1
00:00:08,609 --> 00:00:14,179
COWBOY: They shot him in the
back. Shot him in the back.
2
00:00:14,215 --> 00:00:17,750
CHELSEA: From a young
age I was obsessed
with the Wild West.
3
00:00:17,785 --> 00:00:20,486
COWBOY: I'm only gonna
tell you once more.
4
00:00:20,521 --> 00:00:23,622
CHELSEA: Stories of dusty
streets and the gunslingers,
5
00:00:23,657 --> 00:00:25,557
(gun shuts)
6
00:00:25,593 --> 00:00:26,658
cowboys and Indians,
7
00:00:29,263 --> 00:00:31,997
good and bad,
rags to riches.
8
00:00:32,033 --> 00:00:34,466
WOMAN: Oh! Oh! Oh, Jim!
9
00:00:34,502 --> 00:00:36,301
CHELSEA: But there are
lots of people that have
10
00:00:36,337 --> 00:00:39,872
a stake in this story
that are totally ignored.
11
00:00:39,907 --> 00:00:44,376
NARRATOR: What really
happened at the Battle
of the Little Bighorn?
12
00:00:44,412 --> 00:00:47,112
DR DOUG: We use a
crime scene technique.
13
00:00:47,148 --> 00:00:49,715
We use the physical
evidence, the
forensic science.
14
00:00:55,356 --> 00:00:59,191
ERNIE: I'm one of the
last survivors who has
a story about this,
15
00:00:59,226 --> 00:01:00,826
and I'm passing it on.
16
00:01:00,861 --> 00:01:04,263
NARRATOR: What can a boat,
buried in a Nebraskan field,
17
00:01:04,298 --> 00:01:08,067
reveal about the pioneers
who headed West?
18
00:01:08,102 --> 00:01:12,104
DR ANNALIES: This is
not a little three by
three test excavation.
19
00:01:12,139 --> 00:01:17,943
This is filled with the
stuff that made America.
20
00:01:17,978 --> 00:01:20,946
RON: We said it was like
Christmas every day.
21
00:01:20,981 --> 00:01:24,149
There wasn't one
of anything, there were
hundreds of everything.
22
00:01:24,985 --> 00:01:28,487
NARRATOR: And how do
the crumbling remain
of a ghost town
23
00:01:29,023 --> 00:01:33,992
uncover new truths about
life in the Wild West?
24
00:01:34,028 --> 00:01:36,261
CHELSEA: It's time to update
the outdated narratives
25
00:01:36,297 --> 00:01:38,664
and to challenge
the stereotypes.
26
00:01:38,699 --> 00:01:43,302
The real story is much
more interesting than what
Hollywood will tell you.
27
00:02:14,335 --> 00:02:23,442
RON: Sam Corbino was a
businessman in Omaha, and
Jesse Purcell was a pilot,
28
00:02:23,477 --> 00:02:26,145
but they were also
treasure hunters.
29
00:02:27,982 --> 00:02:30,682
They took a fluxgate
magnetometer
30
00:02:30,718 --> 00:02:34,953
and they started
looking in an area of
several square miles,
31
00:02:34,989 --> 00:02:38,590
on and surrounding DeSoto
National Wildlife Refuge.
32
00:02:42,930 --> 00:02:47,199
Pretty much like a radar,
it sends out a signal and if
it finds a metallic object,
33
00:02:47,234 --> 00:02:50,302
it sends a signal back
to the instrument.
34
00:02:52,339 --> 00:02:56,542
Just a few days later,
they found several of
these magnetic anomalies.
35
00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:04,416
They knew that they had
hit a stash of artefacts
of some kind.
36
00:03:04,451 --> 00:03:10,222
NARRATOR: Whatever it is,
it lies just half-a-mile
from the Missouri River.
37
00:03:16,063 --> 00:03:18,697
RON: This first picture is
obviously one of the drilling
38
00:03:18,732 --> 00:03:21,767
rigs where they put
down some test holes.
39
00:03:25,506 --> 00:03:29,775
Well, in one of them, up
came fragments of boots,
40
00:03:29,810 --> 00:03:33,111
fragments of broken glass,
the smell of alcohol.
41
00:03:35,983 --> 00:03:39,151
They had a lotta newspaper
people out there all the time.
42
00:03:39,787 --> 00:03:41,720
They obviously were
fascinated with the idea
43
00:03:41,755 --> 00:03:45,023
that they had found
something pertaining
to the frontier
44
00:03:45,059 --> 00:03:48,227
and wanted to
know what it was.
45
00:03:51,632 --> 00:03:55,801
They stripped the overburden
off as best they could.
46
00:03:55,836 --> 00:04:01,373
The problem was that being
below water table, the water
wanted to flood the hole.
47
00:04:06,747 --> 00:04:08,413
Water, water everywhere.
48
00:04:10,417 --> 00:04:15,854
I'm a dry land
archaeologist and dealing
with something like this
49
00:04:15,889 --> 00:04:18,490
is not something I
was familiar with.
50
00:04:23,130 --> 00:04:27,165
I was Curator of Collections
and Research at the Maxwell
Museum of Anthropology
51
00:04:27,201 --> 00:04:29,501
at the University
of New Mexico.
52
00:04:29,536 --> 00:04:36,708
When I was visited by
the guys overseeing the
project and they said,
53
00:04:36,744 --> 00:04:39,911
"How would you like a job?"
54
00:04:39,947 --> 00:04:44,583
Well, I was a teaching
fellow making $8,000 a year
and starving to death,
55
00:04:44,618 --> 00:04:51,189
and that sounded pretty
good, because they offered
me $11,500, with a promotion.
56
00:04:51,225 --> 00:04:55,360
I was talking to my
mother about my new
job and she said,
57
00:04:55,396 --> 00:04:57,296
"You don't know
anything about that."
58
00:04:57,331 --> 00:05:00,932
And I said, 'No, but I'm
going to learn fast.'
59
00:05:00,968 --> 00:05:05,937
NARRATOR: In April 1969,
Ron Switzer joins the
excavation team
60
00:05:05,973 --> 00:05:08,407
to preserve
whatever they find.
61
00:05:09,576 --> 00:05:12,527
RON: Well, that's one of
the 500-horse diesel pumps
62
00:05:12,579 --> 00:05:16,515
we were using to pump
water outta the ground.
63
00:05:29,530 --> 00:05:32,831
And this was when we finally
knew that we had a boat.
64
00:05:35,669 --> 00:05:40,555
NARRATOR: Digging further
they look for clues about the
type of vessel they found.
65
00:05:45,179 --> 00:05:49,715
RON: The super-structure
above the deck was gone,
of course,
66
00:05:49,750 --> 00:05:52,951
so all that was left
was the deck
67
00:05:52,986 --> 00:05:55,854
and some of the
heavy machinery,
68
00:05:55,889 --> 00:06:00,409
spokes that contained paddle
wheels, steam boilers.
69
00:06:03,831 --> 00:06:06,131
We pretty much knew that
we had a steamboat then.
