Andy Laurenzi of the Center for Desert Archaeology

EVENT: Presentation to the Santa Cruz Valley Chapter of the Arizona Archaeological Society on the Expansion of the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument

PRESENTED BY: Andy Laurenzi, Southwest Field Representative, Center for Desert Archaeology

DATE/TIME: September 9, 2010, at 7:00 p.m.

LOCATION: North County Facility, 50 Bridge Road, Tubac, AZ

ADMISSION: Free and open to the public

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Contact Mary Dahl, Santa Cruz Valley AAS Chapter, at (520)841-0111. The AAS website is www.AzArchSoc.org.

More information on the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument Boundary Expansion is available here.

Pipeline project yields more evidence of early agriculture in the Tucson area.

EVENT: 2,500 Years in the Marsh: The Prehistory of the Marsh Station Road Site

DATE/TIME: Tuesday, September 7, 2010, at 6:00 p.m.

LOCATION: Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ.

ADMISSION:  Free and open to the community—all are welcome. Seating is open and unreserved. Guests are encouraged to support our host, Casa Vicente, by buying their own food and drinks.

The Center for Desert Archaeology and Casa Vicente invite all to the third season of Archaeology Café, a casual, happy hour-style discussion forum dedicated to promoting community engagement with cultural and scientific research. Our 2010–2011 season is made possible, in part, by the Arizona Humanities Council.

The next Archaeology Café will convene on Tuesday, September 7, 2010. We will be joined by a panel of archaeologists from William Self Associates, Inc., who will discuss their work at the Marsh Station Road (MSR) site. This 20-acre site is located near the confluence of Cienega Creek and Mescal Wash, southeast of Tucson. MSR was inhabited at several points in time between 1050 B.C. and A.D. 1400. The panel—which will be led by project director Michael Boley—will share what they have learned about life and subsistence at MSR, especially during the Early Agricultural and Hohokam Sedentary (Middle Rincon) periods. Their findings have implications for use of the “hinterlands” concept in Hohokam archaeology in the region.

Come settle in with a drink and a plate of delicious tapas at downtown Tucson’s own Casa Vicente. We meet the first Tuesday of each month from September through May at 6:00 p.m.; presentations begin at 6:15 p.m. Seating is open on a first-come, first-served basis—be ready to make new acquaintances! Our forum opens with a brief, informal presentation on a timely or even controversial topic, followed by a question and answer period and a short break. Our moderator then commences spirited but focused discussion.

More information on the international science café movement that inspired us to host Archaeology Café is available at www.sciencecafes.org.

Questions? Contact Kate Sarther Gann.

August 16, 2010

Contact: Kate Sarther Gann, (520) 882-6946, ext. 16

Pipeline project yields more evidence of early agriculture in the Tucson area.

EVENT: 2,500 Years in the Marsh: The Prehistory of the Marsh Station Road Site

DATE/TIME: Tuesday, September 7, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.

LOCATION:  Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ.

ADMISSION:  Free and open to the community—all are welcome. Seating is open and unreserved. Guests are encouraged to support our host, Casa Vicente, by buying their own food and drinks.

The Center for Desert Archaeology and Casa Vicente invite all to the third season of Archaeology Café, a casual, happy hour-style discussion forum dedicated to promoting community engagement with cultural and scientific research. The 2010–2011 season of Archaeology Café is made possible, in part, by the Arizona Humanities Council.

The next Archaeology Café will convene on Tuesday, September 7, 2010. We will be joined by a panel of archaeologists from William Self Associates, Inc., who will discuss their work at the Marsh Station Road (MSR) site. This 20-acre site is located near the confluence of Cienega Creek and Mescal Wash, southeast of Tucson. MSR was inhabited at several points in time between 1050 B.C. and A.D. 1400. The panel—which will be led by project director Michael Boley—will share what they have learned about life and subsistence at MSR, especially during the Early Agricultural and Hohokam Sedentary (Middle Rincon) periods. Their findings have implications for use of the “hinterlands” concept in Hohokam archaeology in the region.

