Historic Archaeology at Work: Rehabilitating Our Past and Present to Secure Our Future

Summary

In response to the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt put millions to work by way of the Works Progress Administration (WPA).  Similar to the efforts made by the WPA, the Veterans Curation Program (VCP) is addressing the unemployment rate for recently separated veterans by providing vocational training and temporary employment, while simultaneously providing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) with the means to rehabilitate its archaeological collections to Federal standards.  Now the people who protected and served our country are protecting and preserving our heritage for future researchers.  The VCP successfully demonstrates how archaeology can be used as a medium for rehabilitating our nation's heroes by preserving our nation's past.  By incorporating public archaeology, constant outreach, conducting numerous facility tours, and utilizing various types of media outlets, the VCP is taking steps to not only change the way society perceives veterans, but to change the way society views archaeology.

Cite this Record

Historic Archaeology at Work: Rehabilitating Our Past and Present to Secure Our Future. Cori Rich, Jane Bigham, Ian Fricker, Alison Shepherd, Peter Quantock, Jessica Mundt, Julie Powers, Guilliam Hurte Sr.. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, Washington, D.C. 2016 ( tDAR id: 434714)

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

Spatial Coverage

min long: -129.199; min lat: 24.495 ; max long: -66.973; max lat: 49.359 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 408