John Day Fossil Beds National Monument ⓘ

From Appendix I of a Survey of Historic and Prehistoric Resources in the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument by Wilbur A. Davis, May 1977.

The Northern Paiute were the main Shoshonean speaking culture in Oregon. The Bannock also spent some time in the area which is now Oregon. There is much confusion when studying these groups, especially the Northern Paiute, because many of the early explorers and anthropologists were not clear in their use of terms such as Shoshoni, Bannock, Snake, (Steward 1938:271) and, the less than complimentary term, "digger." Those usually called the Shoshoni were Bannock and other Shoshonean groups to the east. Snake probably refers to the Walpapi, a division of the Northern Paiute (Berreman 1927:47; Swanton 1952:475). Digger was probably a descriptive term applied to [American] Indians of the general area.

When looking at the Northern Paiute one encounters two separate systems of classing them into bands or villages. It is extremely difficult to talk of separate bands or villages since they moved very much and tended not to inhabit permanent sites on the scale the Plateau peoples did. One system used more recently are those names supposedly given groups by the Northern Paiute based on what resource they exploited at a certain time of the year. This system has difficulty because membership was fluid in these bands from season to season, and year to year. Not every area of the Northern Paiute territory was occupied either. Beatrice Blyth (1938:396, 403-404) has mapped these resource exploiting groups. South of the Tenino were the Juniper Deer Eaters (Wadikishitika), on the Upper John Day were the Hunibitika (Hunibui - a root), to the northeast of them were the Elk Eaters (Agaitika), south of them were the Tagu Root Eaters (Tagutika), south of the Hunibui Eaters were the Wada Root Eaters (Wadatika), around Lake Albert and Summer Lake were the Epos Eaters (Yapatika), at Warner Lake were the Groundhog Eaters (Gidutikad), and to the east and south of them were the Gwinidiba (meaning unknown). These names do not represent political units, since they split into smaller family and friendship groups when not exploiting their particular resource.

The Northern Paiute groups generally divided up into smaller kin and friendship units. These units consisted of two or three families not necessarily related. Kinship was bilateral since one married and chose residence usually on the basis of what was most feasible (Fowler 1966:59). This was because resources were scarcer in the Great Basin than elsewhere in Eastern Oregon. The people traveled about on foot in these small units most of the time and only came together into larger-groups for short periods where some resource was especially abundant (the band name). Perhaps these groups traveled only in their particular drainage system and there was no appreciable band movement over time, since there was no reason to cross barren wasteland (Davis 1966:151). The family or small group was the basic political unit, and nearly the only social or cultural unit.

Their houses were of brush and usually very temporary in design. They commonly ate seeds, roots, insects, and small animals, but they prized game animals and fish, eating them when they were able to obtain them.

The Sahaptian speaking people to the north were their traditional enemies; According to Berreman (1937) they raided these people, but it is more likely that the Plateau peoples raided them (Ray 1938).

The existence of a group of Shoshonean speakers on Willow Creek in the middle of a group of Sahaptians, the Umatilla, is questioned. Berreman (1937:61) states that the group in question, the Lohim, were Northern Paiute, while Steward (1938:407) says they were a band of Lemhi, from the Bannock, who arrived from Idaho after 1856. The second theory seems more plausible. The U.S. government never recognized them and some scholars doubt their existence.

The Bannock Indians are also a group of Shoshoneans of which part of them occupied Oregon for a time according to some anthropologists.

They hunted large game animals on a larger scale than the Northern Paiute and are generally considered with the [American] Indians of Idaho.

The speakers of the Chinookan linguistic stock stretched from the mouth of the Columbia River to around the region of Celilo Falls near The Dalles, Oregon. The Upper Chinook lived on most Chinook territory and were the only Chinook east of The Cascades. The Wasco on the Oregon side of the Columbia and the closely related Wishram on the Washington side were the easternmost of the Upper Chinook. They lived east to Celilo Falls and the Five Mile Rapids area.

More anthropological study has been done on the Wishram than the Wasco, and much information about the latter is inferred from the former (French 1961:339). Below the Wasco, from Hood River to The Cascades, was the Watlala (Barry 1927:53) or Hood River of which little is written.

