Old Chief Joseph Gravesite

The Old Chief Joseph Gravesite, also known as Nez Perce Traditional Site, Wallowa Lake, Chief Joseph Cemetery and Joseph National Indian Cemetery is a Native American cemetery near Joseph, Oregon. The area was also a traditional campsite of the Nez Perce and may be archaeologically significant.It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1985, listed as Wallowa Lake Site. It is a component of the Nez Perce National Historical Park.It is the burial place of Old Chief Joseph, the father of Chief Joseph. When Old Joseph died in 1871, he had a traditional burial at the forks of the Lostine and Wallowa rivers. In 1886 his grave was desecrated by local property owners and his skull was removed as a souvenir. In 1926, the remains of the elder Chief Joseph were reburied. His grave is marked by a tall stone marker bearing the legend, "To The Memory of Old Chief Joseph, Died 1870." The cemetery is a sacred place for the Nez Perce people.