Early Cultural and Historical Seascape of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument Archival and Literary Research Report

The Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM, Monument) is one of four Pacific Marine National Monuments co-managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Monument was established in 2009 by Presidential Proclamation 8336 and Monument boundaries were expanded around Wake Atoll, Johnston Atoll, and Jarvis Island by Presidential Proclamation 9173 in 2014. Consisting of Wake, Johnston and Palmyra Atolls, Kingman Reef, and Howland, Baker and Jarvis Islands, the PRIMNM is a unique marine protected area because of its remote and widespread distribution across the central Pacific Ocean. Understanding the value and importance of the diverse cultural and historical perspectives of the PRIMNM is a priority focus for Monument managers in developing the PRIMNM management plan. A deeper understanding of the Monument’s collective heritage is also an instrumental step to support further research and engage the global audience with this expansive seascape. Through archival and literary research, the cultural resources, historical events, and stories of people’s connections and interactions with the Monument area prior to the 20th century have been documented and compiled as a cohesive story.