>>>
>>> EARLIER THIS YEAR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MADE THE
SURPRISE DEVELOPMENT THAT THE
SAND PORT NEIGHBORHOOD WILL BE
CLOSED AND MOVED TO CALIFORNIA.
THE STATE MAY BE POISED TO SUE.
WE WELCOME HISTORIAN FELIX.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT WHERE
THE ARCHIVES ARE?
>> 56,000 CUBIC FEET GOING BACK
TO THE 40s, THE GOVERNMENT THAT
DESCRIBES ALL THE HISTORY, NOT
ONLY WASHINGTON BUT OREGON AND
IDAHO AND ALASKA.
MAPS SIGNED BY ISAAC STEVENS
AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE DISC
DAMS.
DAMS.
DAMS. ALL
DAMS. ALL THE EARLIEST RECORDS ARE
THERE AND WE USE THE RECORDS
ALL THE TIME AND THE IDEA OF
MOVING IT TO CALIFORNIA WITH NO
PUBLIC NOTICE HAS RUBBED A LOT
OF PEOPLE THE WRONG WAY.
>> NO ONE HAD A CHANCE TO
COMMENT.
COMMENT.
COMMENT. YOU SEE THESE RECORDS ARE USED
ALL THE TIME.
WHAT WOULD WE USE THEM FOR.
>> ALLOTMENT AS FAR AS SIGNING
TREATIES THOSE THINGS ARE
DESCRIBED IN DETAIL.
THIS IS THE ORIGINAL RECORD.
THEY FEEL THEIR AND STRESSORS
IN THESE DOCUMENTS.
HUGE MAPS THAT THERE ARE 30 OR
40 FEET LONG SHOWING THE ALASKAN
HIGHWAY.
HIGHWAY.
HIGHWAY. AND SO FEW HAS BEEN DIGITIZED.
YOU HEAR ABOUT EVERYTHING BEING
ONLINE.
ONLINE.
ONLINE. LESS THAN 1% HAVE BEEN
DIGITIZED.
DIGITIZED. AND THAT'S WHEN SOMEONE SAID IT
COULD TAKE 200 YEARS AND LOCAL
HISTORY AND REGIONAL HISTORY IS
ONLY USEFUL IF YOU HAVE ACCESS
TO IT.
TO IT.
TO IT. YOU TAKE THESE THINGS AND PACK
THEM UP AND IT TAKES AWAY THINGS
THAT BELONG TO US AND PEOPLE
USE TO UNDERSTAND GENEALOGY.
IT IS THE DNA OF OUR CULTURE.
THE STATE AND COUNTY HAVE
ARCHIVES BUT THE NORTHWEST
WOULD NOT BE PART OF THE U.S.
IF NOT FOR THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT BACK IN THE 1840s
AND WE TOOK THE LAND FROM THE
NATIVES OF COURSE AND ALL THAT
IS ALL THERE OTHERWISE WE COULD
BE PART OF GREAT BRITAIN.
>> IF IT MOVES TO CALIFORNIA
WOULD WE STILL HAVE ACCESS?
>> THERE IS A SIMILAR FACILITY
IN RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA.
PEOPLE DRIVE BY IT ALL THE TIME
AND IT'S BEEN THERE SINCE THE
EARLY 1960s.
EARLY 1960s. IT'S HUGE AND YOU DON'T KNOW
HOW MUCH IT IS THREATENING.
THEY DID NOT FOLLOW THE LAW AND
THEY SENT A LETTER PART MARCH
13TH I'M GOING TO SUE YOU TO
STOP THIS DECISION GOING
FORWARD.
FORWARD.
FORWARD. >> WHY WAS IT DONE THIS WAY.
>> THE ATTENTION WAS TO
IDENTIFY FEDERAL PROPERTY THAT
THEY COULD SELLOFF.
THE OTHER 11 FIT THE CRITERIA
INCLUDING A 138 PARCEL DOWN AND
AUBURN.
AUBURN.
AUBURN. THIS ONE I THINK THEY MISSED
THE BOAT.
THE BOAT.
THE BOAT. THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO WORK WITH
EACH COMMUNITY AND NOTIFY THE
PUBLIC AND TO SEE IF IT WAS
TRULY UNDERUTILIZED.
TRULY UNDERUTILIZED. THE FEDERAL PUBLIC UNITS REFORM
BOARD.
BOARD.
BOARD. I
BOARD. I THINK WAS NUMBER 12 IN MISSED
THE BOAT AND YOU DON'T SEE HOW
IMPORTANT THIS IS AND HOW MUCH
PEOPLE CARE AND USE THIS
FACILITY.
FACILITY.
FACILITY. >> IN THIS CASE HAVING YOU HERE
AND HAVE PEOPLE EXPLAIN WHY WE
NEEDED AND WHAT IS IMPORTANT
ABOUT IT.
ABOUT IT.
ABOUT IT. THAT WOULD'VE COME OUT AND
PUBLIC COMMENT.
PUBLIC COMMENT. >> THIS IS NOT BEING
UNDERUTILIZED.
UNDERUTILIZED. IT'S A PRICELESS RESOURCE
EVERYONE DEPENDS ON.
>> IF A LAWSUIT IS PUT FORWARD
WHAT HAPPENS THEN?
>> THE SUIT WOULD BE THEY DID
NOT FOLLOW THE PROCESS.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THE ARCHIVES
HERE TO STAY BUT IF YOU FOLLOW
THE PROCESS I THINK AN OBJECTIVE
DECISION WOULD BE IT'S UTILIZED
PERFECTLY.
PERFECTLY. THE PEOPLE HAVE MATERIALS AND
ARE ALL USING IT.
THEY DON'T WANT TO GO FROM HERE
TO ALASKA.
TO ALASKA. THEY SHUT DOWN THE ALASKAN
ARCHIVES AND THEY TOLD THEM
IT'S IN SEATTLE. IT'S KIND OF A
MESS.
MESS.
MESS. >>
MESS. >> WHAT ARE THE FOUR STATES?
WASHINGTON IDAHO AND AND MANNA.
>> IT'S MAINLY USED BY STUDENTS
AS YOU SAY AND OTHERS WHO ARE
USING THIS HISTORY BUT THE
REASONS THEY ARE USING IT ARE
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. >> THE CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT
WHEN THEY KICKED CHINESE PEOPLE
OUT OF THE NORTHWEST AND STATES
AND ALL THE FIRES AND IT'S LIKE
THIS PRICELESS CULTURAL DNA AND
IF YOU MOVE IT AWAY IT'S
FORGOTTEN.
FORGOTTEN. >> WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL
HAPPEN?
HAPPEN?
HAPPEN? >> THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND
BUDGET WANT TO IGNORE FERGUSON.
I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY AND THIS IS
PARTLY HOPE.
PARTLY HOPE. I THINK THE DECISION WILL BE
REJECTED AND FORMALLY REVIEW IT
AND FEEL IT IS ONLY
UNDERUTILIZED.
UNDERUTILIZED. AND IF IT'S DONE QUICKLY AND
THAT TOO.
THAT TOO.
THAT TOO. >> THERE ARE PROTESTS.
>> THERE WAS A MEETING WITH THE
NAME OF SOME OF THE TRIBES.
A WOMAN FROM A CRIME THAT DOES
NOT EXIST AND SHE SAID MY