70
00:06:10,270 --> 00:06:12,104
That's the bow of
the boat there.
71
00:06:12,139 --> 00:06:14,106
Yeah, that's the bow.
72
00:06:14,141 --> 00:06:19,911
Over time, the Missouri
changed its course and the
riverbed became a field.
73
00:06:21,014 --> 00:06:25,584
The boat was found 18ft
below water table
74
00:06:25,619 --> 00:06:28,420
in a cut-off meander
of the Missouri River.
75
00:06:28,455 --> 00:06:31,056
Essentially, it was
just entombed in mud.
76
00:06:33,394 --> 00:06:36,828
So, the problem was,
of course, trying to
identify it
77
00:06:36,864 --> 00:06:40,465
and we didn't know
where it was bound for.
78
00:06:46,573 --> 00:06:50,642
BILL: Between the
1850s and the 1930s,
79
00:06:50,677 --> 00:06:56,248
somewhere around 400
steamboats sank on
the Missouri River.
80
00:07:02,423 --> 00:07:07,626
There were quite a few
boats that actually sank
in this general area.
81
00:07:09,229 --> 00:07:11,863
It was pretty notorious
for sinking boats.
82
00:07:19,506 --> 00:07:22,040
So, they really
wouldn't know which
boat they had found
83
00:07:22,075 --> 00:07:24,543
until they had excavated
it and found proof.
84
00:07:31,852 --> 00:07:35,387
Once they finally saw
the decking, they had
to figure out a way
85
00:07:35,422 --> 00:07:37,389
to get the mud off of it.
86
00:07:38,992 --> 00:07:41,827
RON: If you've
never experienced
Missouri River mud,
87
00:07:41,862 --> 00:07:43,795
you don't know what mud is.
88
00:07:46,133 --> 00:07:50,435
BILL: They actually found
the stern bilge hatch,
89
00:07:50,471 --> 00:07:54,406
so they started pulling
artefacts out from there,
90
00:07:57,478 --> 00:08:04,716
and eventually they found
a soap crate, and on the
top of the crate
91
00:08:04,751 --> 00:08:09,955
had been hand-stenciled,
"Stores Bertrand."
92
00:08:11,859 --> 00:08:15,060
RON: And it was brought
into the lab and
everybody celebrated,
93
00:08:15,095 --> 00:08:18,497
and we knew then that
we had the Steamboat
Bertrand.
94
00:08:22,035 --> 00:08:25,036
BILL: The Bertrand
steams from St. Louis
95
00:08:25,072 --> 00:08:28,940
and was headed to
Fort Benton into the
Montana territory,
96
00:08:28,976 --> 00:08:33,111
and that was the very
last outpost at the end
of the Missouri River.
97
00:08:33,747 --> 00:08:40,585
We know from the newspaper
accounts that at three o'clock
on April 1st, 1865, it sank.
98
00:08:42,990 --> 00:08:46,191
The Civil War was
just winding down.
99
00:08:46,226 --> 00:08:50,362
Within a few weeks,
Abraham Lincoln would
be assassinated,
100
00:08:50,397 --> 00:08:54,499
so it was a very turbulent
period in American history,
101
00:08:54,535 --> 00:08:58,837
a time of massive territorial
expansion and human movement.
102
00:09:00,841 --> 00:09:09,080
RON: When the cargo began
to be recovered, we didn't
know how much there was,
103
00:09:09,116 --> 00:09:12,717
but there were tens of
thousands of artefacts.
104
00:09:13,820 --> 00:09:17,389
So, then we had a
new problem.
105
00:09:17,424 --> 00:09:19,357
There was so much of it.
106
00:09:19,393 --> 00:09:23,461
We had to keep them wet,
we had to get them into
a temperature-controlled
107
00:09:23,497 --> 00:09:27,999
environment if we
could, or we were going
to lose that cargo.
108
00:09:28,035 --> 00:09:29,901
There was just no
question about it.
109
00:09:38,645 --> 00:09:41,279
Well, this brings
back memories.
110
00:09:41,315 --> 00:09:45,517
That's me trying to decide
what to do with that cargo
111
00:09:45,552 --> 00:09:48,186
as it came off the
boat by the truckload.
112
00:09:50,390 --> 00:09:55,894
NARRATOR: Within nine
months, Ron Switzer's team
preserve 500,000 artefacts
113
00:09:55,929 --> 00:09:57,862
from the Steamboat
Bertrand.
114
00:09:59,333 --> 00:10:04,135
DR ANNALIES: Ron gets
so many extra bonus
points in my book,
115
00:10:04,171 --> 00:10:06,538
because these
steamboat wrecks,
116
00:10:06,573 --> 00:10:09,908
we've excavated so few
of them for a reason.
117
00:10:10,911 --> 00:10:14,646
This is not a little three
by three test excavation,
118
00:10:14,681 --> 00:10:20,051
this is back hoes, this
is, you know, water
pumps, this is epic.
119
00:10:20,087 --> 00:10:24,956
You just can't possibly
comprehend how much stuff
120
00:10:24,992 --> 00:10:29,427
was loaded on to these
steamboats, headed West.
121
00:10:31,798 --> 00:10:35,433
Prior to the
Transcontinental
Railroad, we really,
122
00:10:35,469 --> 00:10:38,803
really used these
interior waterways
123
00:10:38,839 --> 00:10:43,041
as a primary way to
move goods and people as
efficiently as possible,
124
00:10:44,611 --> 00:10:51,316
and so these steamboat
wrecks, they are filled with
the stuff that made America.
125
00:10:59,326 --> 00:11:03,995
There weren't a lotta folks
that had done much work on
the Bertrand after the initial
126
00:11:04,031 --> 00:11:08,900
excavation, and so every
time we grab an object now,
127
00:11:08,935 --> 00:11:12,303
we can learn stuff we've
never learned before.
128
00:11:15,075 --> 00:11:17,676
Because of Hollywood movies,
we tend to think of people
129
00:11:17,711 --> 00:11:23,348
on the frontier as
just a bunch of rough
and rowdy men.
130
00:11:23,383 --> 00:11:24,916
For me, as an archaeologist,
131
00:11:24,951 --> 00:11:28,887
if I can get to these
collections of artefacts
coming off this
132
00:11:28,922 --> 00:11:34,125
steamboat, can I use
those objects to figure
out, you know, why,
133
00:11:34,161 --> 00:11:38,430
why do you pick
up and go West?
134
00:11:45,639 --> 00:11:47,172
Hi, Bill!
BILL: Hi! How are
you doing?
135
00:11:47,207 --> 00:11:48,873
DR ANNALIES: Good!
How are you?
136
00:11:48,909 --> 00:11:54,179
I vividly remember the
first time I walked into
the Bertrand Museum.
137
00:11:54,214 --> 00:11:57,716
I was just blown
away. That's
exactly how I felt.
138
00:12:05,959 --> 00:12:15,016
The things that always
surprise me the most are the
real high-end luxury goods.
