18 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 176 



from the downstream toe of the rising Fort Randall Dam, contained 

 the rather well-defined outlines of the structures that once graced 

 the perimeter of the parade groimd. There was no mystery as to the 

 whereabouts of the buildings, and the site would not be destroyed by 

 reservoir or outlet works. The only part of the fort in jeopardy was 

 a piece of bottomland that would be covered by a rock apron for 

 channel stabilization. In 1950 Mattes and Garth had found surface 

 debris here that clearly indicated some kind of occupancy, although 

 no features were clearly identified here on any available ground plans. 

 However, in 1952 only one structure was located in this area. This 

 proved to be a brickkiln, probably of the boom construction period 

 of the early 1870's. 



In 1953 no historical salvage work was accomplished, this being a 

 casualty of a further decreased budget. In 1954, however, archeolo- 

 gists returned to Like-a-Fishliook Village, the Fort Berthold area, 

 under rather dramatic circumstances. It was long recognized that 

 there was an exceptional concentration of archeological values here, 

 a grand intermixture of late Upper Plains Indian and frontier white 

 cultures. Several seasons of excavations had exposed numerous 

 earth-lodge sites, and a portion of Fort Berthold II ; but several un- 

 solved problems remained regarding the latter post. Furthermore, 

 no trace had yet been fomid of the primary site. Fort Berthold I. 



It was with dismay, therefore, that the salvaging agencies learned 

 in the early spring of 1954 that the level of waters impounded behind 

 Garrison Dam was steadily approacliing the 1,750-foot mark, where 

 sat doomed Fort Berthold. Two steps were taken immediately: to 

 concentrate all possible available funds and resources as early as pos- 

 sible in an effort to complete vital archeological research at the site, 

 and to request the Corps of Engineers to slow down the Garrison rise 

 long enough to acliieve this goal. Through excellent four-way coop- 

 eration, this operation met with complete success. 



After mature consideration of the delicate issues involved, repre- 

 sentatives of the Division Engineer, Missouri River Division, Corps 

 of Engineers, agreed with the National Park Service to a plan to 

 divert a larger volume of the spring rise to the Fort Randall Reser- 

 voir, and retain more water in Fort Peck Reservoir than normally 

 planned, in order to slow down the Garrison's rise by at least 10 

 days, or mitil July 1. Meanwhile the Smithsonian Institution and the 

 State Historical Society of North Dakota, cooperating with funds 

 supplied by contract through the National Park Service, pooled their 

 manpower, equipment, and camping facilities for a "last chance" 

 attack upon Fort Berthold. 



Archeologists G. Hubert Smith and Alan R. Woolworth, of these 

 respective institutions, made excellent headway, assisted by reserva- 



