Podcast Summary

Podcast: National Park After Dark
Episode: 335 – Broken Promises, Broken Hearts: Nez Perce National Historical Park
Hosts: Danielle & Cassie
Air Date: November 17, 2025

Episode Overview

In honor of Indigenous History Month, Danielle and Cassie devote this episode to the dramatic and heartbreaking history of the Nez Perce people, their fateful interactions with Lewis and Clark, the cascade of broken treaties/destructive policies, and, most centrally, the 1877 Nez Perce Flight—a desperate, nearly 1,500-mile journey toward freedom in the face of relentless U.S. military pursuit. With insight, empathy, and historical detail, the hosts trace how a legacy of trust, betrayal, and resilience played out across the lands now known as the Nez Perce National Historical Park. The episode emphasizes the emotional and historical complexity rather than just the darkness–inviting listeners to reflect on the lasting impact of this tragic chapter and the present presence of the Nez Perce people.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Nez Perce & Lewis and Clark: A Foundation of Trust

• [00:01] Danielle begins by recounting the 1805 encounter between the Nez Perce (Nimiipuu) and the Lewis and Clark Expedition at Weippe Prairie. The Nez Perce offered hospitality, guidance, and a promise of friendship.

  • Quote: “For all time the Nez Perce and white people would be friends. The Nez Perce had tried to honor that promise. But the men who followed in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark did not return the favor.” – Danielle [01:10]

• The initial peaceful exchanges soured as waves of settlers, missionaries, and soldiers arrived, making and breaking promises while pushing for land and dominance.

2. Broken Treaties: The Spiral Toward Conflict

• [11:35] Danielle traces the impact of missionaries and settlers, the forced adoption of Christianity by some Nez Perce, and the 1855 and 1863 treaties:

  • The Wallowa Valley, ancestral Nez Perce land, was initially assured protection but then excluded as the government reneged.

  • The Nez Perce bands became split—some willing to sign treaties to safeguard land, others rejecting the government’s terms outright.

  • The U.S. government ignored these internal distinctions and demanded all Nez Perce move to reservations, setting the stage for the 1877 crisis.

  • Quote: “The U.S. government essentially accepted that any Nez Perce chief could speak for them all. They had no care that they had differing opinions.” – Danielle [13:58]

• Justice was deeply unequal—crimes against Nez Perce went unpunished while retribution for settler harm was brutal and indiscriminate.

  • Quote: “When a lawless white man killed or raped or stole from an Indian, the Indian had no recourse. But when an Indian committed a crime against a white, retribution was swift.” – Danielle quoting Ken Nurburn [15:57]

3. 1877 Flight: Tragedy, Resistance, and Survival

• [18:08] The government’s ultimatum to relocate quickly or be moved by force triggered desperate decisions.

  • The killing of a Nez Perce elder (Eagle Robe) and the retaliatory murders at Salmon River threw everything into chaos—setting off a vast exodus.
  • Led by multiple chiefs (not just Chief Joseph), the Nez Perce (around 800 people, with 1000+ horses) began a 1,500-mile flight. The leadership, logistics, and emotional cost were immense.
    • Quote: “To get a group of that size across the Rockies is a huge feat.” – Danielle [24:15]

• The military continually pursued the group, and the Nez Perce repeatedly outmaneuvered and outsmarted their pursuers, using deep land knowledge.

Encounters with Settlers and Tourists

• Despite atrocities, the Nez Perce often sought peaceful passage and traded with settlers—but trust on both sides was eroded.
  • Quote: “Looking Glass carefully watched over the entire group, ensuring nobody spoke out of turn... many young warriors... resented this entire retreat.” – Danielle [27:40]

4. Violence and Loss: The Battle of Big Hole

• [31:39] The army attacked a resting Nez Perce camp at Big Hole, resulting in the deaths of many—most notably women, children, and elders.
  • Survivors pressed on, often forced to leave behind wounded and elderly members for the group’s safety.
  • Leadership changed hands multiple times, reflective of the band’s agonizing choices between honor, peace, and survival.

5. Yellowstone – Collision of Histories

• [37:48] The Nez Perce sought to cross Yellowstone, searching for Crow allies and running into a group of some of the first national park tourists.

  • The encounter turned violent when desperate young warriors, inflamed by recent losses, attacked tourists—a jarring illustration of the overlapping, clashing histories within “America’s greatest idea.”

  • Chief Joseph strove to protect survivors, demonstrating compassion even amidst chaos.

