Marcus Whitman and his wife, Narcissa Prentiss Whitman, who here established their Indian mission and school, and ministered to the physical and spiritual needs of the Indians until massacred with twelve 1 other persons in 1847.

The act stipulated that the site of the Whitman National Monument had to be acquired by gift, and included a right-of-way to the nearest highway, U. S. Highway 12. Although there was significant local support of the monument, acquiring the land by gift delayed establishment of the monument due primarily by the need to clear land titles. On January 20, 1940, the Secretary of Interior accepted clear title and 45.94 acres were deeded to the NPS. This included the Mission Grounds, Memorial Hill, and the Great Grave.

Actions Affecting Whitman Mission National Historic Site after Enabling Legislation

More acreage of the original mission land was needed to meet the objectives of the monument. By 1952 it was apparent that these lands were not going to be available by donation. On May 1, 1958, Public Law 985-388 authorized the purchase of an additional 46.71 acres located to the north of the original monument. This acquisition was completed in 1960.

In 1961, 5.6 acres of land were transferred from Walla Walla County to the Federal Government to provide access from Highway 12 to the west side of the NHS. These two roads, the northern portion of Swegle and Whitman Mission Road, constitute the park entrance road and is owned and maintained by the United States of America.

One year later, on May 31, 1962, the name of the park was changed to Whitman Mission National Historic Site. The change in designation from a monument to a national historic site emphasized its historic significance and the need to address the entire historic setting as well as the existing memorials to the Whitmans. (See Appendix A for Whitman Mission National Historic Site legislation.)

In 1968, the National Trail System Act was passed (Public Law 80-543). This act contained authorization and criteria for establishing national trails. On November 10, 1978, the Oregon National Historic Trail was established (Public Law 85-625). With acceptance of the Comprehensive Management Use Plan for Oregon National Historic Trail (CMP) in 1981, Whitman Mission was officially recognized as a historic site along the Oregon Trail. The CMP states the importance of the National Historic Site:

Although Whitman Mission is 31 miles north of the primary route of the Oregon Trail, its history is indelibly tied to the early years of western migration. This mission was established in 1836 by Dr. Marcus Whitman, a Presbyterian missionary determined to bring religion and civilization to the Indians of the Pacific Northwest. Whitman and his wife, Narcissa, along with Reverend Henry and Eliza Spalding, made the long overland journey to Oregon in 1836, helping to blaze what would become the Oregon Trail. They followed a route first used by fur traders and trappers, and their journey helped establish the possibility of using the trail as a major migration route. Mrs. Spalding and Mrs. Whitman were the first white women to travel on the trail, and their party was also the first to successfully use vehicles as far west as Fort Boise.

Designation as part of the Oregon Trail expanded the legislative purpose and significance of Whitman Mission National Historic Site beyond a memorial to the Whitmans as specified in the 1936 enabling legislation.

The purpose of the NPS Long Distance Trails Office (located in Salt Lake City, Utah) is to preserve and commemorate the history of the California, Pony Express, Mormon Pioneer, and Oregon National Historic trails and to coordinate the management of the four national historic trails. The Oregon National Historic Trail master plan has been revised to identify elements that are common to all four national historic trails and to make recommendations for future actions. A draft plan was released to the public in June 1998, and a final plan was completed in August 1999. As plans for the Oregon Trail are developed, these plans may affect the role of Whitman Mission National Historic Site in interpretation of the trail.

Purpose and Significance

Purpose of Whitman Mission National Historic Site

The National Park Service Organic Act of 1916 established management criteria for all units of the National Park System. The stated purpose is "... to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such a manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations."

The Enabling Act of 1936 identified the purpose of Whitman Mission National Historic Site as a "...public national memorial to Marcus Whitman and his wife, Narcissa Prentiss Whitman, who here established their Indian mission and school and ministered to the physical and spiritual needs of the Indians...." The act called upon the National Park Service to "... maintain and preserve it [Whitman Mission] for the benefit and enjoyment of the people of the United States."

