The Changing Landscape Historical Marker
- Categories:
- Historical Markers/Interpretive Sign, Historic Sites
- Keywords:
- General info
-
The Lewis and Clark and the Nez Perce National Historic trails collectively referred to as the Lolo Trail, follow the ridges north of U.S. Highway 12. The landscape you see along Lolo Creek has changed in many ways since this land was the aboriginal territory of the Nez Perce and Salish people. They viewed the Lewis and Clark Expedition as a business venture into a very old cultural landscape—the territory of sovereign nations with richly developed cultures. The people who followed Lewis and Clark practiced a more visually evident style of land management than did the American Indians. American Indians utilized resources made available by natural events. Today, on the other hand, we often create disturbances to make resources available. The look of the landscape along Lolo Creek reflects that style.
Land ownership had a different meaning for the American Indians who had been here for centuries. Since that time, these lands have been claimed and managed in a variety of ways. Most of the bottomland east of here along lower Lolo Creek is owned by small private landowners. The upper reaches of Lolo Creek near Lolo Hot Springs and visible from Highway 12 are a “checkerboard” of
The Changing Landscape Historical Marker