MVF Newsletter Fall 2012 FINAL

Mesa Verde Foundation
FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER, FALL 2012
This past spring, the Mesa Verde Foundation (MVF) Board with direction from the staff at Mesa Verde National Park
identified six special projects on which to focus their fundraising efforts. To date, two of the projects have significant
progress: stabilizing Cliff Palace and the reinstating the horse patrol.
Cliff Palace Selected By National Park Foundation as
a Legacy Project Stabilizing Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde was chosen
as one of only eleven projects for special funding. We are delighted to report
that Mesa Verde Foundation has been selected to be a part of the National
Park Foundation’s newly established National Park Legacy Projects
Program for 2013. It is a pilot program and we
are exceptionally fortunate that one of the first
projects selected was stabilizing the park’s
iconic Cliff Palace.
Taken in 1900, the photo at right shows Cliff Palace when it was rarely visited and still mostly
unknown. In recent years, scientists and park personnel have noticed that portions of the
park’s most iconic archeological site appear to be sliding from its alcove. In the Spring of
2011 (as you can see from the photos at left) a ranger noticed that one of the banquettes in
the wall of a kiva was leaning. The photo below shows the interim solution Visitors are being
rerouted so that structural engineers and archeologists can effectively determine mitigation
strategies. It is suspected that seeping water and visitor traffic are the primary causes. Mesa
Verde has had a long-standing problem of water entering the alcove through cracks on the
mesa top above Cliff Palace. In addition, the park has on average 15 tours and 740 visitors
per day. The team will assess previous stabilization efforts, as well as, suggest new
strategies for keeping the southern portion of Cliff Palace from sliding out of its alcove.
The estimated cost for this two-year stabilization project is $150,000. Mesa Verde Foundation
will jointly raise those funds in partnership with the National Park Foundation by May 1, 2013.
The National Park Legacy Projects program advances the spirits of philanthropy, affection,
and action for America's national parks. We are honored to be a part of this endeavor to
protect this irreplaceable part of our national heritage, the crown jewel of the park.
Horse Patrol Project Receives Grant
In addition to the exciting
Cliff Palace project mentioned above, Mesa Verde Foundation just received word
that we have received a grant from the Roundup Riders of the Rockies Heritage
Trails Foundation. The Roundup Riders is an organization
strongly dedicated to the preservation and utilization of our
public lands and trails for the benefit of all citizens, most
specifically providing support for trail construction and
maintenance.
Rehabilitating our existing barn and watering facilities was
the logical first step in having a national park horse patrol
at Mesa Verde. MVF is most appreciative of the support of the Roundup Riders
(3R) organization. This diverse group includes ranchers, farmers, businessmen, physicians,
law enforcement officers, retired members of the United States Forest Service, attorneys,
university professors, veterinarians, retired military, and other professionals. All members share
a common appreciation and respect of the American West, conservation, environment, and love
of horses (and the occasional mule).
Getting the barn ready for horses gets us one step closer to re-establishing the park’s historic and unique horse patrol
program -- further opening up access to the splendor of the park.
Mesa Verde Foundation
BOARD MEETING / FELLOWS ACTIVITIES
SEPTEMBER 2012
The MVF Board met in Cortez, CO on Friday September 28th. Topics the Board
discussed included the Cliff Palace stabilization efforts, the move from the old
visitor’s center to the new visitor’s center, the special VRC preview for “members
only” this Fall, the upcoming 2013 fundraising efforts, status of grant proposals for
the new park film, how to manage the proposed intern program, and how to recruit
additional foundation “Fellows.” The board also got an “insider” tour of the newly
completed visitor’s center.
In addition, newly elected board members were introduced: Jim Dulin, Chessa
Gill, and Peter Pino. Jim Dulin is from Edwards, Colorado. Jim’s family ranches
near Bayfield, east of Durango. Chessa Gill is from Durango, and is very active
with the Rotary Clubs and is on the board of several other organizations there.
Peter Pino, a former Governor of the Zia Pueblo in New Mexico, is returning to the
board after a one-year leave. The board also elected the following officers for the
coming year: Chair – Louise Hurlbut; Vice-chair – Judy Grant; Secretary – Gina
Guy; Treasurer – Seth Bradley.
Friday evening there was a reception at Anasazi Heritage Center (AHC) in
Dolores, CO, for board members, Fellows, and guests. The AHC, operated by the
Bureau of Land Management since 1988,
houses exhibits and artifacts salvaged when
the McPhee Reservoir was built in the 1980s.
The AHC has wonderful exhibits about the
Ancestral Puebloan culture in the Four
Corners area and on the Colorado Plateau.
MVF guests were treated to a behind the
scenes tour of the facility’s artifact collection
area. The facility houses some 3.5 million
artifacts.
On Saturday the Fellows and guests were
treated to a special hike and tour to Lancaster House ruins
on Wetherill Mesa. This small cliff dwelling is very well preserved, and while it is
near the main road, very few know of its existence, because it is virtually hidden
from view by a stand of scrub oak. The park’s chief archeologist, Scott Travis, led
the tour. The MVF folks had the opportunity to climb over the site’s midden,
thereby seeing many ceramic pieces and other small artifacts. To get to a
secondary part of the site, the group had the experience of using ancient hand
and toe holds to get up a small ledge.
