PUBLIC ARCHÆOLOGY FIELD SCHOOL AT THE Vancouver National Historic Reserve

The National Park Service, Portland State University, and Washington State 
University Vancouver, are pleased to announce the 6th annual field school 
at the Vancouver National Historic Reserve. The two-part program will 
introduce the methods and theories of fieldwork in historical archaeology. 
Students will participate in all aspects of field and lab work: laying out 
units, excavation by shovel and trowel, mapping, drawing, photography, and 
cleaning, identifying, and analyzing artifacts. The season will also 
include lectures by guest speakers and staff. 

This year’s project will continue investigations of the 1829-1860 Fort 
Vancouver garden.  Excavations will search for remnants of the garden 
well, paths and beds, and collect samples for analysis of plant remains.  
Knowledge gained will assist in the examination of the human-landscape 
interrelationship at Fort Vancouver, including the significance of the 
garden landscape, its layout, and the plants that grew in it.  The results 
will support the reconstruction and interpretation of the garden area.  
Remnants of Army activities associated with both World War I and II are 
expected.  Work will also explore the 1856-1878 U.S. Army’s Vancouver 
Arsenal and will include traditional pedestrian survey and subsurface 
testing techniques.

The National Park Service and its partners are committed to sharing 
cultural resources and preservation values with the public. On a rotating 
basis, students will be expected to discuss field school activities with 
visitors, interpreting the significance of the site and the educational 
purposes of the project.

Vancouver, Washington is located in Clark County, Washington, north of the 
Columbia River within the Portland Basin.  The fertile agricultural fields 
of the Willamette Valley are located to the south, the Coast Range is to 
the west, and the rugged Cascade Range is to the east. The Pacific Ocean 
is located only about 100 miles (161 km) to the west, with Mount St. 
Helens, Mt. Hood, and the Columbia River Gorge all a short drive away.  
Summers are generally mild, with average high daily temperatures in July 
about 80°F (27°C) with the average low around 57°F (14°C). There are short 
periods of hot, dry weather with temperatures in the mid to upper 90's. 
There is not much rain after the 4th of July, with the average rainfall in 
July only about .63" (1.6cm).  Insect pests are not a problem, and while a 
few coyotes have been observed in the park, there are no problems with 
wild animals or poisonous snakes. 

Part I: Introduction to Field, Laboratory, and Interpretive Techniques in 
Historical Archaeology
Part II: Advanced Techniques in Historical Archaeology 

WSUV Dates: Part I: June 13-July 8/Part II: July 11-July 29
PSU Dates:  Part I: June 20-July 15/Part II: July 18-August 5

For more information:  Web: http://www.nps.gov/fova/fieldschool.htm or 
Portland State University: Douglas Wilson (503) 725-8488;  Washington 
State University Vancouver: Steven Weber (360) 546-9734


Cheers,

Doug

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Douglas C. Wilson, Ph.D.
Archaeologist, Associate Professor
Vancouver National Historic Reserve
& Portland State University
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
612 East Reserve Street
Vancouver, Washington 98661

Phone: (360) 696-7659 x24
Cell: (360) 921-5241
Fax:  (360) 696-7657