The Wasco-Wishram were intermediate between the Plateau and Northwest Coast cultural areas. They maintained trading partnerships with both Northwest Coast groups and those of the Plateau. From the Klamath they obtained slaves that were raided from northern California, from the east they received skins and Plains traits, from the west seafood and shells, and they traded with peoples from the north. As middlemen in a vast trade network they were extremely important. Salmon was the staple item of trade and their main food source. Perhaps the most excellent spot on the Columbia River for these anadromous fish was at Celilo Falls in the midst of the Wasco-Wishram.

The Wasco-Wishram kept slaves, who were the lowest "caste" in a three or four caste system. One big notch above the slaves were the commoners, and above them were the rich and/or chiefly classes. This class system and the common practice of keeping slaves were typical of the Northwest Coast.

Chieftainship was hereditary, being passed from father to son if the son was worthy. The same system held for subchiefs as well as for heads of wealthy families. Duties of the chief were advisory and judicial. They often served as intermediaries in village disputes, as there appears to have been no council.

In Eastern Oregon, as for the whole Northwest, there was really no such thing as a tribe in the terms of political networks that stretched beyond the individual villages. Except under extreme conditions a chief was only a leader of a local group, and the culture, or aggregate of villages speaking the same dialect, was held together by cultural and social bonds rather than political bonds. The above was true of the Wasco-Wishram (French 1961:361) who lived in villages each with its own leaders. The winter village was near the river and permanent or semipermanent in nature, with the houses constructed of cedar planks (Curtis 1907:8:91; French 1961:358). In the summer they moved from camp to camp fishing, hunting, berrying, and digging roots. This temporary abandonment of winter villages has led many anthropologists astray, since to the early explorers it appeared that the [American] Indians of the Columbia River had fled from the area (Ray 1938:394).

The Thomas Condon Visitor Center is named for the first person to recognize the importance of the John Day Fossil Beds region.

Thomas Condon, a Congregational minister in Oregon and self-trained scientist, was the first person to identify this region as a world class paleontological site. Condon ministered at a church he had established in The Dalles and in the evenings, gave geology lectures there too. Condon first learned of the areas abundant fossils from soldiers in 1862 that had attended his lectures.

In 1865, Condon visited the basin for the first time with the First Oregon Cavalry and started excavating fossils. The specimens he sent to museums on the East Coast for verification ignited scientific interest, and he donated a selection of his specimens to the Smithsonian Institution . In recognition of his scientific work, Condon was appointed the first Oregon State Geologist in 1872. He would later become a professor of geology at the University of Oregon where he held that position until his death in 1907.

Thomas Condon believed that religion and modern science went hand in hand - that science was a means to understand the spectacular nature of God’s creation and that science and religion were not in conflict with one another. "The Hills from which these evidences were taken," he wrote in reference to the evolutionary record of the fossil beds, "were made by the same God who made the hills of Judea, and the evidences are as authoritative. The Church has nothing to fear from the uncovering of truth." He also said, "Evolution was simply Gods method of working, and therefore not atheistic or infidel."

Due to staffing shortage, the Cant Ranch Historic Home and Museum is closed in the fall, winter and spring. The outdoor areas, trails, and overlooks remain open at all times. During the summer, the building may be open on limited days. Visit the Operating Hours page for updates. The Cant Ranch is located in the Sheep Rock Unit of the park. View directions to the Cant Ranch and other places in the park.

In 1910, Scottish immigrants James and Elizabeth Cant purchased approximately 700 acres of land from the Officer family and established their own ranch.

By 1916, they and their four children were outgrowing the old house, and they ordered plans for a larger one through the mail. Built with lumber milled near the town of Mitchell, the building was completed in 1917.

Now the John Day Fossil Bed's head quarters, the Cants' house was structurally very similar to what you see today -- the major recent changes include the conversion of James' study at the southeast corner of the first floor into public restrooms. In the summers, the women and girls in the household slept on the upstairs porch, while the men and boys slept outside on the first-floor porch. The Cants frequently had guests staying with them; there were also a number of ranch hands who slept in the house or in the bunkhouse just to the southeast. Often the family had overnight guests after hosting social events.

