George:

I was looking through some photocopies of the "Church News" this morning and
came across a small article featuring a picture of you (full beard and all)
cataloguing some of the artifacts from Nauvoo. The same article consistently
refers to J.C. Harrington as Donald J. Harrington (?).

Anyway, I am back from my summer travels now and am finishing up a summer job.
So, pretty soon I would like to sit down and interview you concerning Nauvoo. I
think sometime in September would be good. Could you please let me know what
your schedule is like so that we can coordinate on a date? Any day of the week
(except Fridays and Saturdays when I have to be digging with Schuyler) will be
fine with me. I would prefer not to do it on Sunday, being that those are
usually some of my busiest days, but if that is the only day, then so be it.

One other question. Do you know if Virginia Harrington had any of her husband's
papers? If so, where are they going? Or have they already been deposited
somewhere? Obviously, I am interested in anything that might relate to Nauvoo
Restoration, Inc. in such papers.

Talk to you soon.

Ben

Quoting "George L. Miller" <[log in to unmask]>:

> Virginia Sutton Harrington died on June 16th in Richmond, Virginia.  She
> was 89. Virginia and her husband J.C. (Pinky) Harrington were pioneers in
> the development of historical archaeology in North America starting from
> their early work at Jamestown in 1937.  She was recognized with and Award
> of Merit at the 1999 Salt Lake City meetings of the Society for Historical
> Archaeology.  Virginia's interest in archaeology was began in high school,
> and she studied classics and history at Swarthmore College.  One of her
> neighbors when she was growing up in Washington, D.C. was Mr. Demaray who
> was connected with the National Park Service.  He helped her secure a
> summer job at Mesa Verde in 1935 and 1936, where she was involved in
> laboratory work and pottery restoration.  When in Washington she worked as
> a volunteer at the Smithsonian on Panamanian ceramics excavated by Dr. Dale
> Stewart.  It was Mr. Demaray who suggested that Virginia apply for a park
> ranger position at Jamestown, where she was hired in 1937 as one of the
> first female park rangers employed by the National Park Service.  It is
> there that she met and married Pinky Harrington and became involved in the
> historical research, laboratory work, and interpretation of the site to
> visitors.  Virginia took time out to raise two children (Bob and Jeanette)
> but remained active in Pinky's research.  After their family was raised and
> Pinky retired, they spent four summers excavating for Nauvoo Restoration
> Incorporated in Nauvoo, Illinois.  Virginia directed the excavation of
> three sites in Nauvoo and published a report on the excavation of the
> Nauvoo Temple.
>
>       Burial services are tentatively scheduled for 3:00 p.m. June 23rd at
> Christ Church in Christ Church, Virginia.
>