[1] It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1961, qualifying because its well-preserved stratigraphy revealed a long continuum of sporadic cultural occupations from 6710 BC to AD 1400.

Portions of the sheltered area have been obscured by rock falls from above, making archaeological excavation or analysis difficult.

[3] The area first attracted archaeological attention in 1936, when guano miners recovered artifacts from the site, including shell beads, feathers, and wooden projectiles.

The following year, a team from the University of California at Berkeley spent two days at the site, collecting a larger number of samples.

The oldest dated finds at the site are to c. 9249 BCE, not long after the recession of prehistoric Lake Lahontan from the region.