Foundation Contributions
THE VIRTUAL NEZ PERCE NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL
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The Nez Perce National Historic Trail (NPNHT) is now available as a virtual
tour on their Website. Much comprehensive and beautifully presented information
on the NPNHT is now available on the web in several locations.
Nez Perce National Historic Trail http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/npnht/home.
For a Virtual Tour, please click on Virtual Tour.
Nez Perce National Historical Trail Administrator, Sandi McFarland met with LCTHF’s Lindy Hatcher and Dan Sturdevant in Washington, D.C., at the Partnership for the National Trails System meeting.
“Sandi graciously offered to add the Lewis and Clark National Historic
Trail to their virtual tour and auto route brochures where our trails cross.
In return, they asked us to acknowledge the Nez Perce Trail similarly as we
develop virtual tours and auto tour guides. Strengthening partnerships and building
relationships are important benefits of attending national conferences with the historic trails.”
“We are thrilled at the prospect of additional marketing for our Lewis and Clark Trail
and are happy to reciprocate their offer. This is a delightful way to incorporate
more Native American aspects into our story and trail. We hope to be trendsetters
for other trails,” Lindy said.
HEGLIE FAMILY and FRIENDS ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP
Duane Heglie, Board Member and Lifetime Member of the Nez Perce Trail Foundation, awards two $500. scholarships each year to deserving Nez Perce candidates. The Heglie family, as well as many of their friends, donate money each year for the scholarship funds. The scholarships are awarded each year at the Tamkaliks Celebration in Wallowa, Oregon in July. The winners are announced during a break in the championship dancing on Sunday. For more information, scholarship applications, and deadlines please contact Duane Heglie at heglie@comcast.net or khnezpercetrail@gmail.com.
DEDICATION AT BIG HOLE – WEST ENTRANCE
Hosted the by Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, assisted by the
Nez Perce Trail Foundation (NPTF) and the Continental Divide Trail Alliance
One of the Nez Perce Trail Foundation’s jobs was to organize the field
trips for the conference. The three field trips included a rafting trip
on the Blackfoot River, hiking along the Lolo Trail, and a bus trip visiting
historic trail sites in the Bitterroot Valley and the Big Hole Battlefield National Park.
The Nez Perce Trail Foundation hosted the Big Hole Battlefield trip. Thirty-four
members of the Partnership for the National Trails Systems guided by Mary
Williams, USFS, and archaeologist Carolynne Merrell visited the Metcalf National Wildlife Reserve, then passed through the Bitterroot Valley. The group stopped at Ross’ Hole in Sula, MT., then Chief Joseph Pass where all three National Trail paths cross.
Continuing on to the Big Hole National Battlefield, the group participated
in the dedication of the West Entrance Project, completed by the National
Park Service and the Nez Perce Trail Foundation. Park Service personnel
gave a special guided tour of the Park. The group trip concluded at Missoula.
From Left: Ruth Wapato (deceased), Rosa Yearout, Myrna Tovey and Loretta
Alexander opening the dedication with a Nez Perce prayer.
COW ISLAND DEDICATION
In Conjunction With
Status: Completed
Thirty individuals participated at the James Kipp
National Recreation Area. The Recreation Area is located where U.S. Highway
191 crosses the Upper Missouri National Wild and Scenic River, about 40
miles north of Grass Range, MT.
Those who joined in this National Public Lands Day event completed
a number of tasks which included; installing a Nez Perce Trail interpretive
sign, landscape modification, clearing the trail, and beautification within the campground.
Participants in this event included: Huck Hutson, Roy Zortman, Scott Haight, Sandra Padilla,
Craig Flentie, Vinita Shea, Wayne Dahl, Illa Willmore, Carol Hutson, Samantha
Mitchell, Vanessa Mitchell, Megant Mitchell, Tristin McCafree, Hailey Hayden
and Andrea Gremaux, Carol McCaffree, Winston Mitchell, Zortman and Warren
Willmore, Nancy Dahl, Mona Driskell and ten students from Missoula.
Nationwide, thousands of people have donated time to the various projects involved with improving the public lands.
TEACHER IN-SERVICE AND WORK PROJECT
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING
Status: Annual Activity
The NPTF, along with the Yellowstone National Park, Kathie White,
Dr. Lee Whittlesey, and the Yellowstone Association’s James Garry, conducted
a week of instructional activities. The group was based at the Canyon Campground in the center of Yellowstone National Park and visited major Nez Perce sites. In addition, former NPTF President Charlie Moses contributed significantly to the project through his active
participation.
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Carol Austin, NPTF Instructor
CAMAS MEADOWS, IDAHO
Status: Completed
Silhouettes of three Nez Perce Warriors on horseback represent the raiding
of the U.S. Army pack string. It provides a dramatic highlight at the entrance
to the battleground that is along Highway 22, west of Dubois, Idaho, on
the Old Fort Henry/Gold Loop Scenic Byway. The signs were donated by the City of Dubois.
The site has a parking area, and a six-sided Scenic
Byway kiosk at the battlefield entrance. A sign showing the locations
of the rifle pits has been installed at the old Monument and a new sign
about “Bugler” Brooks was placed at his gravesite. A new
military headstone and a re-dedication is planned.
The BLM crew identified the locations
of Rifle Pits with GPS equipment. Crew included Bethany Crenshaw,
Dick Hill, Stan McDonald and Brad Christensen.
The project was a partnership between the Nez Perce Trail Foundation,
the Old Fort Henry/Gold Loop Scenic Byway, the City of Dubois and the
Clark County Economic Development.
