Feinstein leadership preserves California history

The awe-inspiring public lands of the California desert are an iconic part of the American Southwest, and their preservation is essential for safeguarding the region’s historic and natural heritage and also boosting its economic future. That’s why we are incredibly grateful that President Obama recently designated the Mojave Trails, Sand to Snow, and Castle Mountains National Monuments in the California desert.

This celebratory moment for the California desert also owes much to Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s (D-Calif.) tireless work to conserve and protect these lands.

{mosads}Within these new monuments, you can examine petroglyphs of native wildlife carved during the past millennia, travel a historic road built a hundred years ago to settle the West, and revisit a younger America’s military camps. It is a place with deep roots in American history.

Dating back thousands of years, the California desert was home to Native American tribes that depended on the land for their survival. These people traveled far and wide to conduct cultural rituals, hunt for food, and practice spiritual ceremonies. Along the way, they would stop to pray and leave offerings of stones, sticks, feathers and food at cairns. Archeological artifacts found in the region have only just begun to give insights into these ancient communities.

Modern-day Native Americans still revere and depend on these areas to uphold their community’s heritage and rituals. Their song and story creation narratives are grounded in desert landscapes and they know these accounts through oral traditions and traveling and visiting trails and cultural sites. Thankfully, these artifacts are better protected with Obama’s designation of the new national monuments.

In 20^th century history, historic Route 66 capitalized on and enriched fascination for Southern California, linking Chicago to Los Angeles and the Pacific Ocean. The nearly 2,500 mile American Main Street opened the way for the massive migration as families left other states to find opportunity in the West. Migrants escaping hardships like the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl made their way west on Route 66 in vehicles ranging from wagons to early automobiles.

Dubbed “The Mother Road” by John Steinbeck, Route 66 and the millions of travelers who traversed its length changed our country’s history. The new Mojave Trails National Monument holds within it the longest undeveloped stretch of Historic Route 66, an international icon that draws visitors from around the world.

The California desert also played a role in another iconic moment in our nation’s history: World War II. When American troops were called on to join the greatest global conflict the world has ever seen, WWII, there was a need to train new tank units under harsh conditions to prepare for the rigors of battle over rough desert terrain and in inhospitable climates. In 1942 the U.S. military opened Camp Iron Mountain, a camp designed for American troops to train for World War II’s harshest battle conditions.

There, troops under General George S. Patton, Jr. developed their skills in modern tank warfare, and learned to adapt to an extreme climate and desert conditions. Their training paid off as the United States military helped defeat Axis Forces in North Africa in 1943.

These days Camp Iron Mountain is a destination for visitors to commemorate the sacrifices of our nation’s brave soldiers. With President Obama’s designation of Mojave Trails National Monument, Camp Iron Mountain will be forever protected.

Designation of the new Mojave Trails, Sand to Snow, and Castle Mountains national monuments ensures that the public can continue to access all of these places and discover the story of our collective heritage in their breathtaking landscapes. By protecting these national monuments, Obama has demonstrated that balance is possible in the California desert. We can both protect America’s natural and historic legacy and grow our tourism, recreation, and renewable energy economy.

We commend Obama for his commitment to protecting the historic California desert. We thank Sen. Feinstein for her years of leadership in California desert conservation. We also extend our gratitude to U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack for their support of these national monuments.

This designation ensures our historical and cultural legacies in the California desert will be permanently protected for future generations to enjoy.

Duncan is president of California Historic Route 66 Association. Dunwoody is California director for Vet Voice Foundation. Trafzer is the Rupert Costo chair of American Indian Affairs and a professor of history at the University of California, Riverside.