March 2010 Archeology E-Gram
Death of NPS Special Agent Susan Morton
NPS Special Agent Susan Morton died at her home in Tucson, Arizona, on
March 18, 2010. Before entering law enforcement, she was an NPS
archeologist in Alaska. Morton earned a BA in anthropology from the
University of California, Berkeley, and an MA in anthropology from the
University of Arizona. Morton started as a seasonal archeologist in Alaska
in 1984. Before she switched to law enforcement, Morton was Chief,
Archeological Assistance Program, Alaska Region. She received a law
enforcement commission in 1991, and became a special agent in 1995.
Morton was the case agent on more than 11 felony narcotics cases involving
over 56 defendants and over 4,600 pounds of seized narcotics. She also was
the NPS case agent for the successful prosecution of the accomplice in the
ambush and murder of a NPS ranger along the border. Morton worked with the
U.S. Attorney’s Office to change backpacker smuggling cases from
misdemeanors to felony charges. The more severe charge results in longer
jail sentences and deportation for illegal immigrants after time served. In
2009, Morton became the primary investigator for the Department of the
Interior’s Indian Arts and Crafts Board.
In 2006, she was named the Outstanding Federal Law Enforcement Employee of
the year by the Women in Federal Law Enforcement (WIFLE) organization.
Morton was selected because of her impact on preventing illegal drugs and
immigrants from entering the U.S. through the public lands that encompass
55% of the border between Arizona and Mexico.
Susan Morton was a respected instructor in a wide variety of law
enforcement subjects. Her colleagues and friends are shocked and saddened
by her death.
Lloyd Chapman to Retire
Lloyd Chapman, archeologist in the NPS Northeast Regional Office will
retire at the end of March. Chapman began his career with the NPS in 1978
at the Interagency Archeological Services in Atlanta, where he worked
primarily on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Cultural Resource Management
Program. In 1980, he moved to the Northeast Region to work in the heritage
preservation programs in the, then, Mid-Atlantic Regional Office in
Philadelphia, where he assisted Federal agencies in the management of
archeological resources. In addition, Chapman pioneered the data collection
from SHPOs for the National Archeological Data Base (now ASMIS).
In the 1990s Chapman was part of a University of Nevada – Reno/NPS team
that developed and taught “Archeology for Managers” to Federal and state
land managers nationwide. His interest in youth programs led him to work
with the Boy Scouts on the development of the Archaeology Merit Badge and
he designed and staffed a booth for the badge at three national Boy Scout
jamborees. In addition, he made contributions to a recent revision of the
Boy Scout field book to include archaeological and cultural resources.
Chapman developed and implemented the archeological component of the
Northeast Region’s NHL Program, including preparation of theme studies and
nominations, and providing technical assistance. He was part of the NPS
assistance program to GSA for completion of the technical studies of the
New York City African Burial Ground and the documentation that led to the
site’s designation as a NPS unit. For the past five years, Chapman was
responsible for coordinating the Region’s Interagency Environmental Review
program.
Lloyd’s friends and colleagues wish him the very best in his retirement!
Jeffrey Durbin Named as NPS WASO NHPA Section 106 Compliance Manager
Jeffrey Durbin is the new NHPA Section 106 Compliance Manager for WASO
Cultural Resources. He comes to NPS from the Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation, where he was the Council’s Federal Emergency Management
Agency Liaison. Prior to joining the ACHP in 2004, Durbin served as Senior
Architectural Historian with a consulting firm in the Washington, DC area
and assisted Federal agencies such as the Federal Highway Administration,
Coast Guard, and FEMA with their Section 106 responsibilities. In addition,
he worked as the Section 106 Coordinator with the Georgia SHPO where he
oversaw the review of Federal undertakings in the state, and was a Historic
Preservation Specialist with the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
Durbin holds an MA degree in history, with an emphasis on historic
preservation, from Middle Tennessee State University and a BA degree in
history from Washington State University. Along with Lisa (Raflo) Deline,
NRHP, he co-authored “Teal Roofs and Pecan Logs: A History of Stuckey's
Pecan Shoppes,” for the SCA Journal. His other publications include:
“Expressions of Mass Grief and Mourning: The Material Culture of Makeshift
Memorials,” in the journal Material Culture; and “Heading South without
Getting Sidetracked: The Dixie Highway in Georgia,” in Looking Beyond the
Highway: Dixie Roads and Culture, edited by Martha Carver and Claudette
Stager.
