Indian Artifacts Return To GTNP

A number of artifacts from the David T. Vernon Indian Arts collection that had for years been displayed at the Colter Bay Visitor Center have returned to Grand Teton National Park and this summer will be displayed for the public to see.  Park Spokesperson Jackie Skaggs says while a number of the pieces from the collection wereput back on display at Colter Bay last year, the additional pieces will be placed in specially constructed display cases at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose.  She says three “fairly significant” cases of items are being brought back which are artifacts that have not been displayed here before.  They had been in Tucson, Arizona for restoration and preservation, and their display here provides the park with the opportunity to expand the opportunities for people to see the priceless Indian art collection that was donated to the park by John D. Rockefeller.  Skaggs says in addition to simply displaying the pieces as they had been in the past, the new display will offer interpretative information to help people understand what they are looking at.  Skaggs says many of the pieces were not necessarily identified, and there wasn’t much educational or interpretive information provided in the earlier displays.  However, she says it is believed that interpretations part of the value of the collection so that people understand where the pieces came from, what tribes they belonged to and what the pieces were used for. Skaggs says the new display is anticipated to be in place by the beginning of June in time for the summer tourist season.  Meanwhile, discussions continue regarding a future permanent home for the entire collection in the park.