Midnight suppers were popular at these affairs, and neighbors remember them often lasting until dawn. School was held in the third floor attic until the nearby Cant School was built in 1919, and the schoolteacher lived with the Cants as a family member. The Cant School continued to be the area's educational center until the road through Picture Gorge was completed in the mid-1920s, after which the children traveled to Dayville for school.

The Cants cultivated the grounds around the house for their immediate needs. In addition to the vegetable garden and fruit orchards, the lower pasture held a hog pen, while the chicken coop was closer to the house. Near the river the fields were cultivated with wheat, alfalfa, and other crops; they were irrigated with ditches that had been made when the Officers owned the land. One of the original structures built by the Officer family still stands today.

Most of the other existing buildings were constructed during the time that the Cant ranch was in operation. Over time, land was added to the Cant property until it encompassed nearly 6,000 acres. James Cant, Jr., and his wife Freda helped James and Elizabeth run the ranch until their deaths in the early 1970s.

Fossils may have been the reason paleontology became popular in the 19th century. Thomas Jefferson told Lewis and Clark to look for living giant sloths in the west. The term ‘paleontology’ was coined in the 1820s to describe the new branch of science dedicated to the study of ancient life. Charles Darwin published On the Origin of the Species in 1859, giving voice to a new idea that plants and animals evolve by way of natural selection in an ever-changing world. A growing awareness for the long age of the earth riveted minds from university halls to street corners. Scientists sought fossils to answer difficult questions about the nature of life. In 1862 gold was found near present-day Canyon City. While guarding wagons of gold destined for ships on the Columbia River, Union cavalry troops noticed fossils along the way. They collected what they could and took their fossils to Thomas Condon, a Congregationalist minister in The Dalles. Condon was well known to locals as an avid geologist. Condon recognized the importance of the fossils and joined the soldiers on their return to the fossil beds. It was here in a world of colorful eroded gullies and pinnacles that Condon found a stunning abundance of ancient life. He returned to the area frequently, eventually hiring men to help prospect for him. In what is now the Blue Basin area of the Sheep Rock Unit, he found so many fossils that he named part of the valley The Cove. He even sent some of the fossils he found to prominent east coast paleontologists. These paleontologists were tantalized by the potential for their own great finds just waiting for discovery. The word was out; there were fossils in Oregon!

Finished in the year 2000, a comprehensive book commissioned by the National Park Service explores the regional history that intersects with the monument. Read the online copy of Rocks and Hard Places by Stephen Dow Beckham with Florence K. LentzClick. Navigate by chapter to read more on the amazing human stories of the John Day country.

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument protects one of the longest and most continuous records of evolutionary change and biotic relationships in North America.

Here, scientists have unearthed fossils of land plants and animals dating back from 44 million to 5 million years old, as well as evidence of dramatic climatic changes.

The monument includes over 14,000 acres found in 3 widely separated units, the Sheep Rock Unit, Painted Hills Unit, and Clarno Unit. All 3 units are in the John Day River Basin. The John Day River is the longest undammed tributary into the Columbia River.

Deep ravines eroding fossil-bearing formations bisect the steep mountainous terrain. Elevations range from 2,000 to 4,500 feet within the John Day Fossil Beds. The monument lies within the Blue Mountain physiographic province in northeast Oregon. With average rainfall ranging from 9-16 inches, it is categorized as a semi-arid climate. Much of the precipitation for the area falls in the winter.

The river and streams are vital to the survival of many of the wildlife species inhabiting the monument. Over 50 species of birds, 40 species of mammals, 14 species of reptiles, 6 species of amphibians, and 10 species of fish inhabit the monument. Over 240 plants and flowers have adapted to the growing conditions found here.

Two Research Natural Areas are located in the Sheep Rock Unit and protect nearly pristine vegetative communities. Seventy-five acres of agricultural land is irrigated and maintained to preserve the cultural landscape of the Cant Ranch National Historic District.

Learn about the geologic features, rivers and streams, soils, and different units of the park.