NPS Archeology WASO Welcomes Intern
Molly Russell has joined the NPS Archeology Program WASO as an intern.
Russell graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in 2008
with a BA in anthropology. Afterwards, she joined an AmeriCorps program
based out of the Children's Museum in Providence, RI, where she worked with
local Head Start Centers doing educational and outreach programming. In
2009, Russell began the Master's of Applied Anthropology program at the
University of Maryland with a concentration in historical archeology. She
joined the Archeology Program through an awarded training fellowship in
January 2010, and will remain here through the year.
NPS Archeology Program Develops New Web Page
The Archeology Program announces a new page for March and April on Civil
War archeology. The 150th anniversary of the American Civil War begins in
2011—so start your planning to visit the battlefield parks now, armed with
knowledge about archeological finds!
Visit the new Civil War Archeology web page at
www.nps.gov/archeology/months/march10.htm
Exposed Artillery Shell exposes Gateway’s Past
On March 14, a park visitor at the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway NRA, New
Jersey reported that an artillery shell had been exposed on the beach. The
projectile was 8" in diameter and approximately 24" in length. It appeared
to be a type used between 1900 and 1910 and had an unusual fuse. The
rotating band had been etched, an indication that it had been fired.
Rangers responded to the report and secured the area. A U.S. Navy Explosive
Ordnance Disposal Team was contacted to assess the shell's condition. Park
staff cleared the beaches and roadways in the surrounding area until the
U.S. Navy team arrived on scene. Once the U.S. Navy team arrived, they
prepared the shell for detonation. There was an immediate high order
detonation, indicating that the shell was, indeed, live.
The park has a long history with munitions, as the U.S. Army's first
proving ground was located at Sandy Hook. A proving ground is a facility
where new weapons are tested. Formally established on August 7, 1874, the
Sandy Hook Proving Ground was in full operation by 1876. During the years
of operation, thousands of artillery rounds were fired in order to proof
test new weapons, and test experimental explosives, propellants, and fuses.
The proving ground was decommissioned in 1919. The land became part of
Gateway NRA in 1972.
To learn more about Sandy Hook and Gateway NRA, go to
http://www.nps.gov/gate/index.htm.
Final NAGPRA Reserved Regulation Published
The final rule for the 1990 Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) regulation 43 CFR part 10.11- Disposition of
culturally unidentifiable human remains was published in the Federal
Register on March 15, 2010. The rule establishes a process for the
disposition of Native American human remains that are in museums or on
exhibit in the United States and which have not yet been culturally
affiliated to a tribe or Native Hawaiian organization. There are currently
more than 124,000 Native American human remains listed as unidentifiable.
Additionally, 4,000 individuals have been returned to tribes for re-burial
in 82 agreements approved by the Secretary of the Interior. Another 5,000
individuals, previously listed as unidentifiable, have been culturally
identified as a result of consultation with tribes by museums and federal
agencies. This rule requires museums and federal agencies listing Native
American human remains in their collections as unidentifiable to consult
with tribes that historically lived in the area where the remains were
exhumed.
To read the entire rule, go to
http://frwebgate1.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/PDFgate.cgi?WAISdocID=450500366485+0+2+0&WAISaction=retrieve
Lake Mead NRA Offers Training in Underwater Cultural Resources ARPA Damage
Assessments
Lake Mead NRA, Nevada, is offering a new Archaeological Resources
Protection Act (ARPA) class focusing on damage assessments for underwater
cultural resources. Assessment of damages to submerged cultural resources
resulting from unauthorized acts are required in criminal or civil
prosecutions of resulting violations of Federal laws or other laws
protecting these resources. Standards for the assessment of damages to
cultural resources have been developed for use in criminal and civil cases
prosecuted under ARPA. Archeologists and agency managers who may be
involved in submerged cultural resource cases should know how damages to
these resources are assessed, according to these accepted ARPA standards.
