Volunteer Opportunities
October 21, 2006Join KyOPA (Kentucky Organization of Professional Archaeologists) for a Sifting Saturday
When: 9:00 am until 4:00 pm, October 21, 2006
What: On private land, bulldozers have scraped the earth (possibly including the site of Eskippathiki, see below) into long piles of dirt. We will sift through this backdirt to recover as much as we can.
Bring: Lunch and beverage. A trowel (if you have one) and work gloves. Wear old clothes and bring rain gear or sunscreen.
Directions: Call for directions.
Probably the only Native American town in Kentucky in historic times, it was primarily along Upper Howard Creek and was occupied from about 1718 until about 1754. A French census of 1736 counted 200 Shawnee men in what may have been Eskippathiki. The abandonment of the town was a part of a general movement of settlements out of Kentucky because of disputes between the Shawnee, Iroquois, and other tribes over control of the area. This was in turn largely caused by the pressure of incoming European settlers and conflict between the English and French in the region.
The plain between Upper Howard Creek and Lulbegrud Creek, covering about 3,500 acres, has been known through the years as Indian Old Corn Fields, Indian Old Fields, or simply Indian Fields. European settlement began in the area around 1775. A station on the Lexington and Eastern Railroad operated at Indian Fields from the late nineteenth century into the twentieth and an Indian Fields post office operated from 1878 until well into the twentieth century.
September 24-25, 2005
The last weekend in September, weather permitting, we will return to Larue County, Kentucky to continue our excavations at the New Haven Battlefield Site. Since this site is difficult to find, we suggest all those interested in participating to let us know soon of your intention to come. We will provide better mapping on the web site and at our September 10 meeting. However, it might be advisable for us to meet at one place and caravan over. See additional information posted earlier below.
Hovey Lake
See the News and Updates Page for information on assisting Cheryl Munson at Hovey Lake in Posey County, Indiana throughout the month of September!
October 14-16, 2005
We will be needing volunteer assistance from FOAS to conduct excavations at the Cannon Acres Site for Public Archaeology Weekend, Floyd County, Indiana. This activity is sponsored by the New Albany-Floyd County Department of Parks and Recreation. During this activity, 20 individuals will be trained in archaeological field techniques under the direct supervision of professional archaeologists. Registration will be limited to the first 20 to sign up. However, FOAS members will need to be on hand to assist in the excavations, mapping, and data recording, as well as in subsequent artifact processing and analysis. Furthermore, the general public will be invited to tour the excavations, and view displays, much the same as for Archaeology Day at the Falls State Park. The Cannon Acres Site is a Middle-Late Woodland prehistoric site. Watch this website for more information as it becomes available.
July 22, 23, and 24, 2005
FOAS has been asked to help out with public interpretation at the Howell House and the New Haven Battlefield Site in Larue County, Kentucky. This site is owned by a small, not-for-profit preservation group. The site contains a Civil War site, an 1830s historic house, and a prehistoric component. Something for everyone!!!! The public will be invited to participate in FOAS-led excavations on Saturday, July 23. However, we will want to be present on site Friday the 22nd to set things up, and may need to be on site Sunday the 24th to finish out the excavations and clean up. This opportunity will be used as a field training session in survey methodology, as well as data recovery field techniques, and will be applied towards amateur accreditation.
This may represent a long-term commitment for FOAS, as we may return to the site every year to conduct further investigation at the site and educate the public. Mark your calendars and plan to attend. Data on times and directions to the site will be forthcoming soon. Watch this site!
Click on the link below to learn more about the New Haven Battlefield Site.
October 19, 2004
New Volunteer Opportunity!!!!!
Jeannine Kreinbrink of the Central Ohio Valley Archaeological Society (COVAS) has asked us to join them at Butler State Park in Carroll County, Kentucky on October 23 and 24 as they search for evidence of General Butler's original log home. Should be a lot of fun and a great time to meet our comrades in amateurism! Leslie Rumbley will email more information as Anne and Sundea will be in St. Louis all week at a conference. While they will not be able to go on Saturday, Anne may be able to join the group on Sunday.
Emergency Excavations at site 12SP1082, Rockport, Spencer County, Indiana
Sunday, June 6
FOAS continues to help on an archaeological excavation of a prehistoric Middle-Late Archaic Site near Rockport, Indiana. You can learn more about this inadvertent discovery if you search the internet for WFIE Channel 14 Evansville. We will be working this Sunday, weather permitting...heavy rains will postpone.
If you wish to participate, please call Anne (636-2560)...leave a message if you must, or email me at chezmoi@insightbb.com.
Call for directions to the site: 502-639-6360.
Total Est. Time: 1 hour, 47 minutes Total Est. Distance: 94.77 miles
The Mulberry Hill Site, Jefferson County, Kentucky
Jay Stottman of the Kentucky Archaeological Society has asked for volunteers to assist him on one day (to be determined) in October 2003. The Mulberry Hill Site is located at George Rogers Clark Park on Poplar Level Road in Louisville. The precise day of the investigation will be announced here as soon as it is known. The investigation will focus on determining if there are any intact remains of the homesite. This is being done in October to coincide with the anniversary of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. It will be on October 17 and 18. October 17, a Friday, will be a full day. Saturday, October 18, will only be a half-day. We need to know soon how many folks can make it on Friday. Please email or call me to confirm your participation.
The Prather Site, Clark County, Indiana
For information from Cheryl Munson on the Prather Site investigations, please click on the link below.
Information on the Prather Site Investigations
Hovey Lake, Posey County, Indiana
For information from Cheryl Munson on the Hovey Lake investigations, please click on the link below.