How Texas Volunteers Protect Community Heritage

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Site Stewardship Matters: Comparing and Contrasting Site Stewardship Programs to Advance Our Practice" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Although there are many professional organizations practicing cultural heritage preservation, there is a group of dedicated volunteers who work tirelessly to protect their cultural heritage in Texas. For over 38 years, the Texas Archeological Stewardship Network has assisted the Texas Historical Commission (THC) in bringing public archaeology to life in their communities. The Archeology Division of THC is tasked with maintaining a public archaeology program dedicated to preserving and interpreting the vast archaeological landscape of Texas. With less than 15 archeologists at the THC, they rely on stewards spread throughout the state. These highly skilled volunteers bring a wide array of skill sets to the network. Archaeology is multidisciplinary by nature and appeals to history buffs, cemetery guardians, museum docents, high school educators, and master naturalists. Stewards, as trusted members of their communities, assist landowners with identifying archaeological sites, abandoned towns, or lost cemeteries. Through collaboration with their county historical commissioners, they identify under-told stories and create roadside markers that keep places from becoming lost to history. Stewards spend an immense amount of time sharing their passion for archeology and history with school children. This multigenerational approach personalizes local history and helps students to identify with their past.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Site Stewardship Matters: Comparing and Contrasting Site Stewardship Programs to Advance Our Practice   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 36223.0