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Kansas Archeology Training Program Past Field School Sites

Click here for a Kansas county map showing locations of KATP sites. The thumbnail of photo is a link to a larger view.

2023 - 2015
2014 - 2005
2004 - 1995
1994 - 1985
1984 - 1975

2004- McPherson County, Schwantes Site (14MP407)

  • 14MP407 excavation
    The 2004 KATP field school, June 5-20, investigated an earthlodge and several areas outside of this and other houses. This McPherson County habitation site, attributed to the Smoky Hill phase of the Central Plains tradition, had several subtle, but visible, mounds. Prior to the field school a geophysical survey was conducted to help identify potential cultural features in the vicinity of the house mounds and artifact scatter. The excavation yielded a large quantity of pottery, including several reconstructible vessel segments, and a varied and sizeable collection of stone tools. Two radiocarbon dates were obtained from charred plant remains (a bean and a corncob) collected from the house floor, resulting in dates of 825 +/- 25 and 780 +/- 60 B.P. 
 
  • A total of 133 volunteers contributed more than 5,800 hours in the field and lab to help make the investigations at 14MP407 a success.
 
  • Reported in: Virginia A. Wulfkuhle (2004) “Central Kansas, Here We Come!” Kansas Preservation 26(1):1,11-14; C. Tod Bevitt (2004) “Laying the Groundwork: The Geophysical Survey of 14MP407” Kansas Preservation 26(4):13-15; C. Tod Bevitt (2004) "Preliminary Results of the 2004 Kansas Archeology Training Program at 14MP407" Current Archaeology in Kansas (No.5):17-23.; C. Tod Bevitt (2004) “Housework and Yard Work: The 29th Kansas Archeology Training Program Investigates a Smoky Hill Phase Habitation Site” Kansas Preservation 26(4):16-22; Martin Stein (2004) “Recording Rock Art at the Katzenmeier Site (14EW401)” Kansas Preservation 26(5):17-19; Rose Marie Wallen (2004) “Council Circles Mapped in Central Kansas” Kansas Preservation 26(5):20-22; C. Tod Bevitt (2006) "14MP407, A Great Bend Aspect Site in McPherson County, Kansas" The Kansas Anthropologist 27:85-126; David Maki (2006) "A Geophysical Investigation of 14MP407, A Smoky Hill Phase Archeological Site in McPherson County, Kansas" The Kansas Anthropologist 27:127-135.

2003 - Wabaunsee County, Claussen Site (14WB322)

  • 14WB322 lower component excavationThe Kansas Anthropological Association and the Odyssey Archaeological Research Fund at the University of Kansas formed a partnership to carry out the 2003 KATP field school, July 12-20, at the Claussen site (14WB322) in Wabaunsee County.  Two components of the site were investigated, one dating to LatePaleoindian/Early Archaic (8,800 years ago) and the other to the Ceramic period (810 years ago).  Chipped stone, mussel shell, gastropods, vertebrate fauna, and charcoal were recovered from the lower level.  In addition to features of in-place burning and a large faunal assemblage, especially mussel shells, the upper component yielded a modest number of artifacts, including shell-tempered pottery and chipped stone objects.

  • During the nine-day field school and volunteer weekends into the fall, 115 volunteers contributed 4,116 hours of skilled labor to the project.

  • Reported in: Dick Keck (2003) "New Investigations of Our Earliest Residents" Kansas Preservation 25(1):9-10; Rolfe D. Mandel (2003) "KU-KAA Partnership Studies Ancient Kansans" Kansas Preservation 25(5):7-8; Donna C. Roper (2003) "Claussen Site Study Continues" Kansas Preservation 25(6):17-18; Donna Roper and Robert T. Speakman (2005) "Ceramic Period Components at the Claussen Site, 14WB322, Waubaunsee County, Kansas" The Kansas Anthropologist 26: 65-120; R. D. Mandel, C. Widga, J. L. Hofman, S. Ryan, and K. Bruner (2006) "The Claussen Site (14WB322), in Guidebook of the 18th Biennial Meeting of the American Quaternary Association, edited by Rolfe D. Mandel, pp. 4-2 - 4-8, Kansas Geological Survey, Lawrence; Donna C. Roper (2006) "Ceramic Period Components at the Claussen Site, 14WB322" Current Archaeology in Kansas 6:18-23.

