How to Use the Archive
The Cultural Landscape Archive is designed to help researchers, educators, Tribal Nations, county museums, and community members explore New Deal projects across Montana. This guide explains how to navigate the Archive, interpret materials, and connect items to specific places, programs, and landscape features.
Finding Materials
Items in the Archive can be discovered through multiple pathways. Each pathway reflects a different way of understanding New Deal activity across Montana’s cultural and ecological landscapes.
- By Place: Explore items linked to counties, reservations, watersheds, towns, or specific sites.
- By Program or Agency: Browse materials from CCC, CCC‑ID, WPA, PWA, SCS, BIA, BOR, NPS, NYA, and FSA.
- By Landscape Feature: Search for dams, terraces, shelterbelts, ranger stations, schools, roads, and more.
- By Document Type: Filter by photographs, maps, reports, plans, or correspondence.
- By Date: View materials by project year or administrative cycle.
Understanding Item Pages
Each item in the Archive includes a detailed metadata record that helps you understand its context and significance. Item pages typically include:
- Description: A narrative summary of the item
- Program: The New Deal agency responsible for the project
- Location: County, reservation, watershed, or site
- Coordinates: GIS point or polygon when available
- Landscape Feature: The type of structure or ecological intervention
- Source Collection: The archive or institution that holds the original item
- Rights & Access: Usage restrictions or permissions
Using the Archive for Research
The Archive supports a wide range of research questions, including:
- How did New Deal programs reshape specific counties or reservations?
- What ecological changes resulted from CCC, CCC‑ID, or SCS projects?
- How did infrastructure projects affect community life?
- How did federal agencies collaborate—or conflict—during project planning?
- What materials survive from specific camps, crews, or project sites?
Each item is linked to related materials, allowing you to follow connections across agencies, landscapes, and communities.
Using the Archive for Teaching
Educators can use the Archive to support lessons on:
- Montana history and geography
- Tribal Nations and federal policy
- Ecological change and conservation
- Architecture, engineering, and public works
- Primary source analysis and digital literacy
Items can be incorporated into classroom activities, research projects, and place‑based learning.
Using the Archive for Community Projects
Community members, museums, and Tribal cultural departments can use the Archive to:
- Document local New Deal sites
- Support heritage tourism and interpretation
- Develop exhibits and public programs
- Preserve family and community histories
- Identify gaps in local documentation
Tips for Effective Searching
- Try multiple pathways—place, program, and landscape feature often reveal different materials.
- Use specific search terms (e.g., “terrace,” “CCC Camp F‑60,” “irrigation lateral”).
- Check related items for additional context.
- Consult the Metadata & Methods page for terminology.