Native American Sacred Sites Campaign:
Safeguarding an Irreplaceable Piece of American History

Contact:
Rebecca Robles, Native American Sacred Sites Campaign Chair, 949-369-0361

Protecting the Last Remaining Native American Cultural Sites
The Sierra Club is committed to protecting and preserving the remaining Native American sacred sites in Orange County by acquiring the land for conservation purposes. The preservation of these sites is an integral part of understanding our nation’s cultural history and respecting the Native American culture. The Native American Sacred Sites Campaign will increase public awareness of Native American sacred sites and gain financial and public support to help the campaign attain its goals. The campaign is working to save Native American sites located in Tomato Springs, Bolsa Chica Mesa, Panhe, Crystal Cove, Morro Canyon, Newport Bay, East Hicks Canyon, Lucas Canyon and Aliso Creek. These sites represent a variety of time periods and cultural traditions spanning more than 9,000 years.

The campaign is currently in the process of saving the ethnographic Late Period village of Putiidhem as a California Indian Cultural Heritage Center. Many archeologists agree that Putiidhem is a high- value archeological site. This rare and unique cultural property is threatened by the proposed construction of the private Junipero Serra High School.

History of the Campaign
This campaign was initiated by a Native American Sierra Club volunteer who expressed a strong aversion towards the destruction of the Putiidhem site. Putiidhem is located in today’s San Juan Capistrano, the historical location of the mother village for the Acjachemen people. Over 500 Acjachemen/Juaneño descendants trace their ancestry to this village and cemetery, as documented by Mission records. Archaeological test excavations have revealed the presence of burials representing a late period village, as well as a wide range of artifacts. The artifact inventory includes projectile points, scrapers, knives, cores, pestles, bowls, manos and metates, shell fishhooks, net weight sinkers, bone awls and more.

Campaign Partners and Supporters

Friends of Putiidhem The Juaneno Band of Mission Indians Acjachemen Nation The California Cultural Resources Preservation Alliance

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