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 Research
Issues:
Special Historical Studies in North Cascades National Park
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Special Historical Studies in North Cascades National Park:
Background:
The Complex has a long and rich human history that is manifested in the cultural resources which are extant in the park. These diverse resources are associated with a variety of historic themes including exploration, settlement, commercial development, recreation, and the administration of the area by the United States Forest Service. Understanding these themes and others which have yet to be studied is critical for identifying, documenting, registering, and managing significant cultural resources under the park's jurisdiction, a responsibility the park has under Section 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (as amended).
Park Focus:
Mount Rainier National Park
North Cascades National Park
Olympic National Park
Research Needs:
The park has historical studies including an archeological overview, ethnographic data, a historic resource study, several historic structure reports and cultural landscape inventories. These need to be updated. Other studies are needed to document the park's establishment and management since its creation. A research program will consist of historical studies that expand upon themes identified in the Historic Resource Study and other documents, as well as themes as yet unidentified. Examples of such studies are described below in priority order.
History of Scientific Research and Collections in the Complex: What studies, both natural and cultural, have been done in the Park Complex? What specimens and other data have been collected by agencies as well as by independent researchers and institutions? Where are the scientific data and specimen collections located?
Hudson Bay Company Activities in the Complex: What literature or historical research exists that supports the evidence that the Hudson Bay Company was present in what is today the Park Complex? If they were present, what was the extent of their activities, and what routes or sites might have been used by trappers?
Collection and Transcription of Oral Histories: In an area which lacks a strong written record, transcribed oral histories are a particularly important source of historical information. Are there residents with knowledge of the Park Complex who should be interviewed?
Study of Historic Trails and Roads in the Complex : The Complex's network of trails and roads has a long history, beginning with Indian tribes and culminating with the building of the NorthCross State Highway (renamed the North Cascades Highway). What is the historic significance of this network? Are they eligible for the National Register?
History of Snow Survey in the Complex: For nearly 90 years, the U.S. Geological Survey recorded changing water levels in the Skagit River and snow levels in the backcountry of the North Cascades in order to predict spring runoff from the mountains. What routes were established? Where were cabins built to support information collection? What use has historically been made of this information?
History of Mining in the Complex: Mining was an important activity in what is today the Park Complex, bringing settlers into the area to establish homesteads and communities. Mining also resulted in the exploration and mapping of the area. What has been the history of mining in the Park Complex and how was that related to the larger picture of mining in the Northwest? How did mining shape the landscape? What safety issues have resulted from mining activities? What is the history and significance of such mining sites as Skagit Queen and the Black Warrior Mine?
History of Civilian Conservation Corps Activities in the Complex: What role did the Civilian Conservation Corps play in building the structures, trails, and landscapes of the Park Complex? How did the CCC's activities affect the significance of these sites?
Available Resources:
The park's Historic Resource Study.
June McCormick Collins. Valley of the Spirits: The Upper Skagit Indians of Western Washington. University of Washington Press, Seattle. 1980.
Erna Gunther, Ethnobotany of Western Washington: The Knowledge and Use of Indigenous Plants by Native Americans. University of Washington Press, Seattle. 1995.
Vi Hilbert. Haboo. University of Washington Press, Seattle. 1993.
Ruth Kirk and Richard D. Daugherty. Exploring Washington Archeology University of Washington Press, 1978.
Robert Ruby and John A. Brown. A Guide to the Indian Tribes of the Pacific Northwest. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman. 1992.
Hilary Stewart. Indian Artifacts of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press, 1977.
Draffan, George, Ken Favrholdt, Mitch Friedman, and Bob Mierendorf. History of the Greater North Cascades Ecosystem. in Cascadia Wild, edited by Mitch Friedman and Paul Lindholdt, pp. 22-48, Greater Ecosystem Alliance, Bellingham, Washington. 1993.
Mierendorf, Robert R. People of the North Cascades. North Cascades National Park Service Complex, Cultural Resources Division, Pacific Northwest Region, Seattle. 1986.
An Archaeologist's View. in Reflections of the Past, pp. 15-19, Ministry of Lands and Parks, Province of British Columbia. 1991.
Chert Procurement in the Upper Skagit River Valley of the Northern Cascade Range, Ross Lake National Recreation Area, Washington. Technical Report NPS/PNRNOCA/CRTR-93-001. North Cascades National Park Service Complex, Sedro Woolley, Washington. 1993.
Who Walks on the Ground. in Impressions of the North Cascades, edited by John C. Miles. The Mountaineers, Seattle. In Press. 1996.
National Geographic. Prehistoric Indians in the North Cascades. Vol. 177, No. 3 (Geographica). 1990.
Smith, Allan H. Ethnography of the North Cascades, Center for Northwest Anthropology, Washington State University, Project Report Number 7, and National Park Service, Cultural Resources Division, Pacific Northwest Region, Seattle, Washington. 1988.
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