Four Years of Passport in Time: Public Archaeology and Professional Collaboration in a Nevada Ghost Town

Summary

From 2011 to 2014, Dr. Carolyn White and Emily Dale of the University of Nevada-Reno and Fred Frampton and Eric Dillingham of the USFS collaborated on a series of Passport in Time projects in the historic mining town of Aurora, Nevada. The dozens of PIT volunteers who participated throughout the years came from a variety of backgrounds and for myriad reasons, yet all left with a connection to the past and an understanding of the importance of protecting America’s archaeological heritage. By cultivating professional and personal relationships with the volunteers, both UNR and USFS archaeologists found ways to create meaningful archaeological interpretations of Aurora and instill a sense of ownership of the archaeological past in the public. This presentation will address the ways PIT projects can successfully bridge the gaps between academic archaeology, government archaeology, descendant communities, and the public at large and create memorable experiences for all involved. 

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2016   •
• Praxis and Value in Performing Archaeology: Heritage, Affect, and the Relevancy of Archaeological Research

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Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 241