By Eve Byron
05/25/05
A historic site in northcentral Montana is the state's newest addition
to the National Parks Service.
The Bear Paw Battlefield, 15 miles south of Chinook, is where the last
fight of the four-month Nez Perce War of 1877 took place. The battlefield
was a state park, but Fish, Wildlife and Parks didn't have the time or money
to pay much attention to the site.
The National Parks Service was interested in taking over management of
the property, and had a park ranger stationed at the site, but legally can't
spend federal funds for improving sites it doesn't own. In addition, while
the federal government was willing to buy the property, the state isn't
authorized to sell land to the Parks Service, according to Doug Eury, Nez
Perce National Historic Park superintendent.
So after years of negotiations, a plan was created: The state sold the
200-acre parcel to The Conservation Foundation for about $25,000, and four
months later, the Virginia-based nonprofit group sold the land to the
federal government.
On Tuesday, the deal was finalized with a ceremony in the state
capital.
"This is an extraordinary day," Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger said. "I want
to thank the National Park Service for taking this under your wing, for
giving it the stature it so deserves.
". Their task is far greater than we in the state have the resources
to present. This will make a significant contribution to the preservation of
Nez Perce history."
Park Ranger Robert West notes that the Nez Perce history included
treaties that pushed them onto smaller and smaller reservations, until they
were told in 1877 that they were to live on what was about 10 percent of
their original homeland. This caused about 800 Nez Perce to flee, which
started the 1,170-mile chase of Nez Perce men, women, children and horses by
military forces through Oregon, Idaho and Montana.
Eventually, the Nez Perce turned northward from the general
Yellowstone area, believing that safety was on the other side of the
Canadian border. But 40 miles from the border, at the Bear Paw battlefield
south of present-day Chinook, they were overwhelmed.
"They stopped to rest, to feed their horses and restock their supplies
and to hunt buffalo," West said, noting that they didn't realize two
different military forces were joining to attack them. "The Nez Perce people
were growing weary, the snow was beginning to fall . they were running out
of food and water and the children and women were suffering."
The battle and extended siege began on Sept. 30. Five days later,
Chief Joseph, on behalf of 432 survivors, ended with his famous statement:
"From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more, forever."
Today, the Nez Perce National Historic Park consists of 38 different
sites in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. The park explains
their interaction with explorers, settlers, miners and others who moved
through the area, and also includes the Big Hole National Battlefield, where
another skirmish in the 1877 battle took place.
Neither the Big Hole nor Bear Paw parks have visitor centers, and none
is planned for the Bear Paw site in the near future. However, rangers are
often on site and visitors can take self-guided tours.
Frank Andrews, the eldest living male for the Chief Joseph Band of the
Nez Perce, said these are sacred lands where he hopes people will learn the
true story of his tribe.
He said his niece expressed to him the need for forgiveness, which is
the best medicine for anyone.
"This is the greatest memorial for our people," Andrews said. "I pray
it will happily and joyfully bring people together."