Sixty years ago, the National Historic Preservation Act was signed into law, establishing a partnership and preservation ethic on historic properties between the federal government and state, tribal, and local governments. The U.S. Senate is now looking to change that framework in a permitting reform bill that was introduced on September 30 and is scheduled for a vote on November 9. Proponents of the bill say it’s designed to expedite projects, but stakeholders say it infringes on tribal and state rights and could lead to litigation and other roadblocks.
Sheila Brummer
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Iowa Public Radio
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The decades-old killing of 18-year-old Terri McCauley inspired her family to help others seeking justice for their loved ones. -
Members of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe are crossing the Midwest on a tour of ancestral sites. The 11-day journey brought them across Iowa and included a stop in Decorah, where they met with a researcher of the tribe’s native language. -
Archaeological and recreational projects examine the complicated history of the Spirit Lake ConflictThe Spirit Lake Conflict of 1857 is remembered at the Abbie Gardner Sharp Cabin state historic site in Arnolds Park. This history is being re-examined and reinvigorated for Iowans today. On this episode, we talk with historian Kevin Mason about the event which came amid rising tensions between Dakota tribe members and new settlers. State Archaeologist John Doershuk joins to share about his Lakeside Laboratory class that just finished its years-long excavation at the state historic site, and what was discovered about generations of use at the land. Mason and Doershuk have also been players in the Iowa Department of Natural Resources' efforts to make the Inkpaduta Canoe Trail a state waterway. This has been a life-altering project for John Wenck of the Iowa DNR, who has been working with Inkpaduta's descendants and local tribes to establish this state waterway, including Cody Seaboy, who shares his perspective.
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Two years, eight thousand miles, and according to a new book, a lot more heroes than just Lewis and Clark. On this episode, we talk with historian and author Craig Fehrman. He spent five years chasing down the real story behind the famous expedition, and found it wasn't just their story. His new book, 'This Vast Enterprise: A New History of Lewis & Clark,' rebuilds the history through 10 different voices, exploring new perspectives of American history. -
College students spent the past five summers excavating land around the Abbie Gardner Sharp Cabin in Arnolds Park, uncovering artifacts that help tell the story of one of Iowa's most significant historic sites. With the work complete, officials hope the state will preserve the cabin for future generations. -
Our nation is 250 — but 250 years ago, Iowa was a world apart. An ecologist takes us back to a yesteryear’s landscape of endless tallgrass prairie, bison, elk and whooping cranes, and explains why Iowa is now the most ecologically altered state in the nation. A historian discusses the Indigenous nations living here in 1776 and why the American Revolution mattered enormously to people who may not have even known it was happening. And the tribal historic preservation officer of the Meskwaki Nation joins the program to discuss on her people's presence in Iowa.
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There are many Indigenous people in this country working on food sovereignty. The best known member of this movement is Chef Sean Sherman, founder and CEO of The Sioux Chef, which specializes in pre-colonization cuisine. Host Charity Nebbe talks with Sherman about his latest co-authored book, 'Turtle Island: Foods and Traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America,' and he will be speaking at the inaugural Iowa Culinary Conference on June 22 in Coralville. Also, the 50th Loess Hills Prairie Seminar takes place May 29-31, hosted by Monona County Conservation. This free event started in 1977 as a modest, back to nature event for local educators, and has now expanded to include dozens of activities for conservationists, families and beyond.
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Federal immigration agent raids may have faded from the headlines, but not from many people’s minds. In northwest Iowa, community members are stepping up to help immigrants living with uncertainty. -
A map created by leaders of the Ioway Tribe in 1837 to defend claims of their homeland offers a powerful perspective on history, one that challenges how we understand early American mapping. We speak with author William Green and tribal historian Alan Kelley about what this map reveals. Plus, a look back at the 2020 Midwest Derecho and what scientists have learned in the years since.
