Bureau of Land Management, Mr. E. I. Rowland, who 

 informs me that "... the Historic Landmark program is 

 handled by the Park Service. Designation of a site is made 

 by the Secretary of the Interior. The Historic Sites Act 

 of 1935 directs the Secretary of the Interior to make a 

 nation-wide survey for the purpose of determining those 

 of exceptional value. The survey is conducted by National 

 Park Service historians and archaeologists. Their recom- 

 mendations are screened by a Consulting Committee and 

 by the Advisory Board on National Parks, Historical Sites, 

 Buildings and Monuments. The Board then submits its 

 recommendations to the Secretary who has final rcsponsi- 



In two seasons' time (1966-1967) and with the help of 

 excavators, masons, and bulldozers, Mr. Lancaster finished 

 the imposing job. 



On Octoger 17, 1967, Lowry Pueblo was dedicated by 

 the members and more than 300 guests of the Colorado 

 office of the Bureau of Land Management. After an invo- 

 cation given in Navajo by a Navajo Indian, some Hopi 

 children from a nearby school (Fort Lewis) put on a brief 

 sacred dance, perhaps reminiscent of ancient ceremonial 

 dances. A few remarks by guests, and a dedication an- 

 nouncement and the brief ceremony ended with Lowry 

 Pueblo now a Xationol IImIoik Landmark. 



Left, Paul Martin's party excavating the small kiva at Lowry, in 1931. At right, Paul Martin atop a 

 1926 Pierce-Arrow touring car. Martin filmed the area and the site from this vantage point. 



bility for declaring sites eligible for the Registry of National 

 Historic Landmarks." 



Mr. Rowland also advised me of some of the criteria 

 used in selecting Landmarks. The site must have excep- 

 tional value in American history and must have produced 

 information of major scientific importance by revealing new 

 cultures or shedding light upon periods of occupation over 

 large areas of the United States. 



Lowry Pueblo passed all requirements. All that re- 

 mained was to implement the decision of the Secretary by 

 reopening and repairing the site. A team was organized 

 to draw up plans for the re-excavation and stabilization 

 of the pueblo, kivas and Great Kiva. This group consisted 

 of Lister and experts from the Bureau of Land Management, 

 William E. Claycomb, R. F. Noble, James H. O'Connor, 

 E. I. Rowland, VV. Reynolds, and A. VV. Zimmerman. 



Mr. Allan Lancaster, famous in the National Park Ser- 

 vice for his excavations and restorations at Mesa Verde 

 National Park, was placed in charge of the work. By a 

 happy coincidence, Mr. Lancaster was my chief assistant 

 at Lowry ruin and others from 1928-1932. No person 

 more eminently fitted for the job of rehabilitating Lowry 

 Pueblo could have been found. 



I was invited to be present at the ceremony, which 

 was simple and moving. It seemed strange to be sitting 

 on a platform with Al Lancaster and other notables and 

 to realize that some 30 years earlier, I had partially earned 

 my spurs by excavating this site. 



Today, Lowry Pueblo is reached by good roads in less 

 than an hour from Cortez, Colorado. All the wind-blown 

 dirt that had accumulated against the outer walls of the 

 building during 10 centuries has been removed. I saw walls 

 and other features that I had never before seen, since wc 

 could not afford to move such masses of dirt (thousands of 

 tons). The Great Kiva has been completely restored except 

 for the roof. The rooms are easily viewed from many key 

 spots and at these spots the Bureau of Land Management 

 has erected informative, easily-read signs that give the tour- 

 ist a clear idea of what he is looking at. A bronze plaque 

 denoting national ownership and other addenda greet the 

 visitor as he walks toward this great and ancient town. 



Today, Lowry Pueblo is an impressive and noble sight. 

 I was awed, because I realized that here Man had lived, 

 worshipped, adapted to an arid ecological environment and 

 had at last been forced to relinquish his heritage — because 

 corn no longer would grow? 



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