The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology, Inc., and the Pennsylvania Archaeological Council sponsor Archaeology Month. Its purpose is to increase awareness of the important historic and prehistoric archaeological sites in the Commonwealth. These sites are part of the heritage of all Pennsylvanians. Everyday, archaeological sites are destroyed. We hope that through the Archaeology Month events, more Pennsylvanians become aware of this part of our history and work to protect our endangered resources.

*Unless otherwise noted, all events are free and open to the public.  The following event listings are organized by region.

• Northeast
• Southeast
• Central
• West
• Northwest
• Distinguished Speakers
• Sponsors

Northeast

Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology - Forks of the Delaware Chapter 14

Event: Chapter Monthly Meeting
Date: Thursday, 2 October.
Time: 7:30 PM
Contact: Philip Perazio, Phone: 570-421-9525, email; pperazio-kar@sunlink.net
Description: Program of archaeological interest.  Details and directions can be found at Chapter 14's web page at the Siftings web site, www.siftings.com.

Event: Public Lecture, “What is Archaeology”, co-sponsored by the Monroe County Conservation District
Location:  Monroe County Environmental Education Center, 8050 Running Valley Road, Pocono Township.
Date: Thursday, 9 October.
Time: 7:00 PM
Registration: Pre-registration is required; call the Environmental Education Center at 570-629-3061.
Cost: $5.00/non-member, $3.00/member of the EEC.
Contact: Philip Perazio, Phone: 570-421-9525, email; pperazio-kar@sunlink.net.
Description: Learn about the fundamentals of archaeology and how they are applied in the study of the Pocono region.

Southeast

Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology - John Shrader Chapter 21

Event: Hay Creek Valley Historical Association’s (HCVHA) Apple Festival
Location: Joanna Furnace, Route 10 near Morgantown, Berks County
Date: Saturday, 11 October 2002
Time: 7 AM-4 PM
Contacts:  Cathy Spohn, President, Chapter 21 – Phone: 610-678-1274 (home) or 610-205-6711, email; cspohn@state.pa.us Charles Jacob – Phone 610-469-9530.
Description: John Shrader Chapter 21 will have an information stand at HCVHA’s annual Apple Festival at Joanna Furnace.  Chapter members have been actively engaged in the archaeological investigations and restoration of Joanna Furnace over many years.  SPA members will provide information on archaeology, the role of the SPA, and the various projects Chapter 21 members have been involved with in addition to our work at Joanna.  We will have an exhibit of the archaeological research and field schools held at Joanna Furnace.  The current excavations at the hot blast engine area and casting house will be open for visitors to see.

SPA Chapter 21 will also have an information stand at HCVHA’s annual Fall Festival that runs from Friday, September 5 through Sunday, September 7, 2003, also at Joanna Furnace.  Admission is $5 per person over age 12 on Friday and $7 per person on Saturday and Sunday.  Passes for $10 for two are available through the contacts listed above.  Besides the archaeological exhibits, there will be nineteenth century crafts, antique cars and agricultural machinery, a Civil War encampment, music and other attractions.  The funds raised go to sponsor archaeology and restoration at Joanna Furnace, as well as a field school for local students.

Central

The PHMC Commonwealth Archaeology Program and the City of Harrisburg

     The annual public archaeological program at City Island in Harrisburg will not be held this year. Federal and state funding shortfalls have resulted in budget cuts in the PHMC and consequent loss of field/lab staff in the CAP program, as well as loss of funds to use consultants when needed. As a result, the PHMC can afford neither the monetary expense nor the staff time necessary to successfully conduct the City Island program during 2003. However, we hope that this situation will turn around for the better over the next few years.

Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology - Bald Eagle Chapter 24

Event: Spring Creek Day
Location: Millbrook Marsh Nature Center, Puddintown Road, State College
Date: Sunday, Sept. 28, 2003
Time: 1 - 4 p.m.
Contact: Mary Alice Graetzer (814) 238﷓5239 or rxg8@psu.edu
Description: Informational display and archaeology demonstration as part of events sponsored by ClearWater Conservancy for Spring Creek Day. Volunteers participate in demonstration of excavation, followed by brief artifact processing on a site at the Nature Center.