139
00:12:15,068 --> 00:12:19,204
When were you gonna
use that, you know,
in the American West?
140
00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:23,441
Imagine this covered in mud.
141
00:12:23,477 --> 00:12:27,278
When it was initially
found, they had no idea
what the heck is this thing?
142
00:12:27,314 --> 00:12:30,882
It was a mess. It turns
out it's a mink stole.
143
00:12:34,971 --> 00:12:36,988
A number of different
types of china
144
00:12:37,023 --> 00:12:40,391
or everyday stoneware that
was on board the Bertrand,
145
00:12:40,427 --> 00:12:45,363
lovely pieces that,
you know, any frontier
home would be really,
146
00:12:45,398 --> 00:12:50,201
really pleased to be able
to, if guests came over,
to put on their table.
147
00:12:50,237 --> 00:12:52,403
RON: The Bertrand had fancy
food stuffs; you know?
148
00:12:52,439 --> 00:12:55,740
Pickles and preserves
and wines and liquor.
149
00:12:55,776 --> 00:12:59,077
I mean, these were
high-class goods going
into the frontier.
150
00:13:03,216 --> 00:13:07,485
We had Piper
Heidsieck champagne.
151
00:13:07,521 --> 00:13:10,321
We uncorked a bottle
of it. It was still
good champagne.
152
00:13:10,357 --> 00:13:12,123
(laughs)
153
00:13:14,194 --> 00:13:20,098
BILL: Back in the 1860s,
they found gold in
Montana territory,
154
00:13:20,133 --> 00:13:23,968
and people were
heading West, trying
to look for gold
155
00:13:24,004 --> 00:13:27,138
and, if they
actually hit it,
156
00:13:27,174 --> 00:13:30,842
hit it rich,
they had a lot of
disposable income.
157
00:13:31,812 --> 00:13:35,780
People in the Wild West
were actually a little
more sophisticated
158
00:13:35,816 --> 00:13:38,683
than people think
of them as.
159
00:13:45,358 --> 00:13:47,759
RON: Once we got all
of the cargo out,
160
00:13:47,794 --> 00:13:51,362
we had to decide what to
do about the boat itself.
161
00:13:51,398 --> 00:13:55,300
Were they going to try
to preserve it or not?
162
00:13:55,335 --> 00:13:57,202
We couldn't do it.
163
00:13:57,237 --> 00:14:02,207
There was just no way
logistically, economically,
rationally to do that.
164
00:14:02,225 --> 00:14:06,110
So, they decided then
to let the Bertrand go
back to her grave.
165
00:14:08,949 --> 00:14:14,686
But before they pulled
the plug, we wanted to
figure out why she sank,
166
00:14:14,721 --> 00:14:21,159
so measured drawings
were made of literally
every inch of that boat,
167
00:14:21,194 --> 00:14:25,263
so we could build a
reconstructed version of
the Steamboat Bertrand.
168
00:14:41,047 --> 00:14:42,413
(laughs)
169
00:14:42,449 --> 00:14:44,382
That's a good job.
Beautiful!
170
00:14:49,189 --> 00:14:54,993
She was such a
shallow-draft boat, she sat
on the water like a duck.
171
00:14:56,997 --> 00:15:01,165
It makes you wonder if
there is a clue here as
to why she sank.
172
00:15:05,672 --> 00:15:09,774
BILL: It was a very risky
business taking a steamboat
up the Missouri River.
173
00:15:11,444 --> 00:15:16,180
It was a notoriously
difficult river to
navigate, it was shallow,
174
00:15:16,216 --> 00:15:20,351
it had lots of sandbars,
lots of sunken logs, a
lot of snags.
175
00:15:22,055 --> 00:15:24,255
RON: The first boats
to reach Fort Benton
176
00:15:24,291 --> 00:15:27,358
on the Upper Missouri
in the springtime were
177
00:15:27,394 --> 00:15:30,762
the ones who got the most
profit, so naturally
178
00:15:30,797 --> 00:15:35,133
you wanted to get as
much cargo up there as
fast as you could.
179
00:15:36,836 --> 00:15:42,874
It was common practice
in those days to
overload your boats.
180
00:15:48,915 --> 00:15:51,916
DR ANNALIES: We learned
from the Council Bluffs
newspaper account
181
00:15:51,952 --> 00:15:56,821
that another vessel that
was a partner with the
Bertrand, the Deer Lodge,
182
00:15:56,856 --> 00:16:00,925
actually had to leave
about 100 tons of freight
183
00:16:00,961 --> 00:16:05,063
at Sioux City, because
the water levels were
dropping really fast.
184
00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:12,403
So, what that tells us
is that literally a few days
prior when the Bertrand left,
185
00:16:12,439 --> 00:16:15,406
taking her full cargo
with her, she was
probably too heavy
186
00:16:15,442 --> 00:16:17,241
for the journey
she was making.
187
00:16:18,678 --> 00:16:21,279
She's sitting too low
in the water that's not
188
00:16:21,314 --> 00:16:25,116
deep enough for the snags to
flow underneath the vessel.
189
00:16:35,795 --> 00:16:41,833
BILL: The newspaper
account says it was heading
up river towards Montana,
190
00:16:41,868 --> 00:16:46,771
at 3 o'clock on April
1st, 1865, and struck
one of these snags
191
00:16:46,806 --> 00:16:50,208
and immediately started
taking on water.
192
00:16:52,512 --> 00:16:58,066
The pilot managed to
drive it to the western
side of the river,
193
00:16:58,118 --> 00:17:00,852
and everyone got off safely.
194
00:17:02,455 --> 00:17:04,122
DR ANNALIES: We know there
were passenger boxes
195
00:17:04,157 --> 00:17:08,126
that were left behind inside
the hull of the Bertrand,
196
00:17:08,161 --> 00:17:11,763
so can I use those passenger
items to figure out
197
00:17:11,798 --> 00:17:14,565
what everyday life was
like on the frontier?
198
00:17:17,871 --> 00:17:23,074
I was really, really
intrigued to find out who
the actual passengers were.
199
00:17:38,541 --> 00:17:40,608
NARRATOR: A hundred
years after sinking,
200
00:17:40,643 --> 00:17:43,144
passengers' possessions
recovered from the Steamboat
201
00:17:43,179 --> 00:17:48,015
Bertrand are a time
capsule of life on the
American frontier.
202
00:17:48,051 --> 00:17:52,120
DR ANNALIES: The most
intriguing box in the
Bertrand collection
203
00:17:52,155 --> 00:17:54,122
held a school slate.
204
00:17:55,258 --> 00:17:58,726
BILL: At the top of the
slate is carved the
name, "Fannie."
205
00:18:03,233 --> 00:18:05,600
DR ANNALIES: We have learned
from the newspaper accounts
206
00:18:05,635 --> 00:18:10,972
that Anna and Fannie
Campbell were two young
women who are travelling
207
00:18:11,007 --> 00:18:17,445
from boarding school into
the Montana territory
to meet their family.