Come settle in with a drink and a plate of delicious tapas at downtown Tucson’s own Casa Vicente. We meet the first Tuesday of each month from September through May at 6:00 p.m.; presentations begin at 6:15 p.m. Seating is open on a first-come, first-served basis—be ready to make new acquaintances! Our forum opens with a brief, informal presentation on a timely or even controversial topic, followed by a question and answer period and a short break. Our moderator then commences spirited but focused discussion.

The Center for Desert Archaeology videotapes these events and streams them on our website, www.cdarc.org, for the benefit of the community and our more distant supporters and friends. More information on the international science café movement that inspired us to host Archaeology Café is available at www.sciencecafes.org.

ABOUT THE MARSH STATION ROAD PROJECT

During the spring and summer of 2007, William Self Associates, Inc., conducted archaeological excavations at the Marsh Station Road site. The site is located about 26 miles south of Tucson, near the confluence of Cienega Creek and Mescal Wash. Archaeological investigations were undertaken as part of a pipeline expansion project by SFPP, LP, and Kinder Morgan Energy Partners. The project resulted in the documentation of 193 features, including six pit structures; excavation of 134 features; and the collection of more than 50,000 artifacts, the majority of which were flaked stone or ceramics.

ABOUT THE CENTER FOR DESERT ARCHAEOLOGY

The Center for Desert Archaeology envisions a society in which the places of the past are valued as the foundations for a vibrant future. The Center works to preserve the places of our shared past. We achieve this mission by researching questions of broad interest, enabling people to learn about the past through creative and varied means, promoting an ethic of preservation to the public and professionals, and acting to ensure long-term protection of our cultural heritage. The Center is a private 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Tucson, Arizona. We work throughout the American Southwest.

300 N. Ash Alley, Tucson, AZ 85701, (520) 882-6946

www.cdarc.org

ABOUT CASA VICENTE

Family-owned Casa Vicente serves authentic Spanish cuisine in a lively atmosphere. Parking is available on the premises.

375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85701, (520) 884-5253

www.casavicente.com

For more on the PBS program, follow this link. Check your local PBS listings for air times in your area.

More information on Aaron Wright’s research in South Mountain Park may be found here.

Dear Friend,

Knowing of your interest in H.R. 5110, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument Boundary Modification Act, I write to provide you with a legislative update.

Earlier this year, I introduced H.R. 5110 to protect a historically and economically valuable attraction in Pinal County. Following a hearing by the Subcommittee on National Parks, the House Committee on Natural Resources voted to move the bill forward to the floor of the House of Representatives. The Committee incorporated two amendments — making technical changes and allowing the National Park Service to do a 3-year study in the area — into the bill without opposition.

I will continue to reach out and across the aisle to encourage my colleagues to join me in voting to protect and expand the economic opportunities around the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. After months of hard work, we are even closer to getting a good bill signed into law that will preserve area history and ensure continued tourism to the Casa Grande and surrounding communities. Thank you for your input and assistance throughout this process. Please do not hesitate to contact my office at (520) 836-3226 if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Ann Kirkpatrick
Member of Congress

More information about efforts to expand the boundaries of Casa Grande Ruins National Monument may be found here.

EVENT: Chaco Phenomenon: Cynthia Irwin-Williams’ Life and Legacy at Salmon and Beyond

PRESENTED BY: Paul Reed (Center for Desert Archaeology, Salmon Ruins) and Erin Baxter (Doctoral student, University of Colorado at Boulder)

DATE/TIME: Friday, July 23, 2010, at 7:00 p.m.

LOCATION: Aztec Ruins National Monument Visitor Center, Aztec, NM. Directions may be found here.

ADMISSION: Free.

Call 505-334-6174 for more information. This program is presented as part of the Aztec Ruins Summer Lecture Series.

That was the location for the Mountain Oyster Club for some 30 years before moving to the east side in 2004.

