For release: October 14, 2015
Contact:
Lisa Rice
(541) 618-2220
BLM Hosts Sterlingville Cemetery Presentation and Cleanup
Medford, Ore.--The Medford District Bureau of Land Management (BLM) invites the public to join in the
annual Oregon Archaeology Celebration by participating in the Sterlingville Cemetery Presentation and
Cleanup Saturday October 17. The event begins at 10:00 a.m. in Buncom, Oregon at the intersection of
Sterling Creek Road with Little Applegate Road.
The event will start with a presentation about the history of the Sterling Mine, one of the biggest gold
producers in Jackson County and the town of Sterlingville. The presentation will also discuss gravestone
symbolism, its meaning and how it has changed over time. After the presentation, the group will help
clean-up the historic Sterlingville Cemetery, and possibly do some historic documentation and rubbings of
the headstones. If time allows, the group will move to view a portion of the old Sterling Mine still being
actively mined for a variety of different metals. Participants should dress appropriately for weather and
hiking and bring a sack lunch. Water, snacks and tools will be provided.
The Sterlingville Cemetery is associated with Sterlingville, an historic mining town that sprung up after
gold was located along Sterling Creek in 1854. The town boasted of over 1,500 people at one time, but by
1883 only a few families were still living in the area.
The Oregon Archaeology Celebration is intended to inspire and inform people about Oregon's prehistoric
and historic heritage, with activities offered throughout the state.
BLM asks the public to remember that archaeological sites are an important part of our heritage but they are
also fragile. When visiting an archaeological or historical site, please treat the site with respect so that
others may enjoy it as well. State and federal laws prohibit site damage or the removal of artifacts from
sites. Additional information about the BLM’s Medford District is available online at:
www.blm.gov/or/districts/medford/
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the
National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700
million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's mission is to manage and conserve the public
lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations under our mandate of multiple-use and sustained yield.
In Fiscal Year 2014, the BLM generated $5.2 billion in receipts from public lands.
--BLM--