Topics covered in the class include:
Submerged cultural resource damage assessment procedures
Determination of archeological value and cost of restoration and repair
(including the Society for American Archaeology “Professional
Standards for the Determination of Archaeological Value”)
Damage assessment report preparation
The role of the archeologist in litigation
Legal issues in archeological cases
The class will be held in the park June 7-11, 2010. The damage assessment
training will be conducted in a class room setting; no actual diving is
involved.
The registration deadline for the class is close of business on Friday, May
7, 2010. To register for the class, contact Martin McAllister 406-239-1874
or co-instructor Larry Murphy 850-814-6011.
Save America’s Treasures Grant Applications Available
Grant applications for the FY 2010 Federal Save America's Treasures Program
are now available. A total of $14.3 million will be awarded, an increase of
$4 million from 2009. Applications must be submitted by May 21, 2010.
Detailed program guidelines and instructions for applying may be found at
www.nps.gov/history/hps/treasures/index.htm.
2010 PIT Projects Announced
The electronic newsletter for Passports in Time (PIT), E-Traveler,
February/March, contains the first list of 2010 archeology projects for
volunteers. Current listings include fieldwork and labwork in Arizona,
California, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, and more! Available projects
are posted on the PIT website on the “Current Projects” web page until
their respective deadlines, and can be browsed by state or application due
date.
To apply for a project, go to www.passportintime.com. To subscribe to the
E-Traveler, send an e-mail to [log in to unmask] and include the
word “Subscribe” in the subject line.
National Lab Day is Opportunity for Archeology
Would you like to give primary school students lab-based archeology
experience, but don’t know how to go about it? Consider making connections
with interested students through National Lab Day. National Lab Day is a
New York-based educational organization dedicated to improving science and
math education across the country. The grass roots initiative aims to
improve the quality of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)
education in America. A collaboration between government and more than 200
public and private sector organizations representing 6.5 million
professional educators, National Lab Day will connect students in grades
6-12 to hands-on learning experiences in laboratory settings.
National Lab Day promotes experiential learning activities throughout the
year and culminates each year with special events the first week of May.
Volunteer science and technology professionals and educators are working
together with students to improve America’s science labs and offer
inquiry-based STEM experiences in classrooms, learning labs, and
after-school programs. The National Lab Day website matches volunteers to
requests from educators to participate on the basis of geography and
interests. The website also provides resources and ideas for hands-on
learning experiments and invites the public to suggest new materials.
President Obama said: “I want to persuade you to spend time in the
classroom, talking and showing young people what it is that your work can
mean, and what it means to you...to encourage young people to be makers of
things, not just consumers of things.” National Lab Day is one of the
responses to that call for action.
Science and technology professionals, educators, and others can go to
www.NationalLabDay.org to register projects and to participate.
Report on World Cultural Heritage Available
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Salzburg Global
Seminar have released
“Connecting to the World’s Collections: Making the Case for Conservation
and Preservation of Our Cultural Heritage” based on a seminar held in
Salzburg, Austria, October-November 2009. The seminar, part of the IMLS’
multi-year initiative on collections care, explored global themes related
to conservation and preservation, including international needs, issues,
perspectives, and accomplishments.
The report includes practical recommendations to ensure optimal collections
conservation worldwide and the Salzburg Declaration on the Conservation and
Preservation of Cultural Heritage, which was passed by 60 participants from
32 countries. The session combined presentations by leading experts in
conservation and preservation throughout the world with small working
groups tasked to make recommendations for future action in key areas,
including emergency preparedness, education and training, public awareness,
new
preservation approaches, and assessment and planning.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of
Federal support for the nation's 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The
Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect
people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level
and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage,
culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support
professional development. The Salzburg Global Seminar is an independent,
non-governmental organization with its headquarters in Salzburg, Austria.
