EVANSTON — Former city clerk Jim Davis of the Evanston Preservation Commission (EPC) and board member of the Wyoming Cultural Trust started the Evanston City Council work session off on Tuesday, Jan. 22, with an introduction and background information regarding the local China Town dig site. He explained how the EPC is worried about the possible destruction and loss of important artifacts at the China Town site if something isn’t done to protect the area.

In 1993, Davis heard about Western Wyoming Community College’s archeological program and contacted Dudley Gardner, a retired professor of archeology, to come to Evanston to explore the site (which lies on property owned by the City of Evanston and Union Pacific) and make a determination if it was worthy of protection and further study.  

Davis then introduced archeologist Gardner at the meeting, who has conducted 25 years of digs at the Evanston site. Gardner came to the work session to ask the council and mayor to allow the commission to make an application to the National Park Service to register the China Town site as a National Historic Landmark.

Gardner presented a visual program of artifacts that had been found at the China Town site and other examples of why this site is such an important and significant one for historic and research value. He said Evanston’s China Town site is the only archeological site within the city limits in any Wyoming municipality. Gardner and Davis both said there are 68 boxes of artifacts found at the site, and they’re currently being stored at the Fort Bridger museum. They would like to bring them home to Evanston. 

Gardner went on to explain that it is a two-year process to pursue the designation and it will be quite an honor if the site is selected to be a historic landmark. The designation will not interfere with property rights and will have no cost to the city. He said the Evanston China Town site has great significance for the city, state and the nation. The EPC would prepare the nomination and the National Park Service is in charge of granting the designation. 

According to the National Park Service flyer, “National Historic Landmarks (NHLs) are historic places that possess exceptional value in commemorating or illustrating the history of the United States. The National Park Service’s National Historic Landmarks Program oversees the designation of such sites. There are just over 2,500 National Historic Landmarks.” All NHLs are also listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Benefits of National Historic Landmark designation will be protection of the site from development and may make the property eligible for preservation grants and technical preservation assistance. Also, Davis said, tourism and educational opportunities will increase.  

An NHL designation does not interfere with ownership of the property or any changes the owner wishes to make as long as it does not affect federal funding, licensing or permits. The property owner remains in control of who uses or visits the site. Also, China Mary Road would remain open, but the council would need to look at right-of-way and access.

Davis asked the EPC members in attendance — Shelly Horne, Margaret Lester and Rowdy Dean — if they wanted to add anything. Lester and Dean both said how important the site is and that those 68 boxes of artifacts need to be brought home to a climate-controlled environment within a secured facility.  

“The site is currently not protected,” Dean said. “Trucks drive over it and excess snow is piled on top of it.” 

Davis said, “Our future vision is that an interpretive center could be built at the site and would provide not only storage capabilities but also would be an attractive tourist draw.”

Gardner said the National Park Service has already committed to considering the application and will work with the State Historic Preservation office in reviewing the eligibility of the site. 

Mayor Kent Williams asked Davis what the city needed to do to proceed with the application. Davis responded by asking the city to send a letter to Union Pacific authorities asking for permission to go forward with the application, as part of the site is on UP property. Davis offered to assist in the writing of the letter. The commission would also need a letter of permission from the city.  

Mayor Williams thanked Davis, Gardner and the Evanston Preservation Commission members for coming and moved on to the next several items on the session agenda, which will be reported in a future issue of the Uinta County Herald.