Public Archaeology Field School Analysis, Archaeological Overview and Assessment, and Archaeology Outreach at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
Project ID: P17AC01232
Federal Agency: National Park Service
Partner Institution: Portland State University
Fiscal Year: 2017
Initial Funding: $98,532
Total Funding: $145,746
Project Type: Research
Project Disciplines: Interdisciplinary
National Park: Fort Vancouver NHS
Principal Investigator: Butler, Virginia
Agreement Technical Representative: Langford, Theresa
Abstract: Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (FOVA) is an unparalleled archaeological laboratory, comprising the remains of Fort Vancouver, the ca. 1825-1860 regional headquarters and supply depot for the Hudson’s Bay Company, and Vancouver Barracks, the first (ca. 1849-2010) permanent U.S. Army post and command center in the Pacific Northwest.
A primary goal of this project is to conduct analysis of artifacts and data, and summarize a public archaeology field school at FOVA in Vancouver, Washington. In the summer of 2017, the field school conducted a variety of activities that educated students in the techniques of field archaeology and the interpretation of archaeology to the public. This project will build on the public outreach and educational elements of the field school to enable research assistants, students, and volunteers to clean, process, and analyze artifacts with NPS volunteers. The research generated includes the collection of archaeological data to assist in the interpretation of the Hudson’s Bay Company and U.S. Army use of the East Vancouver Barracks. The project will also assist in the implementation of the East and South Vancouver Barracks Master Plan, including the collection of data to help protect archaeological resources that may be impacted by the development/management of infrastructure, parking, and landscaping.
A second goal of this project is to develop an Archaeological Overview and Assessment (AOA) for FOVA, including the affiliated properties of the Vancouver National Historic Reserve. This work will summarize past archaeological work, including field schools, analyze the information, and provide recommendations to guide future protection of archaeological resources at FOVA. An AOA report “describes and assesses the known and potential archeological resources in a park area. The overview reviews and summarizes existing archeological data; the assessment evaluates the data. The report assesses past work and helps determine the need for and design of future studies” (NPS-28).
This is a collaborative effort to compile information from the field school, analyze the artifacts, and conduct outreach of the findings to the public through a PSU-sponsored outreach event called the Archaeology Roadshow. The expected results include a complete archaeological catalog, a final report, and a summary of archaeological research presented to the public through a variety of media. The AOA report will help guide future archaeological and outreach endeavors tied to the preservation and protection of the archaeological sites associated with FOVA.