Indigenous Heritage Featured Places

Parks

The NPS preserves a variety of places commemorating America's multi-faceted history. The NPS preserves cultural resources, such as buildings, landscapes, archeological sites, and museum collections. They serve as tangible evidence of our collective past.

Find a Park to find more of all Americans' stories.

Russell Cave National Monument: This archaeological site contains one of the most complete records of prehistoric cultures in the Southeast.It provides clues to the daily lifeways of early North American inhabitants dating from 10,000 B.C. to 1650 A.D.

Alagnak Wild River: Archeological surveys have documented sites dating to 9,000 to 7,000 years.The Alagnak Village was excavated in 2004.Today, modern Yupik, Sugpiaq Alutiiq, and Denaina people from Levelock, Iguigig, Naknek, and other villages use the area for fishing, hunting, and gathering.

Trail of Tears National Historic Trail: From 1838 to 1839 Cherokee people were forcefully removed from their homelands in Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee to live in Indian Territory, now Oklahoma.

Canyon De Chelly National Monument: The monument encompasses approximately 84,000 acres of lands located entirely on the Navajo Nation with roughly 40 families residing within the park boundaries. The National Park Service and the Navajo Nation share resources and continue to work in partnership to manage this special place.

Other Places

The National Park Service cares for America's more than 400 national parks…and works in almost every one of her 3,141 counties. We are proud that tribes, local governments, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individual citizens ask for our help in revitalizing their communities, preserving local history, celebrating local heritage, and creating close to home opportunities for kids and families to get outside, be active, and have fun. Find a few selected important places outside the parks here and explore the links for more. Then explore what you can do to share your own stories and the places that matter to you.

Blue Ridge National Heritage Area: Visitors to this National Heritage Area can learn about Cherokee history and heritage at a variety of museums, interpretive centers, and historic sites.Cherokee heritage events are also held throughout the year.

Atchafalaya National Heritage Area: The Chitimacha tribe has the longest historical association with this area in Louisiana, but Native Americans have lived here dating back as far as 2,500 years ago.The Chitimacha tribe had more than 15 villages throughout the area.

Great Basin National Heritage Area: Paleo-Indian and Archaic Period sites have been found in this National Heritage Area.The Fremont culture emerged in this area.Today the area is home to the Goshute Indian Reservation, the Kanosh Indian Reservation, the Duckwater Shoshone Reservation, and the Ely Shoshone Tribe.

Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area: Parts of the Quechan Reservation are located in the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area.Yuma's location as the desert crossing of the Colorado River is a significant because of the early contact between Quechan and Euro-Americans in the sixteenth century.Today, the emphasis on restoration of the Colorado River also contributes to the preservation of the tribe's traditions.