Old Chief Joseph Gravesite facts for kids
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Wallowa Lake Site
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Gravesite of Old Joseph
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 Location in Oregon
Location in the United States
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| Location | Wallowa County, Oregon, USA |
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| Nearest city | Joseph, Oregon |
| Area | 5 acres (2.0 ha) |
| Built | 1877 |
| NRHP reference No. | 89001082 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | May 5, 1985 |
The Old Chief Joseph Gravesite is a special place near Joseph, Oregon. It's a cemetery for Native American people. This site is also known by other names like Nez Perce Traditional Site, Wallowa Lake and Chief Joseph Cemetery. For a long time, it was a traditional camping spot for the Nez Perce people. Because of its history, it's considered a very important archaeological site. In 1985, it was named a National Historic Landmark, which means it's a place of great historical value for the entire country. It's also part of the Nez Perce National Historical Park.
What You'll See There
The Old Chief Joseph Gravesite is located at the northern end of Wallowa Lake. It covers about 5 acres (2 hectares). From this spot, you get amazing views of the lake and the mountains around it.
You can reach the site from Oregon Highway 351. An unpaved road leads into the property through a stone wall gateway. The main part of the site is a round, raised area made of earth. It has a low stone wall around it. In the middle of this area is a memorial marker for Old Chief Joseph. This marker is a stone pillar with a bronze picture of the chief's head on one side. You'll also see a flagpole and the grave of an early settler from the area.
The Story of Chief Joseph
Old Chief Joseph was a leader of the Wallowa band of the Nez Perce tribe in the mid-1800s. His people lived in the beautiful Wallowa Lake area. During the 1850s and 1860s, the United States government wanted the Nez Perce to sign agreements called treaties. These treaties would have forced them to move to special areas called reservation land in Idaho.
Old Chief Joseph and his son, also named Chief Joseph, strongly refused to leave their homeland. When Old Chief Joseph passed away in 1871, he was buried in a traditional way near where the Lostine and Wallowa rivers meet. Sadly, in 1877, the Wallowa band was forced off their land during a conflict known as the Nez Perce War.
Protecting a Sacred Place
In 1886, Old Chief Joseph's original grave was disturbed by some local people. His remains were taken from the site. Later, in 1926, with permission from the Nez Perce people, his grave was moved to its current location. That's when the stone marker was placed there.
In the 1930s, a government program called the Works Progress Administration helped make improvements to the site. Members of the Nez Perce tribe did some of this work. They built the stone wall by the highway and the retaining wall around the main burial area.
Today, this cemetery is a very sacred and important place for the Nez Perce people. The United States government holds the land in trust, meaning they protect it for the Nez Perce tribe.