For 62 years, the Seminar has brought together leaders, scholars,
practitioners, and students from the fields of politics, economics, law,
media, culture and the arts to address issues of global concern.
To read “Connecting to the World’s Collections: Making the Case for
Conservation and Preservation of Our Cultural Heritage” go to
www.imls.gov/pdf/SGS_Report.pdf. To learn more about the IMLS, go to
www.imls.gov. To learn more about the Salzburg Global Seminar, go to
www.salzburgglobal.org.
Federal Reports: Where We Found a Whale: A History of Lake Clark National
Park and Preserve
By Brian Fagan
One of the strengths of the NPS is support for public outreach and
communication that includes interpretive training and development of
educational materials. Lake Clark NP&P, Alaska, is fortunate in engaging
Brian Fagan, an archeologist also dedicated to interpretation and public
education, to tell the story of the preserve. Fagan is well respected for
the efforts he has made to educate the public about archeological research.
This beautifully illustrated volume provides readers with overviews of the
history of occupation of Lake Clark, and the migrations and homelands of
the archeological cultures, the Aluutiq, the Dena’aina, and European and
Euroamerican explorers and settlers.
In a volume clearly aimed at park visitors, Fagan sets out the history of
the area in six chapters. In a colloquial manner deliberately chosen to
appeal to the non-specialist, he describes, first, the physical setting of
the region and, then, the various groups who lived there. Supplementing
meager archeological data for the park, Fagan situates the known facts in a
regional and chronological context. In addition, he devotes a full three
chapters to discussion of images from two rock art sites, discussing his
impressions in an ingenuous manner that invites readers to develop their
own opinions. He doesn’t forget the archeologists who worked there, either,
aiming a few punches at Ales Hrdlička, who worked at Kodiak Island in the
early 1900s. Nonetheless, this is a wonderful contribution to public
education.
Projects in Parks: Revelation in the Woods: Undocumented Cemeteries in Hot
Springs NP
By William J. Hunt, Jr.
In 2009, Midwest Archeological Center archeologists inventoried two
abandoned cemeteries in the wooded backcountry of Hot Springs NP. Oral
history identified the larger cemetery as the site of an 1864 Civil War
skirmish but metal detection found no battle-related artifacts. The 48
graves, 2 of which have inscribed markers, date to the late 19th to early
20th century. The smaller cemetery contains 27 internments marked by field
stones and depressions. The single headstone here dates to the terminus of
the 19th century and marks the grave of a Civil War Union Army veteran.
Genealogical research suggests that this was an African American cemetery,
and that the larger cemetery was Euroamerican. Comparison of data for the
two cemeteries suggest the cemeteries differ significantly both physically
(cemetery size, variety of markers, grave distribution, and associated
features) and culturally (race, social status, location of residence).
Read the full story at
http://www.nps.gov/archeology/sites/npsites/index.htm
Projects in Parks is a feature of the Archeology E-Gram that informs others
about archeology-related projects in national parks. The full reports are
available on the Research in the Parks web page
http://www.nps.gov/archeology/sites/npsites.htm or through individual
issues of the Archeology E-Gram. Prospective authors should review
information about submitting photographs on the Projects in Parks web page
on InsideNPS.
Archeology E-Gram, distributed via e-mail on a regular basis, includes
announcements about news, new publications, training opportunities,
national and regional meetings, and other important goings-on related to
public archeology in the National Park Service and other public agencies.
Recipients are encouraged to forward Archeology E-Grams to colleagues and
relevant mailing lists. The Archeology E-Gram is available on the News and
Links page www.nps.gov/archeology/public/news.htm on the Archeology Program
web site.
Contact: [log in to unmask] to contribute news items, stories for Projects in
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