Riverways employee Morgan Beyer receives regional award

News Release Date:
October 4, 2024

Contact: Dena Matteson, (573) 323-4814

VAN BUREN, Mo - Ozark National Scenic Riverways (ONSR) archeologist Morgan Beyer has been awarded the Regional Director's Award for Excellence in Cultural Resource Management for Interior Regions 3, 4, and 5 of the National Park Service (NPS).

The award recognizes expertise and outstanding contributions to cultural resource stewardship and management, particularly those accomplishments that serve as models for programs across the NPS. Award recipients exemplify the best of resource management professionals and are highly respected for their efforts. During 2023, Morgan orchestrated on-the-ground archeological compliance for the large-scale historic preservation project to rehabilitate buildings, landscape, and utility systems in the Big Spring Historic District, including the Big Spring lodge and cabins. As the park archeologist, Morgan was the primary facilitator between the construction contractor, park management team, Missouri State Historic Preservation Office, and multiple Tribal Historic Preservation Offices. This role required consistent contact and communication with these various entities. Morgan is a native of Boaz, Kentucky. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of Kentucky in 2013 and her master's degree in Anthropology, with a specialization in Professional Archaeology, from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2016. She began her NPS career 10 years ago, during her time in graduate school, at the Midwest Archeological Center (MWAC) in Lincoln, Nebraska. During her time at MWAC, Morgan worked in multiple national parks across our 13-state region and gained broad field experience, from Civil War Battlefields in Arkansas to Pre-Contact Native American occupations along Lake Superior to homesteads in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Morgan came to ONSR in 2019 and is happy to put her past experience to good use protecting and advocating for the cultural resources along the Current and Jacks Fork rivers. The award was presented by NPS Historic Architecture and Landscape Program Manager Marla McEnaney and ONSR Superintendent Jason Lott, on behalf of Regional Director Bert Frost, at the 2024 Missouri Preservation Conference held at Echo Bluff State Park on September 26. "We are very pleased that Morgan's hard work and dedication have been recognized with this prestigious award," said Superintendent Jason Lott. "Morgan plays a key role in ensuring that the park is thoughtful and committed to the understanding and preservation of our cultural resources, and she does an exceptional job. The successful completion of the Big Spring Lodge and Cabins project, while maintaining its historic integrity, has highlighted Morgan's skills as a dedicated cultural resource professional. We are very fortunate to have her as a member of our team." Ozark National Scenic Riverways preserves the free-flowing Current and Jacks Fork rivers, the surrounding resources, and the unique cultural heritage of the Ozark people.

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