NATHPO condemns removal of Native history signage at Muir Woods

In a press release, the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers condemned the removal of signage at Muir Woods that referenced the enslavement of Native Americans by Spanish missionaries and the use of racist language by John Muir. The signage removal follows the implementation of Secretarial Order 3431 by the Department of the Interior.

“The removal of historical information at Muir Woods confirms our fears the Administration is actively working to erase evidence of the pain and suffering Indigenous peoples experienced,” said NATHPO Executive Director Valerie Grussing. In a June letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, NATHPO wrote that the order “appears to instruct federal agencies to obscure the efforts on the part of the government to eradicate vibrant Indigenous cultures.” The organization called on the administration to rescind the order, restore the signage and work with Native nations.