Cultural Resources

Hayley Elsken, Associate State Archaeologist, and Mary Lou White, Archaeological Volunteer, measure bedrock milling boulder near a rock shelter in the park.

 

Cultural Resources' Mission Statement

TO PROVIDE INSPIRATION AND LEADERSHIP IN ACQUIRING, CONSERVING, AND MANAGING CULTURAL RESOURCES THAT REPRESENT CALIFORNIA’S RICH HISTORY AND DIVERSE POPULATION AND TO FOSTER AN APPRECIATION OF THE EXTRAORDINARY VALUE OF CALIFORNIA’S CULTURAL HERITAGE FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS THROUGH ACCESS, EDUCATION, SERVICE, AND STEWARDSHIP.

Colorado Desert District Cultures Resources Statement

The Cultural Resource Program works to protect the cultural resources in the park, like historic buildings, archaeology sites, orchards and other landscape features. The program is located in the Begole Archaeological Research Center (BARC) where archaeological collections from the park are organized, catalogued and curated. The park archaeologists protect archaeological resources by recording them in detail in the field and monitoring for and preventing threats to the sites, including erosion, vehicle incursion, animal burrows and more with the help of park volunteers.