Oregon buys land near Chief Joseph gravesite

The state completed its purchase of roughly 62 acres of land between Joseph and Wallowa Lake, and plans to turn the area into a park.

The state Parks and Recreation Department paid $4.1 million to K&B Family Limited Partnership for the land adjacent to the Old Chief Joseph gravesite, said Chris Havel, a department spokesman.

The parcel has been the center of disputes for years. Most recently, developers wanted to build houses on the land — known as the Marr Ranch property — but leaders from the Nez Perce Tribe and Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation believe the area contains the bones of their ancestors.

The property, which is under a grazing lease through Oct. 15, will be closed to the public through completion of a planning process tentatively scheduled for spring.

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