For more of the story on the Center’s new home, visit KVOA-4.

EVENT: England’s Inherited Landscape

DATE/TIME: Thursday, July 8, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.

LOCATION: Copper Hall, Historic Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress St., Tucson, AZ.

ADMISSION: Free. Seating is open and unreserved. A no-host bar will be available.

The Center for Desert Archaeology and the Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation invite you to a special evening with Center member and distinguished guest Ian George, who will share an overview of England’s Inherited Landscape. Mr. George serves as Inspector of Ancient Monuments for English Heritage in the West Midlands. His presentation will take us on a journey through time to some of the most treasured features of England’s historic landscape. English Heritage is a national organization whose purpose resonates with that of the Center—championing special places, advising the government, sharing heritage widely now, and protecting it for the future.

The program will be held in the Copper Hall of Tucson’s own landmark, the historic Hotel Congress. Admission is free. Guests are welcome to mingle and enjoy a no-host bar before and after the presentation, which will begin at 6:00 p.m.

Questions? Contact Kate Sarther Gann.

More information on the Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation is available at their website.

For more information on English Heritage, visit their website.

For parking information and directions to the Hotel Congress, follow this link.

June 18, 2010

Contact: Kate Sarther Gann

(520) 882-6946

Please join us for a special evening with distinguished guest Ian George of English Heritage.

EVENT: England’s Inherited Landscape

DATE/TIME: Thursday, July 8, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.

LOCATION: Copper Hall, Historic Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress St., Tucson, AZ.

ADMISSION: Free. Seating is open and unreserved. A no-host bar will be available.

The Center for Desert Archaeology and the Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation invite you to a special evening with Center member and distinguished guest Ian George, who will share an overview of England’s Inherited Landscape. Mr. George serves as Inspector of Ancient Monuments for English Heritage in the West Midlands. His presentation will take us on a journey through time to some of the most treasured features of England’s historic landscape. English Heritage is a national organization whose purpose resonates with that of the Center—championing special places, advising the government, sharing heritage widely now, and protecting it for the future.

The program will be held in the Copper Hall of Tucson’s own landmark, the historic Hotel Congress. Admission is free. Guests are welcome to mingle and enjoy a no-host bar before and after the presentation, which will begin at 6:00 p.m.

The Center for Desert Archaeology envisions a society in which the places of the past are valued as the foundations for a vibrant future. As such, the Center preserves the places of our shared past. The Center achieves this mission by researching questions of broad interest, promoting an ethic of preservation to the public and professionals, acting to ensure long-term preservation of cultural heritage, and enabling people to learn about the past through creative and varied means. The Center is a private 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation is dedicated to preserving and celebrating the distinctive and irreplaceable historic resources of Tucson and Pima County. Historic Preservation is an essential component of our city. Our historic buildings create a unique sense of place; our historic neighborhoods are the cornerstone of our community brand. Tucson’s built environment is not only a tangible link to the past but an irreplaceable asset, inspiring thousands of cultural heritage tourists yearly.

For more information on English Heritage, visit their website.

For parking information and directions to the Hotel Congress, follow this link.

DATE/TIME: Tuesday, April 6, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.

LOCATION: Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ.

The April 2010 meeting of Archaeology Café convened on Tuesday, April 6. Our presenter was Dr. Ronald H. Towner, Associate Research Professor at the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research at the University of Arizona. The development of a Spanish colony in the Rio Grande Valley had serious economic and social impacts. In the Navajo heartland of Dinétah, the ripples of these impacts were felt for many decades and contributed to the development of the Navajo Nation as we know it today. Using tree-ring and archaeological data collected over the past twenty years, Ron discussed Early Navajo responses to changes in their social and physical environments.

More information on Dr. Towner is available here.

Video Available – Low Bandwidth – High Quality

EVENT: Where Did the Mimbres Go, and Where Did Casas Grandes Come From?

DATE/TIME: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.