Event: Open House at Archaeology Lab
Location: Archaeological & Historical Consultants, Inc., 101 N. Pennsylvania Ave, Centre Hall
Date: Saturday, October 18, 2003
Time: Noon - 4 p.m.
Contact:  Melissa Diamanti (814) 466﷓6607 or melidiamanti@juno.com
Description: Open house - an opportunity to have your finds identified; also, demonstrations of the processes involved in artifact analysis and site registration.
Directions: From State College, take US Rt. 322 east (S. Atherton St.) about 4 miles to Boalsburg. Take PA Route 45 East (toward Lewisburg). Go about 7 miles to a traffic light (big new Snappy's on right side of intersection), and turn left onto PA Route 144 West. Go 1.5 miles into Centre Hall, then turn left onto
Ridge Street and park on right side, along first building. AHC's office is the building on the corner and the lab is the building in back.
 

West

PENNDOT District 11-0 and GAI Consultants, Inc.

Event: Lecture by Doug MacDonald, "Prehistory of the Raccoon Creek Watershed"
Location: Raccoon Creek State Park Wildflower Reserve, U.S. Route 30, near eastern entrance to the park.
Date: Sunday, October 26, 2003
Time: 2 PM
Contact: Doug MacDonald, GAI Consultants, 412-856-9220x1375, d.macdonald@gaiconsultants.com
Contact at Park: Patrick Adams, State Park Naturalist, 724-899-3611.
Description: Dr. MacDonald will discuss the results of GAI and PENNDOT's recent study of the prehistory of the Raccoon Creek Watershed, which includes Raccoon Creek, Cross Creek, and the Ohio River in Beaver County. MacDonald and guest will discuss important archaeological sites in the area, including Meadowcroft Rockshelter in Cross Creek and East Steubenville in the northern panhandle of West Virginia.

Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology – Ohio Valley Chapter No. 22 and the Clarion County Historical Society

Event: Indian Artifact Show
Location: The Clarion Holiday Inn (Exit 62 – Interstate 80)
Date: Saturday, October 11th
Time: 9 AM until 4 PM.
Contact: Ken Burkett, burken@adelphia.net or at (814) 365-5563
Admission: $3.00 for Adults and $2.00 for children age 6 – 12, which will include a chance for door prize drawings featuring a framed print of the “Parkers Landing Petroglyphs” by local artist Larry Smail.
Description: This is not a buy-and-sell show, but designed during Pennsylvania Archaeology Month to present educational artifact displays, speaker programs (with slides) on Pennsylvania Archaeology, Artifact Identification, and Flint Knapping Demonstration. Regional collectors from Pennsylvania and New York will be on hand throughout the day to display of some of the finest privately held groupings of prehistoric and historic Native American relics including flint tools and points, ground stone items, pipes, beadwork and pottery.   Other activities throughout the day will include flint knapping demonstrations of how stone points were made, and a series of short long slide programs on topics of local excavations and artifacts presented by regional archaeologists.  Carnegie Museum staff members will be available to help identify artifacts brought in by the public.

Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology - Westmorland Archaeological Society Chapter No. 23

Event: Archaeological Seminar
Location: Swede Hill Park, Willow Crossing Road, Greensburg, PA 15644
Date: October 4, 2003
Time: 8:30 am to 4:00 p.m.
Contact: Judy Duritsa, andross@bellatlantic.net
Registration:  $25.00 includes lunch, Student Fee: $15.00.  Walk in registrations will be taken the day of the seminar if registrants call to reserve space prior to Oct. 1.  Regisration form
Description: This luncheon seminar will include a hands-on workshop, a comemerative film about the Lewis and Clark expedition, and presentations from eight distinguished speakers on a wide range of topics concerning western Pennsylvania archaeology and history.  For a list of speakers and presentations go to the Seminar Schudule.