Specifically the purpose of Whitman Mission NHS is to provide the following:

  • To preserve and maintain the site of the Mission and school for Indians established by Marcus and Narcissa Whitman between 1836-1847 along the Walla Walla River at Waiilatpu, and to preserve and maintain the memorials to their lives.
  • To relate for the public the events that took place at the Mission site and its role in western migration and settlement along the Oregon Trail.

Significance of Whitman Mission National Historic Site

There are five reasons that make Whitman Mission National Historic Site significant:

  • Establishment of Whitman Mission, and the subsequent massacre that occurred, are important events in western pioneer history and settlement. The designation of the NHS provides a direct link to the theme of America's westward expansion as defined by the National Park System Plan, and assists the NPS in representing this theme to the American people.
  • The story of Whitman Mission is a clash between two cultures and their lack of understanding and ability to solve problems peacefully. One culture a white, American missionary society that produced the Whitmans and brought them to Waiilatpu, and the other, the Indian culture of the Cayuse and other native peoples that the Whitmans encountered and attempted to influence.
  • The site of Whitman Mission was an important component of the Oregon Trail. The Mission was one of seven such aid stations along the trail and provided an important respite for weary Oregon Trail emigrants during the early years of the Oregon Trail. Additionally, Dr. Marcus Whitman had a key role in guiding one of the first wagon trains into Oregon Territory. Finally, the successful crossing of the continent by Narcissa Whitman and Eliza Spalding proved that white women could endure the journey.
  • The massacre of the Whitmans and eleven others (and one who disappeared and presumably drowned) and the unsuccessful end of the Mission led to a war between the militia and the Cayuse in 1848 and the arrival of federal troops in 1849. The ensuring 1855 treaties resulted in opening up the territory to pioneer settlement.
  • The NHS preserves the Mission Grounds, the site of the Great Grave, and the memorials to the Whitmans.

Whitman Mission National Historic Site Mission Goals

Mission goals describe the desired resource conditions and visitor experiences, that taken together, fully achieve the National Historic Site's purpose, maintain its significance, and are consistent with NPS management policies. Whitman Mission National Historic Site currently has 11 mission goals:

  • To preserve and protect the historic, cultural, and natural resources of Whitman Mission National Historic Site for present and future generations.
  • To encourage others to assist in the preservation of the cultural and agricultural setting around Whitman Mission NHS and the historic setting of the Mission area.
  • To provide the visiting public with an understanding of three primary interpretive messages:
    a) An understanding and appreciation of the Mission Period and the resultant clash of cultures between early pioneer settlers and the Cayuse and other Indian peoples in the region.
    b) The role of the Mission as an aid station along the Oregon Trail, Dr. Whitman's important role in guiding early wagon trains west along the trail, and the influence Narcissa Whitman and Eliza Spalding had on other pioneer women considering travel to the American West.
    c) The importance of the massacre event's resultant outcome in the establishment of the Oregon Territory.
  • To develop stronger ties with local tribes to assist in the interpretation and understanding of the Mission Period. · To encourage both visitors and staff to utilize sustainable practices in the present and future use of Whitman Mission NHS.
  • To provide adequate administrative space to serve the programs and operations of Whitman Mission NHS.
  • To provide adequate permanent, seasonal and volunteer staffing levels to support future Whitman Mission NHS interpretive and educational programs, and other operational needs.
  • To explore and promote opportunities to coordinate and share human and physical resources with Nez Perce National Historical Park, Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, other NPS sites and partners having interpretive themes and programs which relate to the purpose of Whitman Mission NHS.
  • To determine and implement the extent and manner of memorialization of the Whitmans.
  • To maintain Whitman Mission NHS facilities in a safe condition and to remain open and accessible to the general public.
  • To preserve and enhance the natural resources of the NHS, including riparian and wetland areas, in accord with all applicable laws, NPS policies, and executive orders.

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1. There were eleven people killed along with the Whitmans. According to historians, one person escaped, but was probably either captured by and killed by the Indians, or drowned. This would account for the 12 people cited in the legislation.
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Original web pages by Tina Boehle. Posted on January, 28, 2001.
Last modified on: March 7, 2004