A historic site in northcentral Montana is the state's newest addition to the National Parks Service.

The Bear Paw Battlefield, 15 miles south of Chinook, is where the last fight of the four-month Nez Perce War of 1877 took place. The battlefield was a state park, but Fish, Wildlife and Parks didn't have the time or money to pay much attention to the site.

The National Parks Service was interested in taking over management of the property, and had a park ranger stationed at the site, but legally can't spend federal funds for improving sites it doesn't own. In addition, while the federal government was willing to buy the property, the state isn't authorized to sell land to the Parks Service, according to Doug Eury, Nez Perce National Historic Park superintendent.

So after years of negotiations, a plan was created: The state sold the 200-acre parcel to The Conservation Foundation for about $25,000, and four months later, the Virginia-based nonprofit group sold the land to the federal government.

On Tuesday, the deal was finalized with a ceremony in the state capital.

"This is an extraordinary day," Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger said. "I want to thank the National Park Service for taking this under your wing, for giving it the stature it so deserves.

"... Their task is far greater than we in the state have the resources to present. This will make a significant contribution to the preservation of Nez Perce history."

Park Ranger Robert West notes that the Nez Perce history included treaties that pushed them onto smaller and smaller reservations, until they were told in 1877 that they were to live on what was about 10 percent of their original homeland. This caused about 800 Nez Perce to flee, which started the 1,170-mile chase of Nez Perce men, women, children and horses by military forces through Oregon, Idaho and Montana.

Eventually, the Nez Perce turned northward from the general Yellowstone area, believing that safety was on the other side of the Canadian border. But 40 miles from the border, at the Bear Paw battlefield south of present-day Chinook, they were overwhelmed.

"They stopped to rest, to feed their horses and restock their supplies and to hunt buffalo," West said, noting that they didn't realize two different military forces were joining to attack them. "The Nez Perce people were growing weary, the snow was beginning to fall ... they were running out of food and water and the children and women were suffering."

The battle and extended siege began on Sept. 30. Five days later, Chief Joseph, on behalf of 432 survivors, ended with his famous statement: "From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more, forever."

Today, the Nez Perce National Historic Park consists of 38 different sites in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. The park explains their interaction with explorers, settlers, miners and others who moved through the area, and also includes the Big Hole National Battlefield, where another skirmish in the 1877 battle took place.

Neither the Big Hole nor Bear Paw parks have visitor centers, and none is planned for the Bear Paw site in the near future. However, rangers are often on site and visitors can take self-guided tours.

Frank Andrews, the eldest living male for the Chief Joseph Band of the Nez Perce, said these are sacred lands where he hopes people will learn the true story of his tribe.

He said his niece expressed to him the need for forgiveness, which is the best medicine for anyone.

"This is the greatest memorial for our people," Andrews said. "I pray it will happily and joyfully bring people together."

Reporter Eve Byron can be reached at 447-4076 or by e-mail at eve.byron@helenair.com