208
00:18:18,715 --> 00:18:21,649
Fannie sorta had a larger
than life sorta persona,
209
00:18:21,684 --> 00:18:24,218
so she turned up frequently
in historical records.
210
00:18:26,656 --> 00:18:31,159
This is basically sorta
showing what everybody
in the County does,
211
00:18:31,194 --> 00:18:35,430
and under Fannie's entry,
it says that she's,
"Teaching school."
212
00:18:37,700 --> 00:18:42,303
It says, "Tomorrow, the
Tree School will be opened
under the direction
213
00:18:42,338 --> 00:18:45,706
and superintendence of
Miss. Fannie Campbell,
214
00:18:45,742 --> 00:18:52,346
a lady and a scholar in every
manner, calculated to take
charge of the youthful mind."
215
00:18:52,982 --> 00:18:57,652
This is an article about
when Fannie bought a ranch.
216
00:18:57,687 --> 00:19:02,256
She had horses and cattle,
talking about how snug her
income must be because
217
00:19:02,292 --> 00:19:07,195
she was such a
successful rancher.
You gotta love that!
218
00:19:07,230 --> 00:19:17,872
In her fifties she ranched
1,000 acres That's crazy!
This is a census from 1910.
219
00:19:17,907 --> 00:19:22,810
It lists Fannie Campbell
as the Head of Family.
220
00:19:22,846 --> 00:19:25,913
That is really, really
unusual at this time period.
221
00:19:25,949 --> 00:19:28,049
That's just fabulous!
222
00:19:30,854 --> 00:19:38,192
Fannie embodies that
sorta frontier spirit,
because she was fearless.
223
00:19:38,228 --> 00:19:43,097
I think I loved her from the
moment I, you know, saw her
slate with that bold child
224
00:19:43,132 --> 00:19:46,100
writing "Fannie" on it.
225
00:19:46,135 --> 00:19:51,939
So, oftentimes it's the
small, tiny items that are
really, really telling.
226
00:19:54,010 --> 00:19:57,211
These objects are a way
for us to sorta get a
better understanding
227
00:19:57,247 --> 00:20:01,549
of what everyday life was
like in the American West.
228
00:20:12,729 --> 00:20:15,630
NARRATOR: Settlers
continue to push westward.
229
00:20:15,665 --> 00:20:20,935
In 1874, gold is found in
the Great Sioux Reservation.
230
00:20:24,674 --> 00:20:28,409
DR MELISSA: The entire
westward push was in a
public policy
231
00:20:28,444 --> 00:20:30,711
called the Manifest
Destiny,
232
00:20:31,781 --> 00:20:37,685
but the indigenous
peoples were really not
thought of as part of that.
233
00:20:38,821 --> 00:20:45,126
Instead, the idea is putting
them on reservations,
giving them land.
234
00:20:46,529 --> 00:20:49,297
The Black Hills is
traditional Sioux land,
235
00:20:49,332 --> 00:20:55,503
was given to the Sioux as
long as the sky was blue
and the grass was green.
236
00:20:56,272 --> 00:21:01,375
It did not mention a
darn word about the
hills becoming gold.
237
00:21:10,987 --> 00:21:15,756
DR DOUG: By the 1870s,
and particularly with
gold being discovered
238
00:21:15,792 --> 00:21:20,394
in the Black Hills, and
the Black Hills being
opened up by Congress,
239
00:21:20,430 --> 00:21:22,997
the Army was given the
task of protecting
240
00:21:23,032 --> 00:21:26,534
the miners from the Indians,
so Custer was following
241
00:21:26,569 --> 00:21:30,771
his orders to find
the Indians that had
242
00:21:30,807 --> 00:21:33,975
been out and left
the reservation.
243
00:21:34,010 --> 00:21:40,448
NARRATOR: On June 25th,
1876, the 7th US Cavalry, led
by Lieutenant Colonel George
244
00:21:40,483 --> 00:21:44,819
Custer, confronts a large
Native American encampment.
245
00:21:44,854 --> 00:21:47,989
DR DOUG: To take
that traditional view
of what happened,
246
00:21:48,024 --> 00:21:51,859
it was Custer surprised
by the number of Indians
247
00:21:51,894 --> 00:21:55,196
and his command was
surrounded quickly,
248
00:21:55,231 --> 00:21:58,132
and destroyed by all
these mounted warriors.
249
00:21:59,135 --> 00:22:04,739
The archaeological record
tells us it was much
more complex than that.
250
00:22:11,581 --> 00:22:16,183
ERNIE: My name's Ernie
Lapointe, and I am Lakota.
251
00:22:17,954 --> 00:22:21,756
My relationship to this
battlefield is my
great-grandfather,
252
00:22:21,791 --> 00:22:22,523
Sitting Bull.
253
00:22:24,093 --> 00:22:27,495
My story about this battle
was told to me orally.
254
00:22:27,530 --> 00:22:30,197
My two grand-uncles
were there.
255
00:22:30,233 --> 00:22:34,268
And I'm one of the
last survivors who has
the story about this,
256
00:22:34,303 --> 00:22:35,870
and I'm passing it on.
257
00:22:38,307 --> 00:22:44,111
DR DOUG: There were Native
American accounts, but they
had been largely discounted.
258
00:22:44,147 --> 00:22:49,750
The traditional story of
this battle is largely based
on the military accounts.
259
00:22:52,889 --> 00:22:56,223
Custer and his command
all clustered together
on Last Stand Hill,
260
00:22:56,259 --> 00:23:01,295
with the warriors
just swarming and
swirling around him.
261
00:23:01,330 --> 00:23:02,630
ERNIE: They're going,
"Ah, ah, ah, ah!"
262
00:23:02,665 --> 00:23:04,899
and they're running round
in a circle, you know?
263
00:23:05,568 --> 00:23:08,969
They said, "We outnumber
him." They try to make
264
00:23:09,005 --> 00:23:12,973
Custer look like he's
some kind of a hero
who was massacred.
265
00:23:18,614 --> 00:23:22,083
DR DOUG: That's the
traditional view of what
happened at that battle.
266
00:23:26,089 --> 00:23:31,192
And it wasn't until 1983
and those remarkable
267
00:23:31,227 --> 00:23:34,929
discoveries being made
that it all changes.
268
00:23:43,623 --> 00:23:49,160
careless
smoker who passed by and
threw a cigarette butt out,
269
00:23:49,195 --> 00:23:51,395
started a wild land fire.
270
00:23:59,539 --> 00:24:06,343
And what that did was remove
all the vegetation, and it
gave us access to a field.
271
00:24:07,713 --> 00:24:12,316
This gave us the
opportunity to actually do
archaeology on the park.
272
00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:18,722
DICK: Have the archaeologists
solved the riddles
of Custer's Last Stand?
273
00:24:18,758 --> 00:24:22,193
DR DOUG: At that point,
certainly, those would be
the areas that often held.
