PR Number: 8100110507
Award Number:
Park/NPS Unit: Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
Title of Project: Prepare Little Bighorn Battlefield Collections for Storage and Public Access
Administered through the:
Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Cooperative Agreement Number H1200-09-0005
Desert Southwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Cooperative Agreement Number H1200-10-0001
Rocky Mountains Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Cooperative Agreement Number H1200-09-0004
CESU Partner:
University of Arizona
Project Contacts
Principal Investigator: Richard C. Lange, Research Specialist, Principal, Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona,
PO Box 210026, Tucson, AZ 85721-0026; telephone: (520) 621-6275; fax: (520) 626-6761; email:
langer@email.arizona.edu
Co-Investigator (if appropriate): None
Researcher (if appropriate): None
Partner Administrative Contact: Sherry Esham, Director, Sponsored Projects, University of Arizona, P.O. Box 3308,
Tucson, AZ 85722; telephone: (520) 626-6000; fax: (520) 626-4130; email: sponsor@email.arizona.edu
NPS Certified ATR: Tef Rodeffer, Program Manager, Museum Services Program, Western Archeological and
Conservation Center, 255 N Commerce Park Loop, Tucson, AZ 85745; telephone: (520) 791-6401; fax: (520) 791-6465;
email: tef_rodeffer@nps.gov
NPS Certified Alternate ATR: Lynn Mitchell, Archivist, Museum Services Program, Western Archeological and
Conservation Center, 255 N Commerce Park Loop, Tucson, AZ 85745; telephone: (520) 791-6404; fax: (520) 791-6465;
email: lynn_mitchell@nps.gov
NPS Technical Expert (if appropriate): Brenda McLain, Curator, Museum Services Program, Western Archeological
and Conservation Center, 255 N Commerce Park Loop, Tucson, AZ 85745; telephone: (520) 791-6405; fax: (520) 7916465; email: brenda_mclain@nps.gov
Brynn Bender, Conservator, Museum Services Program, Western Archeological and Conservation Center, 255 N
Commerce Park Loop, Tucson, AZ 85745; telephone: (520) 791-6430; fax: (520) 791-6465; email:
brynn_bender@nps.gov
Funding Information:
Amount Funded: $52,449
Project Dates:
Start Date: September 15, 2011
Any Other Product Milestone Dates you need to include:
End Date: March 31, 2014
PROJECT ABSTRACT:
This project will assist Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument with properly storing archival and
museum collections that have been relocated temporarily to the Western Archeological and Conservation
Center in Tucson, Arizona, in appropriate museum equipment in secure repositories; improving accession and
catalog record documentation, and preparing the collections for public access. Cooperators will assist with
unpacking, reorganizing, and rehousing the archival collections and improving storage and preservation of
small metal objects by preparing them for placement in dry boxes. Cooperators also will create or update
finding aids and indexes for archival collections, digitize the heavily used Walter Mason Camp Collection and
Custer’s Commissions, and migrate aged digital files of other archival collections to current standards in order
to facilitate public access. An estimated 600 objects and archives will be cataloged and an estimated 5,000
documents assessed for potential inclusion in the archives. This project will provide an ideal opportunity for
students to acquire diverse skills related to storing a variety of collections and developing a number of tools to
improve public access to objects and archival materials.