spear-throwing. The activity was part of a “Meet Your Environmental Team”
event on Earth Day 2022. Environmental managers presented hands-on educational demonstrations for multiple environmental programs including cultural resources.
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The Cultural Resources Management team at Fort Leonard Wood has critically important duties preserving archaeological assets, historic buildings, sites and more. Recently, you could even perhaps add “crime scene investigators” to their list of accomplishments.
The team played a key role in identifying vandals that defaced petroglyphs that date to A.D. 450-950 a significant heritage site to Fort Leonard Wood’s culturally affiliated federally recognized Tribes. Upon discovering the damage to a large sandstone boulder at the site – the vandals used a sharp tool to scratch initials and other marks into the rock -- the team took detailed photos to spur an investigation.
Conservation Law Enforcement Officers ultimately identified the vandals and they were punished under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Among the penalties, all were administratively discharged from the military.
“The penalties sent a clear message about the importance of these unique resources,” said Col. Anthony Pollio, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Leonard Wood commander. “And the work we do every day reflects our commitment to preserving and protecting these resources.”
The team took another step to protect and preserve the archaeological resources. The area was permanently closed to recreational use, the directional signs leading to the area were removed, and associated information was removed from Missouri tourism websites.
Another major success spearheaded by the CRM team, in collaboration with multi-agency partners, is the preservation of the World War II-era Black Officer’s Club at FLW. The building was determined to be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. In 2012, the building was vacant and had no designated future use. The initial preferred course of action was demolition, and the process to demolish the building was started.
The CRM team, working and consulting with the Missouri State Historic Preservation Office, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Missouri Preservation, local chapters of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and the Countee family, was able to convince the Army of the historic value of the property.
Next, the CRM Team found a suitable need and reuse for the building and the building was rehabilitated with no adverse effect to the property and remains in active use. The Countee Hall project in 2019 was selected as an ACHP Section 106 success story, and it was awarded a Preserve Missouri Honor Award from the Missouri Alliance for Historic Preservation.
In 2020, FLW was awarded the prestigious ACHP Chairman’s Award for Achievement in Historic Preservation for the project. In November 2021, FLW received the National Trust/ACHP Award for Federal Partnerships in Historic Preservation, which honors outstanding partnerships that advance the preservation of important historic resources and have an impact on the community.
“We are proud of the collaboration, cooperation and outcome of the Countee Hall project,” said Pollio. “This is a great example of how historic preservation projects can involve the right partners, engage the community and create a success story for all involved.”
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