Theses and Dissertations Collection

Jordan Valley, Oregon, and Emmett, Idaho, are two small towns in eastern Oregonand western Idaho that are based on mining, ranching, and agriculture. Both have had varying levels of Basque populations throughout the past century. The Basque Museum and Cultural Center, being established in 1985, has served the Basque community in preserving its history in the intermountain west region of the United States. Through collaboration with the Basque Museum and Cultural Center, a project was formed that built upon a previous project for expanding gravestone photo documentation. This thesis presents both photographic information that was collected through collaborations with the Basque Museum and volunteers and an analysis on the presence of Basque symbols on their gravestones. The results of the photograph analysis revealed transitions of symbol usage, expressing potential revitalization through gravestone symbols.