LOCATION: Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ.

This Archaeology Café convened on Tuesday, March 16, 2010. Our presenter was Dr. Steve Lekson, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Steve shared his answer to the question, “where did the Mimbres go, and where did Casas Grandes come from?” The archaeological culture known as Mimbres (A.D. 800–1150) is famously associated with remarkable black-on-white pottery. Mimbres sites are primarily found in the Mimbres Valley of southwestern New Mexico. The site of Casas Grandes, also known as Paquimé, is located in Chihuahua, Mexico. It expanded and flourished in the fourteenth century. Both areas were centers of distinctive ceramic arts. Dr. Lekson explored the possible relationships between these two important places of the past.

ABOUT STEVE LEKSON

Dr. Lekson is a prolific and provocative scholar currently focused on big-picture questions in Southwestern prehistory. Steve also serves as Curator of Anthropology at the University of Colorado Museum. To read more about Steve’s work, visit this link. His latest book, A History of the Ancient Southwest, is featured at the website of the SAR Press.

Video Available – Low Bandwidth – High Quality

February 12, 2010

Contact: Kate Sarther Gann

(520) 882-6946

Consider ancestral migrations and transformations in the Greater Southwest from a provocative, big-picture perspective.

EVENT: Where Did the Mimbres Go, and Where Did Casas Grandes Come From?

DATE/TIME: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. Please note special date for this meeting only.

LOCATION: Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ.

ADMISSION: Free and open to the community—all are welcome. Seating is open and unreserved. Guests are encouraged to support our host, Casa Vicente, by buying their own food and drinks.

The Center for Desert Archaeology and Casa Vicente invite all to the next meeting of Archaeology Café, a casual, happy hour-style discussion forum dedicated to promoting community engagement with cultural and scientific research.

The next Archaeology Café will convene on Tuesday, March 16, 2010. Our presenter will be Dr. Steve Lekson, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Steve will share his answer to the question, “where did the Mimbres go, and where did Casas Grandes come from?” The archaeological culture known as Mimbres (A.D. 800–1150) is famously associated with remarkable black-on-white pottery. Mimbres sites are primarily found in the Mimbres Valley of southwestern New Mexico. The site of Casas Grandes, also known as Paquimé, is located in Chihuahua, Mexico. It expanded and flourished in the fourteenth century. Both areas were centers of distinctive ceramic arts. Dr. Lekson will further explore the possible relationships between these two important places of the past.

Come settle in with a drink and a plate of delicious tapas at downtown Tucson’s own Casa Vicente. We usually meet the first Tuesday of each month from September through May at 6:00 p.m.; presentations begin at 6:15 p.m. Seating is open on a first-come, first-served basis—be ready to make new acquaintances! Our forum opens with a brief, informal presentation on a timely or even controversial topic, followed by a question and answer period and a short break. Our moderator then commences spirited but focused discussion.

The Center for Desert Archaeology videotapes these events and streams them on our website, www.cdarc.org, for the benefit of the community and our more distant supporters and friends. More information on the international science café movement that inspired us to host Archaeology Café is available at www.sciencecafes.org.

ABOUT STEVE LEKSON

Dr. Lekson is a prolific and provocative scholar currently focused on big-picture questions in Southwestern prehistory. Steve also serves as Curator of Anthropology at the University of Colorado Museum. To read more about Steve’s work, visit this link. His latest book, A History of the Ancient Southwest, is featured at the website of the SAR Press.

ABOUT THE CENTER FOR DESERT ARCHAEOLOGY

The Center for Desert Archaeology envisions a society in which the places of the past are valued as the foundations for a vibrant future. As such, the Center preserves the places of our shared past. The Center achieves this mission by researching questions of broad interest, promoting an ethic of preservation to the public and professionals, acting to ensure long-term preservation of cultural heritage, and enabling people to learn about the past through creative and varied means. The Center is a private 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

300 N. Ash Alley

Tucson, AZ 85701

(520) 882-6946

www.cdarc.org

ABOUT CASA VICENTE

Family-owned Casa Vicente serves authentic Spanish cuisine in a lively atmosphere. Parking is available on the premises.