274
00:24:22,228 --> 00:24:25,863
DR MELISSA: Who is that
guy with the beard?
275
00:24:25,898 --> 00:24:27,865
DR DOUG: Me!
(laughs)
276
00:24:27,900 --> 00:24:31,068
I was 36 when we did
the project.
277
00:24:31,103 --> 00:24:34,672
I was a supervisory
archaeologist with the
National Park Service
278
00:24:34,707 --> 00:24:36,907
at the time.
279
00:24:36,943 --> 00:24:42,813
Melissa and I worked
together. We knew each
other in Lincoln.
280
00:24:42,849 --> 00:24:48,085
DR MELISSA: We worked
together '84 and '85
as colleagues,
281
00:24:48,120 --> 00:24:53,357
and then we started
going out together,
282
00:24:53,392 --> 00:24:56,293
and, of course, in '87
we were married.
283
00:24:56,329 --> 00:25:00,364
So, yeah, I guess it
became more than a
collegial situation.
284
00:25:00,399 --> 00:25:03,100
(laughs)
285
00:25:05,571 --> 00:25:07,721
DR DOUG: There are marble
markers on the field today
286
00:25:07,773 --> 00:25:12,243
that allegedly mark where
men died in battle.
287
00:25:12,278 --> 00:25:14,745
DR MELISSA: Part of the
reason the Custer story
288
00:25:14,780 --> 00:25:19,116
became such a legend was
because tons of people
289
00:25:19,151 --> 00:25:24,288
have made battlefield
reconstructions based on the
location of those markers.
290
00:25:25,291 --> 00:25:30,027
But, of course, the markers
weren't put in till, like,
15 years after the battle,
291
00:25:30,062 --> 00:25:32,696
so it's not surprising
that those markers
292
00:25:32,732 --> 00:25:36,066
and the whole legend
have the potential
not to be accurate.
293
00:25:36,085 --> 00:25:37,735
DR DOUG: Split. Looks
like it's been.
294
00:25:37,753 --> 00:25:40,871
So, we wanted to find
the physical evidence
295
00:25:40,907 --> 00:25:43,974
so we could then use
that physical evidence
296
00:25:44,010 --> 00:25:48,178
to reconstruct what really
happened at that battle.
297
00:25:48,214 --> 00:25:51,949
What we did not know
was how much stuff
had been salvaged
298
00:25:51,984 --> 00:25:56,253
right after the battle by
the victorious warriors.
299
00:25:56,289 --> 00:26:00,124
We got our crews lined
up and we set a crew out.
300
00:26:00,159 --> 00:26:03,394
Yeah, we were worried
that maybe there
wasn't anything left.
301
00:26:05,531 --> 00:26:07,798
Now we've been looking
for those bodies.
302
00:26:09,268 --> 00:26:14,338
And in the first hour they
were walking around, they
found absolutely nothing.
303
00:26:15,308 --> 00:26:16,807
Literally, nothing.
304
00:26:20,580 --> 00:26:24,515
Right behind them
we had a group of
metal detectorists
305
00:26:24,550 --> 00:26:26,951
anxious to show us
what they could do.
306
00:26:28,354 --> 00:26:30,521
The use of metal detector's
a little controversial.
307
00:26:30,556 --> 00:26:35,392
They have largely been
passed off by archaeologists
as the tool of the Devil,
308
00:26:35,428 --> 00:26:38,796
because they were used
in looting, but we decided
309
00:26:38,831 --> 00:26:42,333
that we would try it in a
controlled environment there.
310
00:26:45,871 --> 00:26:47,805
DR MELISSA: So, you'd
start to hear them,
"Ding, ding, ding!
311
00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:49,773
Ding, ding, ding!
Ding, ding!"
312
00:26:49,809 --> 00:26:52,910
REPORTER: Detector machines
began to sing wildly. Finds
were made along the.
313
00:26:52,945 --> 00:26:57,014
DR DOUG: In the same time
period of that first hour,
314
00:26:57,049 --> 00:27:01,452
they had found over 100
battle-related artefacts.
315
00:27:15,234 --> 00:27:17,835
Bits and pieces
of saddle gear.
316
00:27:19,972 --> 00:27:22,473
DR MELISSA: Boot nails
that were in boots
317
00:27:22,508 --> 00:27:25,709
that were attached
to human leg bones.
318
00:27:29,749 --> 00:27:33,150
DR DOUG: We had the
back strap from a
Colt Army revolver.
319
00:27:35,187 --> 00:27:37,388
DR MELISSA: It was
just a lot of fun.
320
00:27:37,423 --> 00:27:40,858
I mean, it's like the
greatest Easter egg
hunt in the world.
321
00:27:43,462 --> 00:27:48,098
DR DOUG: But more
importantly was the
discovery of bullets
322
00:27:48,134 --> 00:27:53,070
and cartridge cases. There
were hundreds of them.
323
00:27:56,375 --> 00:28:00,878
People think of Little
Bighorn as basically from
the Hollywood perspective
324
00:28:00,913 --> 00:28:02,546
of a bow and arrow fight.
325
00:28:02,581 --> 00:28:06,784
We found, out of 5,000
artefacts, 12 arrowheads.
326
00:28:06,819 --> 00:28:10,337
That tells us they were
used, but they were not
the most important thing.
327
00:28:10,389 --> 00:28:12,222
This was a gun battle.
328
00:28:12,258 --> 00:28:14,058
-That's a hammer
DR MELISSA: Well, well!
329
00:28:14,093 --> 00:28:18,295
DR DOUG: I'll be damned!
That's a. 44 hammer.
330
00:28:18,330 --> 00:28:21,799
The bullets and
cartridge cases were
bagged and labelled,
331
00:28:21,834 --> 00:28:24,201
and we subjected them
to what's called
332
00:28:24,236 --> 00:28:28,305
"Firearms Identification."
That allows us to determine
333
00:28:28,340 --> 00:28:31,875
what type of weapon
they were fired in,
334
00:28:31,911 --> 00:28:34,144
whether it's Native
American or soldier.
335
00:28:36,382 --> 00:28:38,682
Around the soldier
locations we recovered
336
00:28:38,718 --> 00:28:42,486
mostly cartridge cases
from single shot
Springfield carbines,
337
00:28:44,457 --> 00:28:48,058
and if you do a few
tests, you find out
something interesting.
338
00:28:48,094 --> 00:28:51,695
MAN: This is the workhorse
of the Army in the
latter part of the 1800s,
339
00:28:51,731 --> 00:28:58,635
and this is the model
1873 Springfield, accurate
up to about 200 yards.
340
00:28:59,305 --> 00:29:02,306
DR DOUG: They fire a
high velocity bullet.
341
00:29:02,341 --> 00:29:04,308
(gun shot)
342
00:29:04,343 --> 00:29:08,112
But we found by experiment
that they can take nearly
ten seconds to reload,
343
00:29:08,147 --> 00:29:10,314
re-aim and fire again.
