This is an interesting discussion on the history of contract archaeology,
the second most important factor in the success of historical archaeology
in North America [first = NPS].
 
At SHA 1999 in SLC we (Schuyler & Richard Veit) have a session on
"Chapters in the History of Historical Archaeology" and in the next SHA
NEWSLETTER you will find a note about the formation of an informal "Study
Group on the History of Historical Archaeology" (organized by Rick
Sprague,Schuyler and Veit). You might want to attend the SHA session
althoug it is not on the history of contract archaeology per se.
 
What about a full session for SHA 2000 (Quebec) on "The History of Contract
Historical Archaeology in North America"? Perhaps some of you in this
discussion would like to organize such a session (??) and perhaps some of
those in the discussion might want to give papers. The problem of when
"contract [historical] archaeology" first appears would be an interesting
question. I would, of course, organize, chair, rule such a session and
give all the papers except I do not know a damn thing about the subject.
Think about this possible session (Hickman,Lees, Mouer, Pearson, others ??).
 
                                   Robert L. Schuyler
 
P.S. I have actually done some very minor contract archaeology but they
wanted the reports TURNED IN ON TIME and the hell with that!