Current Research in Alabama Archaeology Forum

[Tom Smedley]

Current Research in Alabama Archaeology Public Forum

Feb 7, 2009
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.​

Free Admission​

Alabama State Archives and History - The Alabama Power Auditorium

Organized by the Alabama Historical Commission with the support of the Council on Alabama Archaeology, the Maritime Advisory Council, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Department of Archives and History

Alabama archaeologists will talk about their current research. Presenters will speakabout subjects ranging from the prehistoric Native Americans to the Spanish Conquest of southeastern North America; from a 19th century African American slave cemetery to rum running schooners of the 1920's prohibition era.

For more information, contact Stacye Hathorn at (334) 230-2649 or stacye.hathorn@preserveala.org

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Someone should definately bring up the boat sitting on the beach in Fort Morgan, it should be preserved before it gets cut up and dragged off to a landfill, picked away by tourists and locals, or destroyed by the Gulf and open air.

 

[Tom Smedley]

The boat at Ft Morgan is the topic that is being researched by a couple of guys and it will be the Rum Runner that is mentioned in the article. Last year I did the research and presentation on the Chiquimula (J.D. Buffett's Barkentine) and this year they'll do the Rachel.

The problem with the Rachel is that it is a 20th century schooner that sits above the high water mark on private property. It has little historical value that has not already been documented.

However, come to the forum and learn all about it. I sat there last year spellbound. The person researching the Rachel is a professional and he gave us a presentation at the Maritime Advisory Council meeting and pointed out identification clues that had been overlooked for years. Totally interesting, especially for a geek like me.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

The way I hear it, the owners of the property the ship sits on would allow the ship to be removed, infact its more of a problem for them since they are liable for people getting themselves hurt on it.

 

[Tom Smedley]

A reminder that the forum is this coming Saturday at the Archives and History Museum in Montgomery. Here is the proposed schedule for events:
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Current Research in Alabama Archaeology Public Forum


February 7, 2009​

10:00 Welcome; Stacye Hathorn of the Alabama Historical Commission

10:10 Teresa Paglione of NRCS; A Rock Wall Site in Lee County

10:30 Dr. Keith Little of the University of Alabama; European Artifact Chronology and Impacts of Spanish Contact in the Coosa River Valley

10:50 Kelly Hockersmith & William F. Stanyard of TRC; The Spirit Hill Site: Preliminary Results of Data Recovery Excavations at a Large Late Woodland/Mississippian Village and Cemetery Complex in Northeastern Alabama (Jackson County)

11:10 Hunter Johnson of Tennessee Valley Archaeological Research; From Slave to Share Cropper, Foster Cemetery (1La151): An African-American Cemetery in Lawrence County, Northwest Alabama

11:30 Dr. John Cottier of Auburn University; The Hope Hull period in the Montgomery Area

11:45 1:20 Lunch

1:20 Candy Lancaster of Southside Middle School; Controlled Surface Collection Project at Tuckabatchee

1:40 Dr. Cassandra Hill, Human Osteologist; Prehistoric Forensic Investigation: Death "By Unnatural Causes" of a Young Woman from a Site in Arkansas

2:00 David Anderson of Fathom Exploration; The Rachael, the Story of a Shipwreck exposed by Hurricane Ike on the Fort Morgan Peninsula

2:20 Dr. Jack Bergstresser; An Ironmaking Community Rediscovered: Ten Years of Volunteer Archaeology at Brierfield Ironworks Historical Sate Park

2:40 Steve Meredith of OAR & Ashley Dumas of the University of West Alabama; Field Projects with the Alabama Archaeological Society

3:00 Dr. Harry O Holstein of Jacksonville State University; Bain's Gap Site, 1Ca625 Archaeological Investigations from 1999 to 2008

 

[sskasser]

Very interesting topics. Will there be a DVD made of the presentations?

 

[Tom Smedley]

Very interesting topics. Will there be a DVD made of the presentations?

Thanks for the idea of videotaping the presentations. Stace says that it was too late to get someone this year but will be on the agenda for next year.

 

[sskasser]

Excellent, I'll look forward to next year!