Beaver County Historical Research and Landmarks Foundation

Event: Apple Butter Day at the Vicary House with an Archaeology Display and Excavation
Location: Vicary Mansion, Feedom, Pa.
Date: October 4, 2003
Time: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Contact: Amanda Valko, AVALKO@mbakercorp.com or Brenda Applegate, rbappleg1@comcast.net
Description: Tour the stone mansion built by Capt. William Vicary circa 1826.  Learn how apple butter is made the old fashion way over an open wood fire.  There will be archaeology displays including artifacts excavated from within the house.  Watch archaeologists uncover the buried mysteries of the Vicary House.

Northwest

Department of History/Anthropology, Edinboro University of PA

Event: Open House, Fort LeBoeuf Museum
Location: Waterford, PA
Date: Every Saturday and Sunday in October
Time: Noon to 4 PM
Contact: Dr. Renata B. Wolynec, (814) 732-2570 or wolynec@edinboro.edu
Description: Archaeological displays at the museum include remains from the beaver trade, WPA excavations in the late 1930s, and Eagle Hotel excavations conducted by Edinboro University Archaeological Field Studies from 1975 through 1987.  Of special local interest is a replica of the only known original of Celeron’s lead plate and a highly detailed model of an Iroquois village. 

Event: Open House, excavations near the Yellow House, Battles Farmstead Museums of Rural Life
Location:  Girard, PA
Date: Every Tuesday and Thursday morning in October, weather permitting.
Time: 10:00 AM to 11:45 AM
Contact: Dr. Renata B. Wolynec, (814) 732-2570 or wolynec@edinboro.edu
Description: The public is invited to observe students enrolled in Archaeological Field Studies as they search for evidence of a smokehouse and granary.

Event: Lecture - “Teaching Children About
Archaeology is Not a Trivial Pursuit”
Location: Hendricks Hall 126, Main Campus, Edinboro University of PA, Edinboro, PA
Date: Wednesday, October 8, 2003
Time: 4 PM to 5:30 PM
Contact: Dr. Renata B. Wolynec, 814-732-2570 or wolynec@edinboro.edu
Description: The presentation will focus on the public archaeology education movement, nationally and in the commonwealth. The audience will have an opportunity to participate in selected lesson plans from a national archaeology curriculum as well as learn about resources available for use by teachers in the
commonwealth.

Event: Lecture “The Archaeological Past in Jeopardy”
Location: Hendricks Hall 126, Main Campus, Edinboro University of PA, Edinboro, PA
Date: Wednesday, October 29
Time: 4 PM to 5:30 PM
Contact: Dr. Renata B. Wolynec, 814-732-2570 or wolynec@edinboro.edu
Description: The discussion and activities will center on the video “Silent Witness: Protecting American Indian Archaeological Heritage,” narrated by Robert Redford and produced by the National Park Service as part of the Parks as Classrooms Project.

Distinguished Speakers Series

     With the assistance of a grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology will sponsor a series of public presentations by distinguished archaeologists on important topics in Pennsylvania archaeology during Archaeology Month. Details will be available here in the near future.

Speakers to be posted

Archaeology Month Sponsors

The following organizations and businesses have made financial contributions to the Archaeology Month Fund. Their assistance is gratefully acknowledged.

Pennsylvania Archaeological Council - Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Bureau for Historic Preservation - Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology - Edinboro University of Pennsylvania - Wor for Empire, Inc. - Pennsylvania Deprtment of Transportation - Archaeological and Historical Consultants, Inc. - CHRS, Inc. - ASC Group, Inc. - KCI, Inc. - Mercyhurst Archaeological Institutre, Mercyhurst College - John Milner Associates, Inc. - Heberling Associates, Inc. - GAI Consultants, Inc. - Skelly and Loy, Inc. - Indiana University of Pennsylvania

There are numerous websites where you can find further information about archaeology in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Archaeological Council            
Bureau for Historic Preservation
PennsylvaniaArchaeology.com
PennArchaeologyMonth.org