Snake River Canyon Preservation Assessment

“Preserving the Past for the Future”

Welcome!

The Canyon County Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) and Canyon County Parks, Cultural & Natural Resources seek your help to learn about historical and archaeological resources in the Snake River Canyon. The HPC and Canyon County Parks have partnered with Historical Research Associates, Inc., to help conduct this survey with property owners, to do research on known cultural resources in the Snake River Canyon, and to make plans on how to help to document cultural resources on private property.

For thousands of years, the Snake River and surrounding lands have provided food, water, and transportation for the area’s inhabitants. As the canyon is so rich in natural resources, there is a high concentration of archaeological and historical sites and/or objects. Increasing residential and commercial development means our time to study such resources may be limited or at risk.

To help preserve the Snake River Canyon’s cultural heritage – the material and abstract parts of a society or culture that are passed down through generations – we want to know more about historical and archaeological sites or objects on private property.

The HPC understands and respects your rights as a private property owner. We know that you can do what you wish with your property, and with historical or archaeological materials on your land. We have no intention of disrupting your privacy, or your ownership rights – we only want to learn about what resources may exist and what that might teach us. In working with the HPC, you have the opportunity to understand more about the land where you live, those who came before you, and enhance local knowledge.

We hope we can work together to balance development with the preservation of the rich cultural history of the canyon. To do so, we ask that you complete the survey below by March 31, 2025. Survey results will inform us on the viability of future projects and how to work with private property owners in a collaborative, mutually beneficial way.

In working with the HPC, you have the opportunity to understand more about the land where you live, those who came before you, and enhance local knowledge.

The HPC and Canyon County Parks, Cultural & Natural Resources have professionals trained in archaeological and historical research. In addition to providing their expertise, they can refer you to other resources that can help to preserve, examine, and further research any historical or archaeological resources on your property.

In 2018, the Canyon County Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) completed a Historic Preservation Plan to guide preservation efforts in the county. As part of this process, a county-wide opinion poll indicated strong support of preservation, and underscored the desire to identify and protect historic resources. Respondents to the survey indicated that development pressure, teardowns, and sprawl are the most serious threats facing historic and prehistoric properties. As we know that the area along the Snake River is rich in archaeological and historical resources, ongoing development in the area contributes to these threats.

The HPC knows that it cannot stop ongoing development. But we hope through cooperation with private property owners that we can better understand the historical and archaeological resources that exist, document them, and preserve that information for the posterity of Canyon County.

In 2023, the HPC received a grant from Idaho’s State Historic Preservation Office. As a Certified Local Government (CLG), the Canyon County Historic Preservation Commission qualifies to receive these funds from the National Park Service, dispersed and managed by the State Historic Preservation Office. The $10,000 the HPC received has been used to hire Historical Research Associates, Inc., to help conduct this survey with property owners, to do research on known cultural resources in the Snake River Canyon, and to make plans on how to help to document cultural resources on private property.

2025

JANUARY – MARCH: Canyon County Cultural Resource survey open to residents in the survey area of the Snake River Canyon
TBD: Information sessions at Celebration Park to answer property owner questions.
APRIL: Survey results complied. Historical Research Associates Inc. prepares report.
MAY: Staff and Historical Research Associates evaluate next steps.

NOVEMBER: HPC applies for another Certified Local Government grant to conduct next phase of project.

Learning of a historic or archaeological site on private property does not give the Historic Preservation Commission or Canyon County, the authority to access or survey it without express permission.

Idaho State Law (Title 67, Chapter 41) states:
“The governor of this state is hereby authorized, in his discretion, upon the advice and recommendation of the Idaho State Historical Society, to designate, establish, and declare any historic or archaeological site, monument, or point of interest in this state as an Idaho state historic site provided however, that if the historic or archaeological site be so designated or selected is situate upon privately owned land, or upon land owned by other than the state of Idaho, the site shall not be so designated without the permission and consent of the owner thereof.” 

Below are some resources on archaeological sites and property owner rights. Please note that some of these sources are examples from other states, with laws that may differ from Idaho’s.

Cultural resources are places like archaeological sites, historic sites, historic buildings and structures, ferry sites, historic trails, cemeteries and burials.
Cultural resources can also be things like rock art, mining equipment and remnants and more.

Cultural heritage is the tangible and intangible parts of a society or culture that are passed down through generations.
For more information on this project, please contact Nichole Schwend at nichole.schwend@canyoncounty.id.gov AND/OR Chelsee Boehm at chelsee.boehm@canyoncounty.id.gov

Mailing

1115 Albany St.
Caldwell, ID 83605

Phone

208-454-6884