Waterfowl Identification Guide Comprehensive Conservation Plan Phone: 218-8474431 |
Archeological and Cultural Values
Archeological evidence for human occupation in western Minnesota extends back 10,000 years when the last glaciers retreated to the north. Small bands of hunters moved into the tundra and boreal forest and left behind their distinctive Clovis and Folsom fluted lanceolate spear points and other tools. Now identified as PaleoIndian, these people lived in diverse settings and often on the margins of lakes and wetlands.
The long Archaic period began with a warmer and drier climate that peaked with the altithermal around 4700-3000 B.C. Surface waters evaporated and rivers shriveled; bison herds dwindled, and so did the human population. In the harsh conditions, the people developed an array of stone, bone, and copper tools. The human population expanded after the altithermal.
The subsequent Woodland period commenced around 500 B.C. and extended to the arrival of Europeans. The climate and vegetation were similar to 20th century conditions. The people of this period constructed pottery and burial mounds, used the bow and arrow, and adopted agriculture. Some people lived in larger, even fortified, summer villages. The seasonal round included bison hunting, maple sugar collecting, and wild rice harvesting. Exotic trade items came from more complex societies to the south and from other sources.
Natural and human events disrupted the traditional patterns and tribal locations. The Little Ice Age began about A.D. 1550 and caused many prairie tribes to relocate. Arrival of Europeans with Western culture goods and material and practices also caused tribes to change traditional cultural patterns and territory. Thus connecting modern Indian tribes with prehistoric antecedent cultures found in the archeological record is problematic.
Seventeenth century French and English fur traders built posts at the confluence of rivers or on the shores of larger lakes, usually near Indian villages. Western Minnesota became part of the United States as part of the Louisiana Territory, and in the second half of the 19th century immigrants settled the land as railroads expanded accessibility and markets. Settlers soon replaced dugouts and sod houses with frame houses and larger farms and farmsteads. Indian wars and treaties led to concentration of Indian tribes on reservations within and beyond the state. Highway construction, farm consolidation, urbanization, and recreational pursuits characterized the second half of the 20th century.
Existing Conditions and Cultural Resources Potential
A review of the National Register of Historic Places showed, as of October 16, 2000, the 40 Minnesota counties having WPAs and easements contained 426 properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The vast majority of these properties are buildings in towns and cities. A number of the properties are located in rural areas and are indicative of the kinds of historic properties that can be found on the Districts: farmsteads and farm buildings, especially barns; bridges; segments of the Red River Oxcart trail; mill sites; battle sites; prehistoric archeological sites such as mounds, villages, camps, and rock art. Historic archeological sites can also be found.
Many more cultural resources sites are reported on and around the waterfowl production areas, including:
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Big Stone WMD has eight sites on WPAs, none eligible for the National Register, and 188 additional sites in the two counties.
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Detroit Lakes WMD has 114 sites on WPAs, of which 33 are not eligible for the National Register, and 531 additional sites in the five counties.
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Fergus Falls WMD has 130 sites on WPAs, of which 51 are not eligible for the National Register, and 616 additional sites in the four counties.
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Litchfield WMD has 95 sites on WPAs, of which 30 are not eligible for the National Register, and 1,128 additional sites in the nine counties.
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Morris WMD has 91 sites on WPAs, of which 17 are not eligible for the National Register, and 555 additional sites in the eight counties.
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Windom WMD has 44 sites on WPAs, of which 12 are not eligible for the National Register, and 980 additional sites in the twelve counties.
Archeological surveys have been completed on 7,400 acres of District lands.
Although cultural resources can be found almost anyplace on the landscape, prehistoric archeological sites are often found on the shores (especially the east shore) of lakes larger than 40 acres, on islands and peninsulas, where streams enter and exit lakes, and near permanent streams. Early historic period sites are often associated with water. Thus, WPAs are often in the same setting as archeological sites.
Museum collections include art, ethnography, history, documents, botany, zoology, paleontology, geology, environmental samples, and artifacts. A museum collection at a District office or visitor center must adhere to the requirements in 411 DM. At this time only Morris WMD has identified a museum collection that consists of five historic objects. Archeological collections from WPAs are stored at the Minnesota Historical Society under terms of a cooperative agreement. Big Stone WMD has none; Detroit Lakes WMD has one collection of 29 items; Fergus Falls WMD has one collection of 40 items; Morris WMD has four collections of 698 items, and Windom WMD has seven collections of approximately 1,010 items. All District museum collections are covered under the Region-wide Scope of Collections Statement.
Indian Tribes and Other Interested Parties
Several Federal laws and executive orders respond to the part of the American public for whom cultural resources are an important part of the human environment and of understanding the American past and present.
For the intent of these laws to be met, persons and organizations need to be informed of Federal activities that could affect cultural resources. Contacts with Indian tribes are government-to-government unless the tribe has a Tribal Historic Preservation Officer. Seventeen tribes have been identified as having potential interest in one or more of the Districts. Other contacts include the county historical societies, local governments, state government agencies such as the Department of Natural Resources, and other Federal agencies such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
In addition, the District Manager issues a news release in the project area.
Management of Cultural Resources
Cultural Resources are "those parts of the physical environment - natural and built - that have cultural value to some kind of sociocultural group ... [and] those non-material human social institutions...." Cultural resources include historic sites, archeological sites and associated artifacts, sacred sites, traditional cultural properties, cultural items (human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony), and buildings and structures.
An undertaking is any Federal or federally-funded, –licensed, –permitted, or –assisted activity or project that could affect a significant (i.e., historic) property. Ground disturbance, buildings and structures modification or neglect, and landscape changes must be analyzed for impacts on archeological sites, farmsteads, objects, traditional cultural properties, sacred sites, and cultural items.
The District Managers inform the Regional Historic Preservation Officer early in the planning stage of all undertakings to allow qualified analysis, evaluation, consultation, and mitigation as necessary.
Archeological investigations and collecting are performed only in the public interest by qualified archeologists working under an Archaeological Resources Protection Act permit issued by the Regional Director. District Managers take steps to prevent unauthorized collecting by the public, contractors, and FWS personnel. Violations are reported to the Regional Historic Preservation Officer (RHPO). If the public turns over to District personnel "found" artifacts, the District Manager will try to determine provenance, will attempt to replace the artifact where found if it can be secure from further public collections, or will hold it until the RHPO is notified and can move it to the historical society.
Cultural Resources Management Objective: Establish a plan to fulfill requirements of Section 14 of the Archaeological Resources Protection Act for surveying lands to identify archeological resources; and Section 110(a)(2) of the National Historic Preservation Act for a preservation program.
