Annual archaeology series returns to Smith Rock State Park
Smith Rock State Park will host the annual Oregon Archaeology Celebration (OAC) lecture series during October. Each Friday 7 – 8:30 p.m. a different speaker will present their lecture at the Smith Rock State Park Welcome Center, 10087 NE Crooked River Drive, Terrebonne.
The lectures are free and open to the public. Audience members will have a Q&A opportunity with the speaker after each talk.
Scheduled presentations:
–October 5: Loren G. Davis, Ph.D, professor of anthropology at Oregon State University will present “Forgotten Shores: The Search for Archaeological Evidence of Oregon’s Earliest Coastal Peoples.”
–October 12: Dr. Patrick O’Grady, staff archaeologist at University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History will present “A Window to the Past: Recent Archaeological and Paleo-environmental Research at Rimrock Draw Rockshelter.”
–October 19: Jarold Ramsey, author and professor emeritus at University of Rochester, NY and member of Jefferson County Historical Society will present “In Search of Coyote: Examining the Identity of Native America’s Most Provocative Culture Hero.”
–October 26: Dallas Winishut, Ichishkin language instructor with the Culture and Heritage Department at The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, will present “Ancestral Voices: The Ancient Languages of the Warm Springs Reservation.”
Paul Patton, resource specialist with Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD), says he is pleased the long-running lecture series is returning to Smith Rock State Park this year.
“Smith Rock is the perfect backdrop,” said Patton. “Exciting advances are being made throughout the field of anthropology and the OAC lecture series is an enjoyable, accessible forum for the public.”
The OAC program was established in 1993 when Gov. Barbara Roberts issued a proclamation that set aside one month each year to celebrate and promote Oregon’s archaeology, cultural heritage and history. Specifically, the OAC lecture series highlights advances in cultural knowledge and scientific techniques being made throughout the field of anthropology.
Smith Rock State Park is located off U.S. 97 three miles north of Redmond and three miles east of Terrebonne. The park has a $5 day-use parking fee. The Welcome Center is ADA accessible.
More information, including a park map, is available at oregonstateparks.org. Call 541-923-7551, ext. 21 for more information about the speakers.