World renowned for its collections of fossilized seeds, leaves, and wood, the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument also features a unique collection of modern flowers, cacti, and plants that have adapted to the volcanic outcrops and steep, rugged terrain found in the semi-arid environment.

Many visitors come to see wildflowers in bloom at the Painted Hills Unit. Chaenactis and bee plants put on a flowery show in May when weather conditions have been favorable. The colorful yellow flowers against the orange and red backdrop of the exposed hillsides are stunning. Hedgehog cacti add their pink flowers to the show in rocky outcrops and in drainages.

50 to 200 year old juniper trees are scattered around the hills with sagebrush, shadscale, and mountain mahogany comprising the bulk of the shrub community.

Bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, indian ricegrass, and needle and thread make up only a few of the many grasses that protect the soils from erosion and provide food for wildlife.

Two Research Natural Areas have been designated within the Sheep Rock Unit to protect nearly pristine plant communities once common to the region. The entire monument is fenced and some areas have not had livestock grazing for over 25 years.

The monument is making a strong effort to restore the natural process of fire. This allows the plant communities to continue to thrive under conditions similar to those that existed prior to the influx of European-Americans into the region 150 years ago.

The John Day River and two of its tributaries, Rock Creek and Bridge Creek, meander through the monument. Cottonwood, willows, and alder provide line these areas. Sedges, rushes, and reed canarygrass also line the river edge, providing important bank protection. The riparian zone may be a few feet wide to several yards wide, with many of the plants sending their roots down several feet to draw from the subsurface flows associated with the river during the hot summers.

The rugged landscape along with the perennial water sources in the 3 units of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument provide habitat for the large collection of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fish.

As the seasons change, so do the opportunities to see big game such as deer, elk, and antelope. Rodents, such as gophers, Belding's ground squirrels, and yellow belly marmots can be seen, as well as the hawks, coyotes, and badgers that prey on them.

Many species of birds are permanent residents of the monument while others including sandhill cranes can be seen migrating through each spring and fall. Swallows are seen feeding along the rocky outcroppings during the day, and bats can often be seen leaving their roosts in the same areas at dusk.

Northern pike minnow and bridgelip sucker are common sites in the John Day River flowing through the Sheep Rock Unit and on occasion in the spring, visitors will see steelhead or chinook salmon swimming upstream to their spawning grounds.

The small seeps and springs scattered throughout the monument provide habitat for various toads and frogs while several varieties of lizards and snakes are seen on the rocky hillsides above. Millions of years of animal and floral fossils show the slow change of this region from ocean bottom, to coastal rain forest, to the present day, semi-arid climate.

The animals found here today have adapted to the 9-16 inch annual precipitation and temperature variations from 110+ degrees in the summer to below zero in the winter. Ground squirrels go into a turpor in winter, while many birds and bats migrate south. Coyotes and beaver will grow thick, winter coats.

As spring arrives, neotropical birds and swallows will begin their nest building and bug catching activities, while mule deer does and their fawns feed in the hayfields.

Summer inspires the croaking of the frogs as they search for a mate and sends many a lizard to warm itself on the volcanic rocks. The bugling of elk and the southward flights of geese and sandhill cranes announce the coming of fall. Year after year the cycle is repeated within the protected boundaries of the monument.

The semi-desert ecosystem of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is split by the the John Day River and its tributaries. While the mountains receive plentiful moisture both as rain in the summer and snow in the winter, the monument has very few days were the 9-16 inches of precipitation puts a damper on outside activities.

Daily and even hourly temperature changes need to be planned for with proper clothing, amounts of water, and gear.

Due to its remoteness, impacts on air quality and soundscapes are rare. An occasional forest fire may put a haze in the air during the summer or a passing logging truck can generate a brief moment of noise.

Upstream uses of the John Day River by communities and ranching operations do have an impact on the river flow levels and water quality, especially in late summer. A concerted effort in the watershed continues to address and attempt to reduce these impacts.

Unfortunately the river corridor does act as a natural conduit for the various noxious weeds that have found their way into the river basin. Monument staff makes a concerted effort to locate, identify, and treat these weeds. This is important to prevent noxious weeds from gaining a foothold and replacing the native plant communities found here.