HomeMy WebLinkAbout2-23-2020 Public Comment - N. Mahoney - Mendenhall Deviation Bozeman CreekFebruary 22, 2020 City of Bozeman - City Commission Dear Mayor Mehl and City Commissioners, I am writing in support of the Modification/Certificate of Appropriateness Deviation application to Site Plan (19-128) to allow for encroachment of open space hardscaping and a 4-foot awning into the 35-foot watercourse setback from Bozeman Creek on the condition that it carries an associated provision to examine the historic archaeology of the site prior to construction. The creek has been a significant and integral aspect to the Bozeman community since the town was founded in the 1860s. The area under consideration, namely the section of creek front between Mendenhall and the alleyway, just west of Rouse, was a thriving community in Bozeman’s red-light district. Between the mid-1870s and the turn of the century, the area was occupied by Chinese immigrants operating laundries and restaurants, as well as marginalized women who managed (and sometimes owned) bordellos and drinking houses. Although both of these communities were discriminated against and relegated to the periphery of mainstream Bozeman society, two town fathers, Joseph Lindley and Nelson Story, also had real estate ventures in the district—attesting to its vibrant commercial activities. This historic district encapsulates an important period of growth and diversity in Bozeman’s past, and reflects similar demographic and socio-economic patterns found in other towns across the West. Although much of the history associated with the communities living along this portion of the creek has been reconstructed from documentary sources, we still know relatively little about the daily lives and struggles of its residents. Fortunately, the archaeological record associated with this portion of the creek stretches back over a century and appears to be relatively undisturbed. Archaeological work conducted in the wake of the natural gas explosion in 2009 revealed that material remains from Bozeman’s earliest decades were well-preserved underneath the surface deposits. The proposed deviation creates an exceptional opportunity for small-scale community-based archaeological project. Archaeologists from Montana State University, in partnership with the Extreme History Project, could conduct a geophysical survey and excavate a few 1x2 meter test units over the course of 2-3 weeks. The project would provide an opportunity to involve students and community members, and allow them to play an active role in historical preservation. The resulting information would also provide a rare opportunity to create on-site interpretive signage directly linked to material record of some of Bozeman’s forgotten residents, and would be on ongoing reminder that new development does not have to destroy our connections to the past. Sincerely, Nancy Mahoney, Archaeologist & Instructor Department of Sociology & Anthropology Montana State University