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
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