Success Story
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SUCCESS STORY T ennessee Valley Authority Builds Coalition to Protect Indian Images Marshall County, Alabama “Having the opportunity THE STORY Indian tribes have occupied Marshall County, Alabama, for millennia, and for 600 of those to engage in face-to-face years, a pair of bluffs overlooking the Tennessee River have provided a glimpse into their consultation on this project history. Although visible for ages, etched and painted images on the “Painted Bluff,” as the site has come to be known, were first documented the 1823 bookThe Natural and was very valuable, because Aboriginal History of Tennessee. it gave us the chance to talk The movement of settlers into the area during the 19th century resulted in displacement through the impacts, and to of the original inhabitants. As a consequence, many of the tribes that originally occupied have an open dialogue about this area have moved further south and west, but their ancestral, cultural, and spiritual ties to the traditional cultural and sacred places in this area remain strong. how we should best manage such a significant site.” As the centuries wore on, impacts from man and nature alike took their toll on the sacred images. The effects of modern-day graffiti on the more than 80 animal effigies, — Erin PritCHARD ovals, circles, and other abstract symbols were documented in the 1950s. Senior Archaeological Specialist, Tennessee Valley Authority Half a century later, in 2004, a team of archaeologists from the University of Tennessee noted that, in addition to damage from vandalism and rock climbing at Painted Bluff, humidity and erosion were causing pictographs at the National Register of Historic Places-eligible site to chip and flake. THE PROJECT Painted Bluff overlooks Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) land at TVA’s Wheeler Reservoir. The agency worked with the Alabama Historical Commission to have the site named to its 2013 “Places in Peril” list, highlighting the state’s most endangered landmarks. Photos: Above, dancing human image The following year, TVA hired consultants to study the damage to the site. They (photo courtesy TVA); Right, Painted Bluff recommended a multi-faceted approach to address the problem, including removal from a distance (photo by Alan Cressler); LaDonna Brown, tribal anthropologist for and camouflaging of the existing graffiti, along with public outreach and volunteer the Chickasaw Nation, visiting Painted Bluff involvement. (photo courtesy TVA). CONTINUED >>> Photos: Painted Rock graffiti; volunteer Camille Bowman works on graffiti removal at the site; a view from the river (photos courtesy TVA) THE 106 PROCESS TVA was responsible for conducting the Section 106 process under the National Historic Preservation Act. Section 106 requires that federal agencies identify historic properties and assess the effects on those properties of the projects they carry out, fund, or permit. Federal agencies also are required to consult with parties that have an C onsulting Parties: interest in the fate of historic properties when adverse effects are likely to ensue. Tennessee Valley Authority With the removal and camouflage plan in hand, TVA initiated a Section 106 review with Alabama Historical Commission the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) and 15 federally recognized tribes that Cherokee Nation have ties to Painted Bluff as part of a broader commitment to protect and provide Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians stewardship for these important places. The tribes recommended that images impacted United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma through natural weathering be left alone, and that the focus of any remediation work Muscogee (Creek) Nation of should be on human impacts to the site—in particular, those caused by rock climbing. Oklahoma Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas In 2014, TVA worked with the consultants and community volunteers from northern Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town Alabama and University of Alabama students to catalog, remove, and disguise the Kialegee Tribal Town damage at Painted Bluff. Graffiti 50 years or older was left in place pending further Thlopthlocco Tribal Town research, while disturbances less than 50 years old were removed or camouflaged. Poarch Band of Creek Indians Ultimately, graffiti was remediated at more than 120 different surfaces. Seminole Nation of Oklahoma Seminole Tribe of Florida Next, TVA collaborated with the Southeastern Climbers Coalition to close climbing Absentee Shawnee Tribe of routes located along the bluff, and to install signs alerting climbers of the closures. Oklahoma Finally, TVA used Painted Bluff as a proving ground for an archaeological site monitoring Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma program called “A Thousand Eyes.” Volunteers