344
00:29:14,053 --> 00:29:18,922
Near the warrior sites we
recovered cartridge cases
from a variety of guns,
345
00:29:18,958 --> 00:29:22,793
specifically a large number
of Winchester rifles.
346
00:29:24,096 --> 00:29:27,097
MAN: This is a model
1873 Winchester.
347
00:29:27,133 --> 00:29:28,866
It's a lever action.
348
00:29:28,901 --> 00:29:32,136
DR DOUG: Now, those
can be pre-loaded with
up to 14 cartridges,
349
00:29:32,171 --> 00:29:35,773
and we found they can
shoot a round about
every two seconds.
350
00:29:35,808 --> 00:29:40,778
(multiply gunshots)
351
00:29:40,813 --> 00:29:44,014
Now, that's an entirely
different type of fire power.
352
00:29:44,049 --> 00:29:45,482
(multiply gunshots)
353
00:29:45,518 --> 00:29:46,984
DR MELISSA: Wow! That'd
be a little faster
354
00:29:47,019 --> 00:29:49,520
than those soldier weapons
would fire, wouldn't it?
355
00:29:49,555 --> 00:29:51,522
DR DOUG: Quite a bit.
356
00:29:51,557 --> 00:29:56,293
We began to appreciate
more and more the skill set
of the Native Americans.
357
00:29:56,328 --> 00:29:58,295
They knew how to
deal with a firearm.
358
00:29:58,330 --> 00:30:00,597
They were sophisticated in
their weapon systems;
359
00:30:00,633 --> 00:30:03,934
they were sophisticated
in the use of their
weapons systems.
360
00:30:03,969 --> 00:30:08,705
MAN: This is an expended.
45-70 cartridge here.
361
00:30:08,741 --> 00:30:10,707
Probably this is a
soldier's position.
362
00:30:10,743 --> 00:30:13,076
DR DOUG: It quickly
became obvious that those
cartridge cases
363
00:30:13,112 --> 00:30:15,746
and bullets were gonna
tell us more.
364
00:30:17,716 --> 00:30:22,252
There were microscopic striae
in those firing pin marks
365
00:30:22,288 --> 00:30:25,556
that would indicate that
this cartridge case
366
00:30:25,591 --> 00:30:30,160
and this cartridge case
found 30ft from it were
fired in the same gun.
367
00:30:30,196 --> 00:30:33,463
We can literally follow the
movement of some of those
368
00:30:33,499 --> 00:30:35,098
weapons around
the battlefield,
369
00:30:35,134 --> 00:30:38,068
and then we can make
presumptions about
who carried them.
370
00:30:41,073 --> 00:30:43,941
We have clusters
of soldiers.
371
00:30:43,976 --> 00:30:47,511
A couple of those three
guys and guns moved down,
372
00:30:47,546 --> 00:30:50,180
and then we don't see
any more movement.
373
00:30:51,717 --> 00:30:53,617
Soldiers were trained
to fight in place,
374
00:30:53,652 --> 00:30:58,255
to get in skirmish line
and do what they were
told, and they did.
375
00:30:59,058 --> 00:31:03,861
And the warriors, on the
other hand, were fighting in
much more looser war groups.
376
00:31:05,865 --> 00:31:08,599
They might stay in one
position and shoot,
377
00:31:08,634 --> 00:31:13,503
and then move to another
position and shoot.
378
00:31:13,539 --> 00:31:17,207
They used that terrain
to protect themselves.
379
00:31:20,346 --> 00:31:25,749
ERNIE: Each individual
Lakota man had his own style
380
00:31:25,784 --> 00:31:30,053
of understanding how to
defend the people, how
to defend the land.
381
00:31:33,659 --> 00:31:36,393
DR DOUG: Custer's men were
outgunned and outfought,
382
00:31:36,428 --> 00:31:38,662
based on the analysis
of the terrain
383
00:31:38,697 --> 00:31:40,998
and where those
cartridge cases and
bullets were found.
384
00:31:44,737 --> 00:31:46,503
The traditional view of
the end of the battle
385
00:31:46,538 --> 00:31:50,974
is that some element of
Custer's immediate
command is surrounded,
386
00:31:51,010 --> 00:31:53,777
and there's this grand
Last Stand.
387
00:31:53,812 --> 00:31:55,879
You know, you've got to
think about this as
388
00:31:55,915 --> 00:32:00,667
what's great on screen
is not the way these
battles played out.
389
00:32:12,715 --> 00:32:18,752
He had been shot in the
chest, and also a gunshot
wound to the left temple.
390
00:32:20,990 --> 00:32:23,290
ERNIE: There's so many
stories, you know,
that come out
391
00:32:23,325 --> 00:32:27,794
from all the historians,
saying, "Custer was the
last guy on the hill."
392
00:32:27,830 --> 00:32:31,398
Most of the stories
that was told to me
from my grand-uncles,
393
00:32:31,433 --> 00:32:35,969
they never speculated or
wondered, it was what
they seen.
394
00:32:38,641 --> 00:32:41,441
DR DOUG: Probably at
the end of the battle,
395
00:32:41,477 --> 00:32:44,811
some men tried to break away
from the Last Stand Hill
396
00:32:44,847 --> 00:32:47,914
and tried to go
into Deep Ravine.
397
00:32:49,351 --> 00:32:53,954
At Marker Number Two, at the
head of Deep Ravine itself,
398
00:32:53,989 --> 00:32:58,925
there were some soldier
cartridges, indicating that
a soldier had fallen there.
399
00:32:59,695 --> 00:33:05,299
But, more importantly, there
were at least six different
Native American firearms
400
00:33:05,334 --> 00:33:08,769
represented in the
bullets that impacted
in that position.
401
00:33:11,040 --> 00:33:16,209
Well, if you've got
six different warriors
firing at that one guy,
402
00:33:16,245 --> 00:33:19,446
it suggests you've got
the time to have a bunch
403
00:33:19,481 --> 00:33:23,250
of warriors clustered
together and fire at
somebody,
404
00:33:23,285 --> 00:33:29,289
which, to me, suggests
that this might be one
of the last guys
405
00:33:29,325 --> 00:33:31,591
on the field. Not Custer.
406
00:33:35,764 --> 00:33:38,498
Your story and our
archaeological record
407
00:33:38,534 --> 00:33:42,536
are all consistent with
how this thing plays out.
408
00:33:42,571 --> 00:33:47,374
ERNIE: Right. It was guerrilla
fighting skills that helped
'em defeat Custer.
409
00:33:50,646 --> 00:33:52,179
DR DOUG: People think
of Little Bighorn,
410
00:33:52,214 --> 00:33:54,114
and especially from the
Hollywood perspective,
411
00:33:54,149 --> 00:33:57,818
of good guys and bad guys,
and the good guys win
and all that sorta thing.
412
00:33:57,853 --> 00:34:02,756
But both the
historical record, the
archaeological record
413
00:34:02,791 --> 00:34:05,525
and the Native narrative,
the oral history,
414
00:34:05,561 --> 00:34:08,328
tell us it as much
more complex.