APPALOOSA HORSE CLUB MUSEUM
Status: Completed
The Appaloosa Horse Club Museum in Moscow, Idaho,
features these three signs, one of which describes the relationship of
the Appaloosa Horse Club to the Nez Perce National Historic Trail and
the annual Chief Joseph Trail Ride sponsored by the club.
ESCAPE FROM CLARK FORK CANYON, WYOMING
Status: Completed
Located at Idlewise on Highway 120, north of Cody, Wyoming, the three-paneled
sign describes the Trail incidents related to Clark Fork Canyon, the Conflict
of 1877, and the Exile, showing the route of captivity and return of the
Nez Perce to the Northwest. The project partners are the Cody Chapter
of the Foundation, the Cody BLM Office and the Idlewise Store.
The interpretive sign was installed at Clark, Wyoming. A partnership between the non-profit Nez Perce Trail Foundation, the BLM, and the Edelweiss Store resulted in a three-paneled
kiosk entitled “Escape From Clark Fork Canyon”. Volunteers assisting in
the installation were from the Cody Chapter of the NPTF.
Center panel of the kiosk
Volunteer installation crew Phil Benezra, Daniel Billings, Maureen
Fratis, Phyllis Goossen, Deborah Janssen, Barry Janssen, Colin Johnson,
Evin Johnson, Robert Knox, Erica Scott, Lou Gearing, Brad Ward, Duane
Heglie, Carol Austin, and Kireson Crume (not in order)
REED AND BOWLES TRADING POST
Status: Completed
Lewistown, MT Rest Area
The three paneled sign is placed at the Kiwanis Park on
Highway 287, west of Lewistown, Montana, a NPNHT Gateway Community.
The center panel, which accompanies two standard NPTF signs, The Conflict of 1877, and The Exile describes the Nez Perce stopping at the Trading Post.
Our Lewistown Chapter partnered with the Lewistown Historical
Preservation Office, the local BLM Office and the Kiwanis. The Carroll
Trail and the Nez Perce Trail pass through the Lewistown area.
TRAIL MARKER PLACEMENT
Gibbons Pass to Big Hole, Montana
Status: Completed
The Nez Perce Trail Foundation and Wisdom Ranger District USFS personnel placed trail markers on the newly identified section of the Nez Perce Trail, that was constructed by the Nez Perce Youth Trail Team.
BIRCH CREEK
Status: Completed
BLM work crew prepared a new kiosk site at Birch Creek, Idaho
The Birch Creek project features a covered Scenic Byway
kiosk located at the Birch Creek BLM Campground on US Highway 28 in Idaho.
It serves as the gateway for the Sacajawea Byway. The project partners
are the Sacajawea Byway, the city of Leadore, the BLM and the Fort Hall
Shoshone-Bannock Tribe.
Following the highway northward up the valley along the Nez Perce Trail
to Bannock Pass, a three-paneled sign describes the Nez Perce crossing
into Idaho from Montana. This section of the trail is at the conjunction
with the National Continental Divide Trail.
The Birch Creek Project has benefited from the combined
interests and active participation of several private, city, state, and
federal entities. The project was initiated through the planning committee
of the Sacajawea Scenic Byway as they looked for a gateway site for the
Byway. The Nez Perce Trail Foundation already had a small interpretive
and trail marking project underway for the area. As part of the planning
committee, the Foundation, with BLM support, proposed a much larger combined
project. With Byway funding, a six-sided kiosk was planned. The City of
Leadore, NPTF, with the help of the Salmon Valley Business and Innovation
Center obtained a grant from the Idaho Department of Transportation for
the Kiosk. A&D Specialties, Leadore provided equipment and the shop area
to manufacture the kiosk. The Salmon and Idaho Falls BLM crews along with
the Leadore NPTF Chapter members provided the labor in the construction
of the kiosk, which is nearing completion. The kiosk holds six interpretive
panels. Two NPTF panels describe an overview of the Nez Perce Conflict
and the events that occurred at this location. Other panels provide
BLM information on area attractions, the route of the Sacajawea Scenic
Byway and the story of the Agai Dika Lemhi Shoshone homeland.
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APPALOOSA HORSE CLUB MUSEUM
Status: Completed
Interpretive signs were placed in partnership with the Appaloosa Horse Club Museum on the museum grounds. The three panels tell the story of the 1877 War Trail and the Exile along with the history of the Chief Joseph Trail Ride sponsored annually by the Appaloosa Horse Club. Present at the dedication of the signs was NPTF vice-president Dick Seymour; Appaloosa Club CEO, Steve Taylor; Iola and George Hatley, one of the original Chief Joseph Trail Ride founders.
BIG HOLE BATTLEFIELD
Status: Completed
An improved west entrance to the Big Hole Battlefield was
carried out with the help of partners from the U.S. Forest Service and the
National Park Service. This west entrance serves as a terminus for
a newly constructed equine and pedestrian portion of the Nez Perce Trail
from Gibbons Pass, Idaho.
The route was constructed by a crew of Nez Perce youth.
A hitching rail, new gate, and interpretive signs by the NPS and the Nez Perce Trail Foundation
were installed with the help of a work crew from the University of San
Diego/Sacramento Extension. Members of this crew were history
teachers, enrolled in the popular Summer Educational Trail Tour.
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New signage gives an overview of the battle site. |
Project location at Big Hole. |
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Newly installed hitching rail at the west entrance. |
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OFFICIAL FOUNDATION WEBSITE
Status: Completed
We have rebuilt our website from the ground up. We’ve added more educational content, information on past, present and future projects, and an updated event calendar. Enjoy all of the new features!
Click logo for website.
Click logo for website.