  • Quote: “I just pictured this between a rock and a hard place... really stuck in this impossible situation where you cannot win.” – Danielle [71:38]

6. Treachery and the Endgame: Bear Paw and Surrender

• [51:05] After believing they had secured a rest, the Nez Perce were ambushed at Bear Paw, just 40 miles from Canada. Hopes for aid from Sitting Bull’s Sioux vanished. Leaders were killed, including Looking Glass and Poker Joe.
  • With no escape, the group—starving, freezing, and outnumbered—Capitulated. Danielle recounts Chief Joseph’s immortal plea:
    • Quote: “Hear me, my chiefs, I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever.” – Chief Joseph [54:06]

7. Aftermath: Broken Promises & Ongoing Resistance

• Joseph agreed to give up arms but negotiated for his people’s return home after winter. The army, swayed by Joseph’s dignity, alternated between brute orders and moments of respect, but the federal government abrogated promises yet again.

  • The Nez Perce were shipped from fort to fort, finally to a reservation in Oklahoma in harsh and unfamiliar conditions.

• Joseph, dubbed “the most famous Indian in America,” became a tireless advocate—traveling to Washington, D.C., addressing crowds, and appealing to President Hayes.

  • Quote: “Good words will not give me back my children...will not get my people a home where they can live in peace. I am tired of talking that comes to nothing.” – Chief Joseph’s speech [63:23]

• After years of lobbying, some Nez Perce were allowed to return to the Lapwai reservation, but Joseph and others had to settle on the Colville Reservation, still barred from their true homeland.

  • Quote: “The American people, like the American government, were happy to lionize him as a symbol of the nation’s exotic frontier past. But they had no interest in seeing him as a person with a legitimate legal dispute in the present.” – Danielle, quoting biographer [68:35]

8. Legacy and the National Parks

• The tale’s geographical and emotional trauma is enshrined in 38 locations across the Nez Perce National Historical Park and the Nez Perce National Historic Trail, as well as sites in Yellowstone and the Wallowa. The struggle for justice and recognition continues, and the wounds and wisdom from these events shape contemporary dialogues about land, sovereignty, and history.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “They were families, children, elderly, newborn babies—and treating captives with kindness and dignity after defeat... not at all what the newspapers were depicting them to be.” – Danielle [55:14]
• “Chief Joseph died of a broken heart.” – Danielle on Joseph’s later years [70:29]
• “Their presence is needed. They are the best stewards of our lands, and they’re still here and fighting for their rights to this day.” – Danielle [77:42]
• Light-hearted segment: Cassie and Danielle discuss their aversion to holding babies, using humor to offer a much-needed break from the intense narrative. [42:51–44:35]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:01 — 02:30: Nez Perce and Lewis & Clark encounter; origins of trust.
• 11:35 — 16:56: Treaty era; divided bands; broken government promises.
• 18:08 — 24:27: 1877 government ultimatum and Nez Perce flight begins.
• 31:39 — 35:51: The Battle of Big Hole and its devastating aftermath.
• 37:48 — 45:06: The Nez Perce enter Yellowstone; encounter with tourists.
• 51:05 — 55:52: Bear Paw battle, loss of hope, and Joseph’s surrender speech.
• 60:42 — 66:17: Aftermath in Oklahoma; Joseph’s advocacy in Washington, D.C.
• 69:38 — 71:00: Nez Perce National Historical Park and the present legacy.
• 79:49 — End: Listener Q&A, palate cleanser—sharing lighter, personal stories.

Tone & Style

• The episode is empathetic and forthright, often solemn, but punctuated with moments of camaraderie, vulnerability, and even humor as the hosts relate portions of the story to their own lives or take questions from listeners to “cleanse the palate” at the end.
• Both Danielle and Cassie are consistently respectful of the gravity of the Nez Perce’s story and mindful to avoid sensationalism, focusing instead on honest history and the lived reality of Native communities.

For Listeners New to the Story

This episode provides a compelling, accessible, and deeply human portrait of the 1877 Nez Perce flight and the tangled web of broken promises that led to it. While not shying away from the tragic and shameful dimensions of U.S. history, Danielle and Cassie also highlight the resilience, dignity, and ongoing presence of the Nez Perce and encourage a more honest, full appreciation of America’s past and its national parks.

Recommended Further Reading:

• Chief Joseph and the Flight of the Nez Perce by Kent Nerburn (the frequently-quoted 500-page account)
• Empire of the Summer Moon (Danielle-recommended broader context)

Related Sites to Visit:

• Nez Perce National Historical Park (across WA, OR, ID, MT)
• Nez Perce National Historic Trail
• Yellowstone National Park (for overlapping histories)
• Wallowa Valley & chief burials

Conclusion

“Broken Promises, Broken Hearts” is a vital episode—painful, illuminating, and essential for understanding the human stories behind America's landscapes. It stands as a call to remember honestly and act justly, honoring Indigenous histories and presence in today’s national parks.