415
00:34:10,165 --> 00:34:16,470
We really do have a better
understanding of the past and
what happened at that battle.
416
00:34:24,413 --> 00:34:28,215
NARRATOR: Despite the
Native American victory
at the Little Bighorn,
417
00:34:28,250 --> 00:34:32,753
westward expansion continues,
in search of more gold.
418
00:34:32,788 --> 00:34:36,690
CHELSEA: When you start to
really dig into the real
story of the Wild West,
419
00:34:36,725 --> 00:34:40,694
you realise that there are
lots of people that have a
stake in this story
420
00:34:40,729 --> 00:34:42,329
that are totally ignored.
421
00:34:43,899 --> 00:34:46,900
And, as an archaeologist,
I feel a responsibility
422
00:34:46,935 --> 00:34:51,371
to those people to do
the best I can to
tell their story,
423
00:34:51,407 --> 00:34:53,273
to challenge
the stereotypes,
424
00:34:53,308 --> 00:34:56,843
to bring in all the
other people that were
part of the story,
425
00:34:56,879 --> 00:34:58,712
but are missing from
the history books.
426
00:35:05,654 --> 00:35:06,787
Bumpy!
427
00:35:08,023 --> 00:35:12,259
Coming out of the
valley, you drive around
these windy hills,
428
00:35:12,294 --> 00:35:14,728
and it just seems like it
goes forever and forever,
429
00:35:14,763 --> 00:35:16,763
and you can just see so
far in the distance.
430
00:35:24,039 --> 00:35:26,072
And all of a sudden you
come around the corner.
431
00:35:31,046 --> 00:35:32,345
And there's Bodie.
432
00:35:35,484 --> 00:35:37,050
Oh, my gosh, that's awesome!
433
00:35:41,657 --> 00:35:45,926
When you think about
gold fever, when you come
to a place like Bodie,
434
00:35:45,961 --> 00:35:48,361
you see the power
of that mineral.
435
00:35:51,800 --> 00:35:54,968
Nothing about living
here would have been
easy. Nothing!
436
00:35:56,538 --> 00:35:59,372
Getting here, getting
food in, getting shelter.
437
00:35:59,408 --> 00:36:02,609
Everything was an uphill
battle, but people did it
438
00:36:02,644 --> 00:36:06,346
because of the potential
to go out and get rich.
439
00:36:08,684 --> 00:36:11,918
From a young age I was
obsessed with the Wild West.
440
00:36:15,257 --> 00:36:19,893
When I was a kid, my dad
took me to Virginia City,
a silver mining town,
441
00:36:19,928 --> 00:36:22,796
and I thought that was so
much cooler than Disneyland.
442
00:36:22,831 --> 00:36:25,532
Hi!
DENISE: Hi!
Welcome to Bodie!
443
00:36:25,567 --> 00:36:27,367
CHELSEA: Greetings!
How are you?
444
00:36:27,402 --> 00:36:28,835
DENISE: I'm good. Good.
445
00:36:28,871 --> 00:36:32,038
Gold mining here in Bodie
really declined over time,
446
00:36:32,074 --> 00:36:34,207
and so people
started to move on.
447
00:36:36,411 --> 00:36:41,715
That's when Bodie became
more of a ghost mining
town in the 1920s.
448
00:36:44,086 --> 00:36:49,456
My job is to preserve
Bodie, freeze it in
time, essentially.
449
00:36:51,894 --> 00:36:54,394
Today, there's about
150 buildings total.
450
00:36:54,429 --> 00:36:58,131
Back in the day, at
the height of
Bodie, about 2,000.
451
00:36:58,166 --> 00:37:01,601
Here we are at the
crossroads, Green Street
and then Main Street.
452
00:37:01,637 --> 00:37:03,003
This would have been
the commercial court.
453
00:37:03,038 --> 00:37:04,170
CHELSEA: Yeah.
DENISE: Right.
454
00:37:04,206 --> 00:37:05,672
And it was about
one mile in length.
455
00:37:05,707 --> 00:37:08,074
CHELSEA: Uh-huh? Wow! Jeez!
DENISE: Mm-hm!
456
00:37:11,113 --> 00:37:15,815
CHELSEA: There are parts
that have been preserved, but
there's key neighborhoods,
457
00:37:15,851 --> 00:37:18,752
key parts of this story
that are no longer here.
458
00:37:18,787 --> 00:37:22,222
Do you have maps or any
sort of imagery from
this area to give
459
00:37:22,257 --> 00:37:24,724
us a sense of how
many buildings would
have been here?
460
00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:26,960
DENISE: What we've
been working on is
trying to recreate
461
00:37:26,995 --> 00:37:29,095
the town in that
boom years, right,
462
00:37:29,131 --> 00:37:35,735
in the 1880s, to basically
recreate in a 3D model form,
and bring it back to life.
463
00:37:35,771 --> 00:37:37,370
CHELSEA: We're lucky
here at Bodie,
464
00:37:37,406 --> 00:37:40,574
there's lots of evidence
to help fill in the gaps
in this story,
465
00:37:40,609 --> 00:37:42,409
but I've got this
image in my head,
466
00:37:42,444 --> 00:37:47,013
but I'm really excited to
see what Bodie looked
like in 3D color in 1880.
467
00:38:00,545 --> 00:38:04,414
PROF NICOLA: What is very
well-studied about Bodie
is the core, the downtown,
468
00:38:04,449 --> 00:38:06,249
and mostly the buildings,
469
00:38:06,285 --> 00:38:09,986
but it's been estimated
that more than 90 percent
of what's left of Bodie
470
00:38:10,022 --> 00:38:12,889
is things that you cannot
see across the landscape.
471
00:38:14,910 --> 00:38:17,994
So, there is so much
to still investigate.
472
00:38:23,435 --> 00:38:25,602
The lidar that we're
using now is called
473
00:38:25,637 --> 00:38:29,272
"simultaneous location and
mapping," or SLAM lidar,
474
00:38:29,308 --> 00:38:32,609
which is a handheld device
that I can carry around,
475
00:38:32,644 --> 00:38:36,012
and then use it to
scan the landscape
and the environment
476
00:38:36,048 --> 00:38:40,050
with great accuracy, to
help us understand the
archaeological signature,
477
00:38:40,085 --> 00:38:41,518
even without digging.
478
00:38:44,089 --> 00:38:49,025
Starting from the signature,
from the ruins, if
we collect the data in 3D,
479
00:38:49,061 --> 00:38:54,964
we can use it to reconstruct
the entire building, show we
can show how the past was,
480
00:38:55,000 --> 00:38:59,602
how building were before
being demolished, and bring
the past back to life.
481
00:39:03,041 --> 00:39:07,510
DENISE: I do photogrammetry
with this drone, basically
capturing images.
482
00:39:07,546 --> 00:39:09,612
And we're gonna
map, this morning,
483
00:39:09,648 --> 00:39:13,516
basically to complement the
data that Nicola's capturing
with the geo-SLAM.
