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Resident presents SHPO letter backing claimed French Pete site; preservation staff say investigations found no evidence
Summary
Larry Durante presented a Wyoming SHPO letter supporting his claim that a site on his property is where 'French Pete' was killed; the Historic Preservation Board chair said prior archaeological work found no evidence linking the surveyed spot to the incident without further investigation.
Sheridan County resident Larry Durante asked the board about creating a turnout near 73 Upper Prairie Dog Road to give visitors a safe place to pull over to view a site he says is connected to the historic 'French Pete' incident. Durante provided historical context and a letter from Brian Beadles, Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer at the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), in which Beadles wrote, "We agree with your conclusion that the site represented in the materials is the location where French Pete was killed."
Christina Haworth, chair of the Historic Preservation Board, told the commissioners that a professional survey agreement from March 2023 (up to $8,220) authorized archaeological investigation and that prior fieldwork, including by Mr. O'Dell, did not find evidence linking the specific surveyed spot to the incident unless further surveys or methods such as cadaver dogs are employed. The board took no action on a turnout or parking strip at the meeting.
The exchange highlighted a factual disagreement among local stakeholders over site location and evidentiary sufficiency. Residents and preservation staff said additional survey work would be necessary before the county pursues a road-change or turnout, and property safety concerns were raised as part of the discussion.