375 S. Stone Avenue

Tucson, AZ 85701

(520) 884-5253

www.casavicente.com

Pieces of the Puzzle: New Perspectives on the Hohokam will open on Saturday, March 27, 2010, at the Huhugam Ki Museum of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.

This thought-provoking exhibition on population change in late prehistory was developed by the Center for Desert Archaeology and Pueblo Grande Museum, where it was first exhibited in 2009. Innovative in design, Pieces of the Puzzle incorporates museum collections, GIS data, and digital media to lead visitors through a research team’s investigative process.

Opening celebrations at the Huhugam Ki Museum will include demonstrations, food, and information booths. Activities are scheduled from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on March 27th.

For more information on the Huhugam Ki Museum, visit their website.

Learn more about the many projects and programs of the Center for Desert Archaeology here.

Contact: Kate Sarther Gann

Pieces of the Puzzle: New Perspectives on the Hohokam will open on Saturday, March 27, 2010, at the Huhugam Ki Museum of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.

This thought-provoking exhibition on population change in late prehistory was developed by the Center for Desert Archaeology and Pueblo Grande Museum, where it was first exhibited in 2009. Innovative in design, Pieces of the Puzzle incorporates museum collections, GIS data, and digital media to lead visitors through a research team’s investigative process.

Opening celebrations at the Huhugam Ki Museum will include demonstrations, food, and information booths. Activities are scheduled from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on March 27th.

For more information on the Huhugam Ki Museum, visit their website.

Learn more about the many projects and programs of the Center for Desert Archaeology here.

EVENT: Moquis and Kastilam—Comparing and Contrasting Hopi Oral Traditions with the Spanish Colonial Documentary Record

DATE/TIME: Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.

LOCATION: Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ.

This Archaeology Café convened on Tuesday, February 2, 2010. Our presenter was Thomas Sheridan, Research Anthropologist with the Southwest Center and Professor of Anthropology at the University of Arizona. Tom discussed how Hopi oral traditions concur and differ from the documentary record created by the Spaniards.

ABOUT THOMAS SHERIDAN

Renowned ethnohistorian Dr. Thomas Sheridan is Research Anthropologist with the Southwest Center at the University of Arizona (UA). He also serves as Professor of Anthropology in the UA School of Anthropology. Tom has conducted ethnographic and ethnohistoric research in the Southwest and Northern Mexico since 1971. He directed the Mexican Heritage Project at the Arizona Historical Society from 1982–1984, and was Director of the Office of Ethnohistorical Research at the Arizona State Museum from 1997–2003. More information on the Southwest Center and its programs may be found here.

Download his handout materials here.

December 8, 2009

Contact: Kate Sarther Gann

(520) 882-6946

All aboard for a lively evening devoted to Tucson’s streetcars, old and new!

EVENT: Tucson’s Electric Streetcars—Then and Now

DATE/TIME: Tuesday, January 5, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.

LOCATION: Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ.

ADMISSION: Free and open to the community—all are welcome. Guests are encouraged to support our host, Casa Vicente, by buying their own food and drinks.

The Center for Desert Archaeology and Casa Vicente invite all to the next meeting of Archaeology Café, a casual, happy hour-style discussion forum dedicated to promoting community engagement with cultural and scientific research.

The next Archaeology Café will convene on Tuesday, January 5, 2010. Our presenter will be transit historian Gene Caywood, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of Old Pueblo Trolley. Gene will present an overview of Tucson’s original trolley line, which started in June of 1906 and continued operation for almost 25 years. Fifty years later, Old Pueblo Trolley formed to “Bring Back the Trolley!” This effort, in turn, helped to spur the City of Tucson’s Modern Streetcar Project. The project centers on a four-mile modern streetcar line that will connect the University of Arizona to the Fourth Avenue commercial district, downtown, and the redevelopment area west of downtown.

