52 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL, I26 



possible until 1950. This was despite the steady progress on construc- 

 tion of the dam since 1946 and the rapidly diminishing time available 

 for the salvage of history and prehistory along a segment of the Mis- 

 souri River completely lacking in published archeological excavations. 

 In 1950 a single party, headed by Thomas R. Garth, searched selected 

 portions of the reservoir for previously unlocated sites, especially 

 those of White origin, reinvestigated a number of previously recorded 

 locations, and carried out a program of excavation primarily in his- 

 toric sites but incidentally also in one prehistoric Indian village. This 

 party was in operation from July 17 to November 4. In 195 1, a small 

 party under the supervision of Carl F, Miller spent a rather brief 

 period continuing the excavation of a post of the fur-trade period 

 which had been only briefly tested the previous summer. Miller left 

 Lincoln for the field July 24 and returned September 18, Also dur- 

 ing this summer a start was made on a program of intensive excava- 

 tions in aboriginal sites by a unit led by Robert B, Gumming, Jr. 

 This unit was in the field from June 5 to November 6. 



The main purpose of the Garth and Miller parties was the inves- 

 tigation of sites related to the White history of the region whose 

 existence and significance had been established or suggested by the 

 research activities of historians of the National Park Service, That 

 agency has assumed the responsibility for outlining the broad pro- 

 gram of historic-sites archeology and for the selection of specific sites 

 to be investigated. The archeology, both in the field and in the labo- 

 ratory, is done by the Smithsonian River Basin Surveys, and the 

 archeologists charged with these duties maintain close liaison with 

 the Park Service historians in the Omaha regional office. 



The Garth party began the 1950 season with an intensive search of 

 an area in which construction for the dam was imminent and where 

 it was suspected, on the basis of certain historical records, the origi- 

 nal Fort Randall had stood. This important military establishment 

 was founded in 1856 and originally consisted largely of crude log 

 buildings. During the period 1870-1872 a new post was built after 

 the earlier buildings were for the most part torn down, and was oc- 

 cupied until 1892. The ruins of the permanent post, lying downstream 

 from the dam, are still clearly visible. The examination of the area 

 some hundreds of yards above these surface remains, where it was 

 believed the earlier quadrangle might have been situated, produced 

 no affirmative evidence and it appears probable that the new construc- 

 tion was on the site of the earlier unit. This site, including the pic- 

 turesque ruins of the Fort Randall church, will not be adversely 

 affected by the dam, but a limited area containing brick and other 