Saturday afternoon, some folks hiked up to Point Lookout and others viewed a
new film produced by the Keresan Pueblos. Peter Pino provided a description of
the new Pueblo History video –Canes of Authority –that recently has been
developed for educational purposes. It discusses the significance of canes
coming to the Pueblo people from three different governments –Spain, Mexico
and USA. It focuses on the pueblos from the Keresan linguistic group. The hourlong video premiered in Santa Fe and later was shown at the National Museum of
the American Indian (NMAI) in Washington DC. It was produced by Silver Bullet in
Santa Fe, NM.
Saturday evening, the group enjoyed a lovely dinner at the Durango home of
General and Miss Jane Fogleman. It was a perfect evening with beautiful views,
wonderful food, and a great opportunity for guests and board members to visit and
share their enthusiasm for Mesa Verde.
Mesa Verde Plein Air Event
En plein air (French pronunciation: [ɑ̃ plɛn‿ɛʁ]) is a French expression
which means "in the open air", and is particularly used to describe the act of
painting outdoors
Zuni Moon by Robert Peters
Mesa Verde Foundation is planning two new exciting events for 2013 -A Plein Air/Paint Out Event at the park in the spring and
An Exhibit/Gala in the Fall.
pottery still life by Rock Newcomb
The Foundation is inviting 20 – 30 nationally and locally known artists to
participate. Scheduled to take place May 20-22, 2013, artists will descend on
Mesa Verde to sketch/paint for several days. On the third day, artists will
create “quick draw” paintings that will be auctioned off at a brunch that day.
The public is most welcome to attend.
Artists then will complete up to three works at their studios. The pieces will be
exhibited later in the year. A gala will be held (date/location to be determined)
where these plein air pieces will be sold.
The Mesa Verde Foundation is looking to create this as a yearly signature
event.
Nobody’s Home by Jim Wilcox
Visitor Center Update
The new Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center (VRC) is
complete and is now in it’s “test systems phase.” Though
building the center has proven to be an arduous process –
entailing hundreds of construction workers, tons of steel and
cement, a decades-long wait and more than $16 million –
Park Superintendent Spencer says the challenging part was
moving 3 million artifacts into the new archive space.
“Everything was planned ahead of time, down to what
drawer – what shelf – a single artifact was going to be
moved to,” he said. Spencer said that moving the collection
cost $90,000 – a bargain rate of 3 cents per precious
artifact.
To this end, museum management prepared detailed
packing recommendations, according to object type. For
example, it took 2,700 hours to pack the ceramics, 1,271
hours for plant materials, and 892 hours to pack worked
fibers and artifacts such as woven bags and sandals.
Tara Travis, the museum curator, said “Our objective was
to pack objects so well that the artifacts could survive being
dropped.”
The new center has state-of-the-art environmental and
security systems to preserve the artifacts. Travis is still
unpacking and says that “the facility is a huge gift to the
preservation of Ancient Puebloan culture.”
Spencer said the center relied heavily on staff, volunteers
and students from Fort Lewis College to help with the
packing.
Article excerpts and photos courtesy of
The Durango Herald
Mesa Verde Foundation
Board of Directors
Executive
Director’s
Report
I am pleased to report that things are really moving
forward at your Mesa Verde Foundation. The new visitor center
is very nearly complete and will open to the public in December 2012.
The park and the foundation are planning a dedication and grand opening for May
2013. This remarkable project improves the visitor experience at Mesa Verde in so
many positive ways. The foundation is proud of the pivotal role it played in making it a
reality, from purchasing the land, to funding the planning and design, to ensuring
adequate funding for its construction. But there is so much more we are doing, from
partnering with the National Park Foundation on an important stabilization project for
Cliff Palace, to helping with the re-establishment of the park’s historic horse patrol
program. With your support and commitment, we continue to make important strides
in protecting and preserving this national treasure that proudly calls Colorado its home.
Yours,
Ben Duke, Executive Director MVF
You can contact Ben Duke at 303-321-3120 or ben@mesaverdefoundation.org
Upcoming Events...
Luminaria Open House Colorado Gives Day
On Thursday,
December 6,
2012,
the staff of Mesa
Verde National
Park will host
the 2012
Annual Holiday
Open House
from 4:00-9:00 pm
in the Chapin Mesa headquarters
area.
Refreshments will be provided.
No park entrance fees after 4:00 p.m.
on Thursday, December 6, 2012.
Mark your calendar and plan to join
us in the park festivities!
Choose the Mesa Verde Foundation as
your charity of choice on
Colorado Gives Day!
The Mesa Verde Foundation will be
participating in the
Community First Foundation’s Colorado
Gives Day on
December 4, 2012
Colorado Gives Day is a program where
individuals are encouraged to give to
Colorado Charities of their choice online
during a 24-hour period.
Colorado Gives Day –
24-hours of giving where you live.
Mesa Verde Foundation
823 S. Perry Street, Suite 120
Castle Rock, CO 80104
www.givingfirst.org
Louise Hurlbut, Chair
Judith W. Grant, Vice-Chair
Gina Guy, Secretary
Seth Bradley, Treasurer
Marilyn Alkire, Past Chair
James Dulin
Robert Dunn, MD
Troy A. Eid
Justin Estoque
Miss Jane Fogleman
Chessa Gill
Frederick T. Lau II, DDS
Dennis Lyon
David Nagler
Henry H. Philips III
Peter Pino
C.L. Mike Schmidt
Sloan E. E. Schwindt
Deborah Sherman
Barbara Sutteer
Amy Von Thun
Mary Beth West
Grant Wilkins
R
Ben Duke, Executive Director
Contact 303.321.3120