Come settle in with a drink and a plate of delicious tapas at downtown Tucson’s own Casa Vicente. We meet the first Tuesday of each month from September through May at 6:00 p.m.; presentations begin at 6:15 p.m. Seating is open—be ready to make new acquaintances! Our forum opens with a brief, informal presentation on a timely or even controversial topic, followed by a question and answer period and a short break. Moderator Doug Gann then commences spirited but focused discussion.

The Center for Desert Archaeology videotapes these events and streams them on our website, www.cdarc.org, for the benefit of the community and our more distant supporters and friends. More information on the international science café movement that inspired us to host Archaeology Café is available at www.sciencecafes.org.

ABOUT GENE CAYWOOD

Born and raised in Tucson—and alum of Catalina High School and the University of Arizona—Gene Caywood is one of the founders of Tucson’s Old Pueblo Trolley (OPT). He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of OPT. A transit historian, Gene has authored several publications on Tucson’s transit and railroad history. He has been a transportation consultant for many years, and now works for Parsons Brinckerhoff as a planner and designer of transit and roadway facilities.

ABOUT OLD PUEBLO TROLLEY

OPT is a volunteer-run non-profit corporation that began with the goal of bringing electric streetcars back to Tucson’s central city streets. OPT currently has three divisions: the Street Railway Division, which operates heritage trolleys on a mile of track under overhead electric wire; the Motor Bus Division, which is preserving and restoring more than one dozen transit buses used in various Arizona cities; and the Museum Division, which operates the Southern Arizona Transportation Museum at the restored Southern Pacific railroad depot. More information on OPT may be found at its website, www.oldpueblotrolley.org.

ABOUT THE MODERN STREETCAR PROJECT

More information on the City of Tucson’s Modern Streetcar Project is available here.

ABOUT THE CENTER FOR DESERT ARCHAEOLOGY

The Center for Desert Archaeology envisions a society in which the places of the past are valued as the foundations for a vibrant future. As such, the Center preserves the places of our shared past. The Center achieves this mission by researching questions of broad interest, promoting an ethic of preservation to the public and professionals, acting to ensure long-term preservation of cultural heritage, and enabling people to learn about the past through creative and varied means. The Center is a private 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

300 E. University Boulevard, Suite 230

Tucson, AZ 85705

(520) 882-6946

www.cdarc.org

ABOUT CASA VICENTE

Family-owned Casa Vicente serves authentic Spanish cuisine in a lively atmosphere. Parking is available on the premises.

375 S. Stone Avenue

Tucson, AZ 85701

(520) 884-5253

www.casavicente.com

All aboard for a lively evening devoted to Tucson’s streetcars, old and new!

EVENT: Tucson’s Electric Streetcars—Then and Now

DATE/TIME: Tuesday, January 5, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.

LOCATION: Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ.

This Archaeology Café convened on Tuesday, January 5, 2010. Our presenter was transit historian Gene Caywood, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of Old Pueblo Trolley. Gene presented an overview of Tucson’s original trolley line, which started in June of 1906 and continued operation for almost 25 years. Fifty years later, Old Pueblo Trolley formed to “Bring Back the Trolley!” This effort, in turn, helped to spur the City of Tucson’s Modern Streetcar Project. The project centers on a four-mile modern streetcar line that will connect the University of Arizona to the Fourth Avenue commercial district, downtown, and the redevelopment area west of downtown.

December 4, 2009

Tucson, Arizona

The Center for Desert Archaeology and The Archaeological Conservancy recently completed a conservation easement comprising more than 160 acres in Cibola County, New Mexico. The easement includes a large portion of the Spier 142 site, one of the largest Pueblo III-period communities in the El Morro Valley.