went through the program training Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma course, and then recorded data on the site that was submitted to TVA. The agency Chickasaw Nation continues to work with the historical commission and student volunteers to protect University of Tennessee and monitor the site. University of Alabama Southeastern Climbers Coalition THE SUCCESS Stratum Unlimited LLC Federal agencies sometimes struggle to fully address impacts to traditional cultural properties and sacred sites as part of Section 106 consultations. In the case of Painted For more about Section Bluff, TVA, the tribes, and university and volunteer groups created an exemplary model of how to work together to protect historic properties. Through the Section 106 106 and the ACHP go review, significant cultural symbols in the tribes’ ancestral homelands were preserved to www.achp.gov against further damage for enjoyment by future generations. ADVISORY COUNCIL ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION 401 F Street NW, Suite 308, Washington DC 20001 Phone: 202-517-0200 • Fax: 202-517-6381 • [email protected] • www.achp.gov Preserving America’s Heritage SUCCESS STORY P ublic-Private Partnership Preserves Cold War Missile Site for the Future Anchorage, Alaska “The success at Nike Site Summit was the result of a long-term, persistent effort by the community working with the military through the THE STORY Section 106 process to create After World War II, the risk of nuclear war with the Soviet Union loomed. In response, a continuing partnership the United States developed an advanced air defense system to protect against a strategic bomber attack. Nike Hercules was a nationwide, ground-based anti-aircraft and stewardship plan for missile system that would deploy nuclear warheads over longer ranges and reach these important historic higher altitudes. The resulting nuclear blast and radiation would destroy fleets of attacking bombers. Located at an elevation of 4,000 feet on top of Mount Gordon Lyon resources.” above Anchorage, Alaska, Nike Site Summit, a former U.S. Army Nike Hercules missile installation, is the most intact example of American military defense against potential — judith bittner Alaska State Historic airborne nuclear attacks. The installation was one of 145 Nike Hercules missile sites Preservation Officer across the U.S. constructed from 1957 to 1960, and Site Summit was one of the very few Nike sites to conduct actual test firing of missiles. It was one of the last Nike missile sites to close in 1979 and subsequently was abandoned for several years until interest in its preservation grew following the end of the Cold War. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996 as a historic district of national-level significance. THE PROJECT In response to deteriorating buildings and increasing trespassing and vandalism, in 2007 the Army proposed a management plan that would have demolished almost half of the site. The demolition would have greatly diminished the ability to use Nike Site Summit to interpret a historic working missile battery of the Cold War era. THE 106 PROCESS The Army, the federal agency carrying out this project, was responsible for conducting the Section 106 process under the National Historic Preservation Act. Section 106 Photos: Above, acquisition radar tower and requires that federal agencies identify historic properties and assess the effects of the enlisted men barracks with radar attached projects they carry out, fund, or permit on those properties. Federal agencies also are (photo from Survey HAER AK-18-A, courtesy Library of Congress); Right, Nike required to consult with parties that have an interest in the fate of the property when Hercules missile (U.S. Army photo); Nike adverse effects are likely to ensue. firing (photo courtesy Alaska SHPO) CONTINUED >>> Photos: Above, Nike Site Summit (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Laura Turner); Top right, missile launch and storage facilities (photo courtesy NPS); Bottom right, interior of missile launch and storage building with missile transport carriage (photo from Survey HAER AK-18-C, courtesy Library of Congress) Recognizing the historic importance of this site, the Army consulted with the Alaska State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO), the National Park Service (NPS), the Native Village of Eklutna, the Friends of Nike Site Summit (FONSS), the National C onsulting Parties: Trust for Historic Preservation, the Nike Historical Society, the Alaska Association for U.S. Army Historic Preservation (AAHP), and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, to Alaska State Historic Preservation modify its proposed management plan. During the Section 106 consultation in 2008, Officer the Army sought the technical assistance of the NPS to better understand the potential National Park Service effects of its management