For over a decade I have been traveling around the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom for the yearly Society for Historical Archaeology (SHA) conference. I always have a good time, especially when it’s in the land of the PacNorwies and even when it’s in the icy grip of […]
Whenever I think about how we can transform cultural resource management into a mélange of applied anthropology and heritage conservation that can actually change society, I always think about the candelabra. I remember, as a boy, seeing beautiful candelabras in church around Christmastime and they always filled me with awe. […]
Who would have ever thought a 5-year-old would be enthusiastic about seeing a pile of rocks in the desert? No toys. No playground. Just an 800-year-old archaeological ruin…and a little sister. This last weekend, I took a National Parks and Monuments tour with my wife and kids through northern Arizona. […]
For a person who is building a career based on the study of human beings, I have to confess: I really don’t like other people. The main problem with other people is they aren’t me. They have their own lives, thoughts, experiences, and perspectives that differ with the way I […]
Historic preservation-minded developer Bill Naito didn’t just save buildings. He helped create ambiance, character, and augmented the quality of life in downtown Portland, Oregon. During the 1960s, Naito saw potential in the rotting waterfront warehouses. He realized that remodeling these buildings may not immediately improve property values, increase foot traffic, […]
[NOTE: This post is not about my friend Chris Webster. He is alive and well] Chris, my good friend of 20 years, died today. He was 36 years old and leaves behind a wife and two kids in preschool. Dying that young shouldn’t have happened. Leaving behind a wonderful wife […]
This last weekend, my family and I volunteered at another public archaeology event spearheaded by a prominent Arizona historical society. It was the final field session of the project I discussed in my post that discussed how to involve minorities in archaeology by introducing them to the science at an […]
As a long-time historical archaeologist working in cultural resource management, I’ve been overjoyed to see how much archival information has been brought to the internet. I do not think there will ever be a day when a visit to the archives is no longer necessary, mainly because most archival repositories […]
I’ve been busting my hump this whole week working on the website that will eventually contribute to my PhD dissertation project at the University of Arizona. It has been a long haul, but the River Street Digital History Project has almost come to a close. The River Street Neighborhood in […]
“Next week, next month, or next year we may have an opportunity to enlighten those groups [business interests and elected officials] on the cultural, social, and aesthetic importance of preservation. But if we want that historic building saved today, we had better be prepared with economic arguments.” Donovan D. Rypkema, […]