The site, which dates between A.D. 1240 and 1325, includes 165 masonry rooms in an E-shaped architectural arrangement, 195 additional rooms in smaller architectural units, and a possible great kiva. Beginning in the mid-thirteenth century, the region experienced population growth along the Zuni River and its tributaries. Evidence from Spier 142 is important for understanding these changes in settlement patterns, and specifically the transition from smaller, more dispersed settlements to large pueblos.

The Archaeological Conservancy worked with a private landowner who sold the property to them for less than market value (a “bargain sale”). The landowner sought a state tax credit for the bargain sale amount. The placement of a conservation easement on the property enabled the landowner to earn a Conservation Tax Credit through a special New Mexico program. The Center for Desert Archaeology now holds the conservation easement. The Archaeological Conservancy has generously contributed to the Center’s Site Protection Fund in order to support long-term monitoring costs.

More information about archaeological conservation easements is available here.

Photo by Arturo Vasquez, Design W, LLC

Located on the U.S.-Mexico border, the Lochiel Schoolhouse was built at the turn of the previous century. It has been owned by the Patagonia school district since the Lochiel School closed in 1972. One of only a handful of remaining examples of rural, one-room schoolhouses with associated teacherage in the Santa Cruz basin, the property has fallen into disrepair. Vandalism and neglect have seriously compromised both buildings.

The Patagonia Museum, a local non-profit organization, has assumed the mantle of saving the schoolhouse. German Quiroga, president of the museum’s board of directors, hopes to see the site added to the National Register. He is working with family, friends, and neighbors to raise funds to rehabilitate the structure and see it used for education and outreach in Santa Cruz County. As the school board considers its options, it has expressed a strong desire to preserve the schoolhouse.

The Lochiel Schoolhouse and Teacherage comprises one of many heritage treasures that the Santa Cruz  Valley Heritage Alliance is working to preserve through the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area designation. National Heritage Areas seek to preserve and celebrate America’s defining landscapes, as well as its cultural diversity and traditions. National Heritage Areas also endeavor to stimulate economic growth in regions with strong ties between communities and landscapes.

November 13, 2009

Contact: Kate Sarther Gann

kate@cdarc.org

(520) 882-6946

Archaeology Café’s Second Season

Latin-inscribed artifacts unearthed near Silverbell Road between 1924 and 1930 stirred lingering controversy.

EVENT: Romans in Tucson? The Story of an Archaeological Hoax.

DATE/TIME: Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 6:00 pm.

LOCATION: Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ.

ADMISSION: Free and open to the community—all are welcome. Guests are encouraged to support our host, Casa Vicente, by buying their own food and drinks.

The Center for Desert Archaeology and Casa Vicente invite all to the next meeting of Archaeology Café, a casual, happy hour-style discussion forum dedicated to promoting community engagement with cultural and scientific research. Visit www.sciencecafes.org for more information on this exciting grassroots movement.

The next Archaeology Café will convene on Tuesday, December 1, 2009. This month, we will be joined by Don Burgess, former General Manager of KUAT TV. Thirty-one Latin-inscribed lead crosses and a caliche plaque collectively known as the Silverbell Artifacts confounded scholars at the time of their appearance over the years between 1924 and 1930. The items appeared to attest to Roman presence in southern Arizona between A.D. 775 and 940. Don will tell the story behind the story, and dispel the myths surrounding this deliberate hoax. The legacy of this incident continues to this day, as Arizona State Museum and Arizona History Museum curators can attest from the yearly inquiries they receive.

Come settle in with a drink and a plate of delicious tapas at downtown Tucson’s own Casa Vicente. We meet the first Tuesday of each month from September through May at 6:00 p.m.; presentations begin at 6:15 p.m. Seating is open—be ready to make new acquaintances! Our forum opens with a brief, informal presentation on a timely or even controversial topic, followed by a question and answer period and a short break. Moderator Doug Gann then commences spirited but focused discussion.

The Center for Desert Archaeology videotapes these events and plans to stream them on our website, www.cdarc.org, for the benefit of the community and our more distant supporters and friends.

