An Archeological Overview and Assessment of Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Sioux County, Nebraska

Author(s): John R. Bozell

Year: 2004

Summary

This document provides an archeological overview and assessment of Agate Fossil Beds National Monument in Sioux County, Nebraska. The study was completed under the terms of a purchase order and scope-of-work issued by the Midwest Archeological Center, National Park Service in Lincoln, Nebraska. Archeological investigations began at the park in the 1960s and have continued through the present. All fee title land within the park has been examined on at least one occasion by professional archeological teams from the Midwest Archeological Center or other agencies working under contract to the Center. Investigations were implemented in response to a need for a park-wide inventory of archeological resources as well as Section 106 (National Historic Preservation Act) compliance requirements in response to various park developments. These efforts have resulted in the identification of 92 archeological properties spanning the Paleoindian through Euroamerican periods. Several sites have been the subject of test excavations and impact mitigation data recovery programs. The majority of Agate Fossil Beds National Monument sites reflect rather ephemeral use of the upper Niobrara River valley by a variety of Native American groups. Sites are largely associated with lithic procurement and temporary camping and hunting activities. Several Native American spiritual sites and properties associated with development of the Agate Springs Ranch and Lakota Chief Red Cloud have also been documented. This study offers a description of all park archeological investigations, sites recorded, collections recovered and overall contributions the archeological resources have made to a broader understanding of High Plains archeology. Recommendations for further field and research actions are provided which focus on geomorphic and paleoenvironmental investigations, testing for deeply buried resources and updating databases and other archival materials.

Cite this Record

An Archeological Overview and Assessment of Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Sioux County, Nebraska. John R. Bozell. Lincoln, Nebraska: Midwest Archeological Center, National Park Service, Department of the Interior. 2004 ( tDAR id: 375648) ; doi:10.6067/XCV8W095N0

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

Keywords

Culture
Archaic • Arikara • Caddoan Culture • Cheyenne • Euroamerican • Historic • Historic Native American • Lakota • Late Pre-Contact Period • Omaha-Ponca • PaleoIndian • Pawnee • Plains Apache • Plains Village • Woodland

Material
Building Materials • Ceramic • Chipped Stone • Fauna • Fire Cracked Rock • Glass • Human Remains • Macrobotanical • Metal • Pollen • Shell

Site Name
25SX152 • 25SX153 • 25SX154 • 25SX155 • 25SX156 • 25SX157 • 25SX158 • 25SX159 • 25SX160 • 25SX161 • 25SX162 • 25SX163 • 25SX191 • 25SX192 • 25SX193 • 25SX2 • 25SX251 • 25SX252 • 25SX253 • 25SX254 • 25SX255 • 25SX256 • 25SX257 • 25SX258 • 25SX259 • 25SX260 • 25SX261 • 25SX262 • 25SX263 • 25SX264 • 25SX265 • 25SX266 • 25SX267 • 25SX268 • 25SX269 • 25SX27 • 25SX270 • 25SX271 • 25SX272 • 25SX273 • 25SX274 • 25SX28 • 25SX282 • 25SX283 • 25SX284 • 25SX285 • 25SX286 • 25SX287 • 25SX288 • 25SX289 • 25SX29 • 25SX290 • 25SX291 • 25SX292 • 25SX293 • 25SX294 • 25SX295 • 25SX30 • 25SX459 • 25SX469 • 25SX470 • 25SX471 • 25SX472 • 25SX473 • 25SX474 • 25SX475 • 25SX476 • 25SX477 • 25SX478 • 25SX479 • 25SX480 • 25SX481 • 25SX482 • 25SX483 • 25SX484 • 25SX485 • 25SX486 • 25SX487 • 25SX488 • 25SX489 • 25SX490 • 25SX491 • 25SX492 • 25SX493 • 25SX494 • 25SX495 • 25SX496 • 25SX497 • 25SX498 • 25SX499 • 25SX72 • 25SX89 • Harold J. Cook Homestead • Kelley Homestead • Red Cloud Campsite • Serenity Show More

Site Type
Archaeological Feature • Cairn • Domestic Structure or Architectural Complex • Domestic Structures • Hearth • Non-Domestic Structures • Pit • Post Hole / Post Mold • Quarry • Refuse Pit • Resource Extraction / Production / Transportation Structure or Features • Road, Trail, and Related Structures or Features • Roasting Pit / Oven / Horno • Rock Alignment • Storage Pit

Investigation Types
Data Recovery / Excavation • Geophysical Survey

General
Agate Springs Ranch • Bone Bed • Bone Cabin • Captain James Cook • Carnegie Hill • Equestrian Nomadic Tribes • Fossil Quarry • Geomorphic Survey • Miocene Deposits • NAGPRA • National Registrar Nomination • Paleosols • Reconnaissance Survey • Red Cloud • Rock Cairn • Stone Circle / Tipi Ring • Test Excavations

Geographic Keywords
Agate Fossil Beds National Monument • Nebraska Panhandle • Niobrara River Valley • Sioux County, Nebraska

Temporal Keywords
19th Century

Spatial Coverage

min long: -103.81; min lat: 42.598 ; max long: -103.48; max lat: 42.723 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Principal Investigator(s): John R. Bozell

Submitted To(s): National Park Center, Midwest Archeological Center

File Information

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