Oklahoma Archaeology Month has come and gone here at Washita Battlefield but there are still a few opportunities to get your hands dirty throughout the state. Come by the visitor center to pick up your free 1st Annual Oklahoma Archaeology Month poster and calender of events! On Saturday October 18th, Ranger Kathryn Harrison spoke about the 1995 and 1997 archaeological surveys that led to the discovery of 190 artifacts, mostly Spencer cartridge cases, on the battlefield. On Sunday October 19th, Park Guide Barbara Ford had special guests in the crowd. Members of the Wesner family, who once owned the farmland that became Washita Battlefield National Historic Site and for whom the collection of those 190 archaeological artifacts is named, shared their knowledge and memories of the survey. They remembered a particular incident in 1995 when an excited survey volunteer was certain he had stumbled upon the remnants of Chief Black Kettles destroyed and burned village because of a heavy deposit of charcoal. It turned out to be what was left of a burning of trees done years before to clear the farmland. Ooops! Regardless, the archaeological work done at Washita Battlefield has proved priceless in helping rangers and park visitors better understand the events of November 27, 1868. See you next year! (bf)
Posted on: Mon, 20 Oct 2014 19:00:56 +0000