NO. 2 SALVAGE PROGRAM, I95O-I95I COOPER 6I 



rather close relationship to the later component at the Oldham site, 

 previously discussed. Evidence was also found of an earlier occupa- 

 tion which appears to be similar to that of the earlier Oldham com- 

 ponent. This evidence was mainly from a number of pits. It is evi- 

 dent that additional investigation of this site, as well as of the area 

 of the concentrated earlier occupation at Oldham, is urgently needed. 



In addition to the excavations accomplished, the Fort Randall In- 

 dian sites party undertook some additional reconnaissance. A number 

 of sites, mostly within a few miles of Platte Creek, were reexamined 

 and two new sites were found. Test trenches were excavated in a 

 number of the sites in order to determine whether intensive excava- 

 tion is needed. 



Gavins Point Reservoir site. — The Gavins Point Reservoir, to be 

 created by a dam across the Missouri River approximately 3 miles 

 above Yankton, S. Dak., will be confined to the channel and flood 

 plain of the river and will accordingly not destroy archeological re- 

 sources unless construction activities affect sites on higher terrain. 

 Three sites previously known and of considerable archeological im- 

 portance lie on the uplands bordering the reservoir, while the two 

 sites discovered during a 4-day reconnaissance in September 195 1 

 will not be flooded and are, furthermore, apparently of minor 

 importance. 



Oahe Reservoir site. — The Oahe Dam, the largest structure in the 

 Missouri Basin water-development program, will create a reservoir 

 more than 260 miles long. Water will be backed up by the dam near 

 Pierre, S. Dak., to a point near Bismarck, N. Dak. The nature of the 

 reservoir area and the salvage problem posed by the proposed inunda- 

 tion of this archeologically rich segment of the Missouri River Valley 

 have been fully described by Wedel (1953a) and need not be detailed 

 again here. Suffice it to say that our various sources of information — 

 our own surveys, the reports of other scientific institutions and of 

 interested individuals, and such records as systematic aerial photo- 

 graphic surveys — make it clear that literally hundreds of sites, many 

 of them exceedingly large and impressive, will be destroyed when 

 the waters rise behind the Oahe Dam. Some of these sites are appar- 

 ently attributable to the Arikara, Mandan, and Cheyenne, all known 

 or believed to have been residents in the area for varying lengths of 

 time, but many others were undoubtedly occupied by various uniden- 

 tified groups. Collections of artifacts resulting from the limited exca- 

 vations to date and from surface surveys suggest that several 

 traditions are represented in the area. 



Although a numljer of institutions have given the area to be affected 