ABOUT DON BURGESS

Don Burgess is a former General Manager of KUAT TV and the public radio stations licensed to the University of Arizona. He has a long-standing interest in the history and archaeology of the Southwest, and was an integral member of In Search of the Coronado Trail, an outreach project of the Center for Desert Archaeology. Don currently serves as President of the Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society, and he is training as a docent at the Arizona State Museum. More information on the Coronado project may be found at www.cdarc.org/what-we-do/past-projects/in-search-of-the-coronado-trail/.

ABOUT MODERATOR DOUG GANN

With more than 25 years of experience in archaeological fieldwork, research, and public interpretation, Doug Gann is best known for his pioneering use of digital media to develop interactive exhibits and interpret archaeological information. He has created numerous museum exhibitions and three-dimensional computer models, including Rio Nuevo Rio Viejo: 10,000 Years of Tucson History. Dr. Gann’s three-dimensional reconstructions of the San Agustín mission and the Tucson Presidio form the basis for interpretation of many elements of the Tucson Origins Heritage Park. Doug is a Preservation Archaeologist and Digital Media Specialist at the Center for Desert Archaeology in Tucson, Arizona.

ABOUT THE CENTER FOR DESERT ARCHAEOLOGY

The Center for Desert Archaeology envisions a society in which the places of the past are valued as the foundations for a vibrant future. As such, the Center preserves the places of our shared past. The Center achieves this mission by researching questions of broad interest, promoting an ethic of preservation to the public and professionals, acting to ensure long-term preservation of cultural heritage, and enabling people to learn about the past through creative and varied means. The Center is a private 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

300 E. University Boulevard, Suite 230, Tucson, AZ 85705, (520) 882-6946

www.cdarc.org

ABOUT CASA VICENTE

Family-owned Casa Vicente serves authentic Spanish cuisine in a lively atmosphere. Parking is available on the premises.

375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85701, (520) 884-5253

www.casavicente.com

EVENT: Romans in Tucson? The Story of an Archaeological Hoax.

DATE/TIME: Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 6:00 pm.

LOCATION: Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ.

This Archaeology Café convened on Tuesday, December 1, 2009. We were joined by Don Burgess, former General Manager of KUAT TV. Thirty-one Latin-inscribed lead crosses and a caliche plaque collectively known as the Silverbell Artifacts confounded scholars at the time of their appearance over the years between 1924 and 1930. The items appeared to attest to Roman presence in southern Arizona between A.D. 775 and 940. Don will tell the story behind the story, and dispel the myths surrounding this deliberate hoax. The legacy of this incident continues to this day, as Arizona State Museum and Arizona History Museum curators can attest from the yearly inquiries they receive.

]]> http://www.cdarc.org/2009/11/09/camp-naco/feed/ 0 http://www.cdarc.org/2009/10/21/event-screening-of-the-classic-film-arizona/ http://www.cdarc.org/2009/10/21/event-screening-of-the-classic-film-arizona/#comments Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:59:15 +0000 Kate http://www.cdarc.org/?p=3483 Our friends at the Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance and the Arizona Historical Society are hosting related special events in Tucson tomorrow evening, Thursday, October 22, 2009, beginning at 5:00 p.m.

The Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance presents:

ARIZONA

In the Cinema La Placita outdoor film series

October 22, 2009 7:30 p.m.

In 1939, Old Tucson Studios was built for this critically acclaimed film about 1860s Tucson.

Enjoy dinner and drinks with the Heritage Alliance on the patio at the historic Cushing Street Bar & Grill prior to the film, from 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. (Please rsvp if you will join us at Cushing St. Bar so that they will not be under-staffed).

The Arizona Historical Society will host a special open house at the historic Sosa-Carrillo-Fremont House, 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m., 151 S. Granada Avenue.

For more information:

www.SantaCruzHeritage.org, or (520) 429-1394

www.CinemaLaPlacita.com, or (520) 326-5282

www.cushingstreet.com, or (520) 622-7984