484
00:39:16,688 --> 00:39:17,804
Woo!
485
00:39:25,330 --> 00:39:27,931
CHELSEA: I've seen early
photographs, I've seen maps,
486
00:39:27,966 --> 00:39:30,367
and one of the things
that I've learned is
487
00:39:30,402 --> 00:39:33,737
there's still so much
that we don't know.
488
00:39:48,186 --> 00:39:51,588
DENISE: It's amazing to see
it come together like this.
489
00:39:51,623 --> 00:39:53,990
CHELSEA: Wow! You
can really see the
size of Bodie.
490
00:39:54,025 --> 00:39:55,859
It looks so much bigger.
491
00:39:58,230 --> 00:40:03,266
DENISE: You would have
shops, mercantile,
barber shops, markets.
492
00:40:03,301 --> 00:40:06,603
I think at the height
there was about 60 saloons.
493
00:40:09,741 --> 00:40:16,045
CHELSEA: This really
shows you; I mean, this
was a city. How cool!
494
00:40:16,548 --> 00:40:19,349
DENISE: In this area,
there's not much detail.
495
00:40:19,384 --> 00:40:21,418
It would be interesting to
take a closer look there.
496
00:40:28,527 --> 00:40:32,028
There were some buildings
that historians have
documented,
497
00:40:32,063 --> 00:40:36,466
although there's some
interpretation of this part
o' town, it's very minimal.
498
00:40:36,501 --> 00:40:40,870
So, that's an area that
really is screaming for
more attention.
499
00:40:46,044 --> 00:40:47,844
PROF NICOLA: I think this
could be interesting.
500
00:40:47,879 --> 00:40:53,082
I mean, this is definitely
some type of ruin,
remains of a building.
501
00:40:56,087 --> 00:40:57,353
CHELSEA: Come, come, come!
502
00:40:57,389 --> 00:41:04,027
This is a medicine
bottle. That is so cool!
503
00:41:04,062 --> 00:41:06,596
DENISE: Mm-hm.
CHELSEA: These are distinctive
Chinese medicine bottles.
504
00:41:06,631 --> 00:41:13,269
So, they would contain
liquid or pelletised
pills. How awesome! (laughs)
505
00:41:13,839 --> 00:41:16,573
One of the first places
that the word of the
discovery of gold
506
00:41:16,608 --> 00:41:20,910
makes it is Hawaii and
China, because that's
where all the ships
507
00:41:20,946 --> 00:41:23,446
were going out of this
West coast of California.
508
00:41:23,482 --> 00:41:25,615
It was way easier to get
to places like that
509
00:41:25,650 --> 00:41:30,487
via boats than it was to get
across the United States.
510
00:41:30,522 --> 00:41:32,956
So, I can tell right
now we're in a
Chinese residence
511
00:41:32,991 --> 00:41:36,326
just by the suite of
artefacts. Just in
this one little spot.
512
00:41:36,361 --> 00:41:39,362
This is so exciting. This is
somebody's house. This is the
garbage of somebody's life.
513
00:41:42,234 --> 00:41:44,968
So, this is pretty cool.
DENISE: Yeah!
514
00:41:45,003 --> 00:41:48,771
CHELSEA: Even the Chinese,
they had a name for
California, "Gold Mountain,
515
00:41:48,807 --> 00:41:51,457
because of the potential
to go out and get rich.
516
00:41:53,278 --> 00:41:56,112
PROF NICOLA: Come see
right here, another ruin.
CHELSEA: Oh, yeah!
517
00:41:56,147 --> 00:41:58,515
PROF NICOLA: You can see
here all the foundation.
518
00:41:58,550 --> 00:42:00,483
CHELSEA: It looks like
dry-stacked masonry,
519
00:42:00,519 --> 00:42:03,920
and maybe there's some
Chinese techniques in some
of that architecture?
520
00:42:03,955 --> 00:42:07,423
PROF NICOLA: Yeah,
that's what we hope.
521
00:42:07,459 --> 00:42:10,360
CHELSEA: So, a Chinese
miner coming out to
look for a gold strike
522
00:42:10,395 --> 00:42:12,595
would come against
several obstacles.
523
00:42:12,631 --> 00:42:19,002
One of 'em was in
many areas they were not
allowed to stake a claim.
524
00:42:19,037 --> 00:42:22,372
Chinese immigrants
can't buy houses, or if
you have a store, fine,
525
00:42:22,407 --> 00:42:25,008
you have to pay
50 bucks a month, even
though nobody else does.
526
00:42:25,043 --> 00:42:27,243
It was just one thing
after another,
527
00:42:27,279 --> 00:42:31,147
targeting this population
to kind of prevent them
from putting down roots.
528
00:42:33,251 --> 00:42:35,552
However, they
figured workarounds.
529
00:42:35,587 --> 00:42:39,088
They would partner
with folks; they would
buy used claims.
530
00:42:39,124 --> 00:42:43,126
These folks persisted.
They were not cowered
in the corners.
531
00:42:43,161 --> 00:42:46,062
They were still building
lives; they were
still being successful.
532
00:42:48,466 --> 00:42:50,934
CHELSEA: Whoa!
There's Chinatown!
533
00:42:50,969 --> 00:42:53,369
(laughs)
534
00:42:54,940 --> 00:43:01,544
Many of the Chinese chose
to take up jobs working for
individuals or restaurants,
535
00:43:01,580 --> 00:43:04,714
doing laundry, doing
domestic tasks.
536
00:43:07,786 --> 00:43:10,753
CHELSEA: The Chinese
populations contributed
to the economy.
537
00:43:15,527 --> 00:43:20,830
The money-built roads,
built cities, that we
all still enjoy today.
538
00:43:25,203 --> 00:43:28,404
And that's lost if
you don't look for it.
539
00:43:30,108 --> 00:43:32,508
Places like Bodie, it's here.
540
00:43:32,544 --> 00:43:34,110
These stories are just
waiting to be told.
541
00:43:44,122 --> 00:43:49,392
A more inclusive history
is a more accurate way
to tell American history.
542
00:43:50,061 --> 00:43:52,161
DR ANNALIES: It's important
to correct the story
543
00:43:52,197 --> 00:43:56,566
because we can only move
forward by having
544
00:43:56,601 --> 00:43:59,569
a true understanding
of what has been.
545
00:44:00,438 --> 00:44:02,839
ERNIE: This running
around in a circle thing
546
00:44:02,874 --> 00:44:06,109
is just a figment
of imagination as
a movie maker.
547
00:44:06,127 --> 00:44:07,877
Hollywood doesn't
know anything about
548
00:44:07,912 --> 00:44:09,479
what I just told you.
549
00:44:10,882 --> 00:44:15,451
DR DOUG: When you get
into the true history and
realize how complex it is,
550
00:44:15,487 --> 00:44:18,788
it breaks the myth,
it blows the myth up.
551
00:44:24,362 --> 00:44:24,761
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