2002 -Sheridan County, Albert Bell Site (14SD305) & Cottonwood Ranch (14SD327)

  • photo Jim Hoy and Beatrice Bauer

    The KATP field school returned to the South Solomon River valley in northwestern Kansas to two sites partially excavated in 1990. At the Cottonwood Ranch a crew searched for the remains of a turn-of-the-century icehouse and found a trash dump that contained an array of Pratt family artifacts. At the Albert Bell Site another crew investigated an Upper Republican earthlodge "yard" and midden, occupied for a short time more than 500 years ago.

  • A total of 138 volunteers donated 5,472 hours to fieldwork, laboratory, and classes.

  • Reported in: Mary Conrad (2002) "2002 KATP Returns to Albert Bell Site and Cottonwood Ranch," and "Many Activities Accompany Field School," Kansas Preservation 24(4):1-7; Anita Frank (2002), "Help for Museums with Small Budgets," Kansas Preservation 24(4):6; Donna Roper (2002), "Research Answers Lingering Questions about Prehistoric Sheridan County Farmstead," Kansas Preservation 24(5):11-13; Jade Hisey (2002) "A Mysterious Sheep at Cottonwood Ranch," Kansas Preservation 24(5):14; Marsha K. King (2002) "In Search of the Pratt's Icehouse," Kansas Preservation 25(1):1, 3-6.

2001 - Atchison and Doniphan Counties survey & testing

  • photo Kansas Archeology Training Program, 2001Participants recorded 70 new sites and tested 6 previously recorded sites, covering much of the Deer and Independence creek valleys. The sites dated from the Archaic to Historic period but predominantly represented the Village Gardener period (A.D. 1000-1500). Lab workers used rain days to their advantage by processing specimens brought in from the field and also previously collected artifacts from 14RC9, 14RC8, and 14WH316.

  • The 154 volunteers donated 5,418 hours to the project.

  • Reported in: Mary Conrad (2001) "Kudos to All!," "New Meaning for a 'River photo Kansas Archeology Training Program, 2001Walk,'" and "A Community's Commitment and Involvement," Kansas Preservation 23(4):1-6; Jim D. Feagins (2001), "KATP Viewed from the Air," and "A Perspective from Across the 'Big Muddy," Kansas Preservation 23(4):4, 9-12; Dick Keck (2001) "Bottles in a Barn," Kansas Preservation 23(4):7-8; Brad Logan and William E. Banks (2001) "Archeological Testing at 14AT438," Kansas Preservation 23(5):11-12; Brad Logan (2003) "A Country Far Removed from the Civilized World:'The 2001 Kansas Archeological Training Program in Independence Creek Valley, Northeastern Kansas'" The Kansas Anthropologist 24:1-34.

2000 - Ellsworth County, Fort Ellsworth (14EW26)

photo Kansas Archeology Training Program, 2000

  • KAA volunteers returned to the site of the 1996 KATP field school to excavate two more dugouts and a related depression.
  • The 185 volunteers donated 5,500 hours to the project.
  • Reported in: Robert J. Ziegler (2000) "Ellsworth Through a New Bride's Eyes," Kansas Preservation 22(1):1-2; Mary Conrad (2000) "Archeology Increases Knowledge of Fort Ellsworth " and "Educational Opportunities for Students and the Community," Kansas Preservation 22(4):1-3; Wendy Waller Zeller (2000) "A View from the Lab: An Intern's Experience at Ft. Ellsworth," Kansas Preservation 22(5):4-5.

1999 - Chase County, Workshop - Hallman Site (14HP524) & Crandall Site (14RC420)

  • Workshop consisted of classes and laboratory processing of artifacts from the Hallman site (14HP524), excavated in 1988, and the Crandall site (14RC420), excavated in 1983.

  • Seventy-one KAA members volunteered 1,444 hours to the project.

  • Reported in: Mary Conrad (1999) "KATP Concentrates on Collections and Classes" Kansas Preservation 21(4):8-11, 15; Bruce Jones and Steve Miller (1999) "The View from the NPS," Kansas Preservation 21(4):8.

1998 - Meade County, Lundeen Site (14MD306)

  • Investigations were conducted at this Middle Ceramic period (ca. A.D. 1000-1500) Wilmore complex habitation site by 121 KAA members who volunteered 3,581 hours to the project.

  • photo Kansas Archeology Training Program, 1998Reported in: Mary Conrad (1998) "Fowler Welcomes KATP," Kansas Preservation 29(4):1-3, 14-15; C. Tod Bevitt (1999) "An Archeologist's Notebook: The Wilmore Complex of the Middle Ceramic Period on the Southern High Plains of South-Central and Southwest Kansas" Kansas Preservation 21(1):5-7, 12; C. Tod Bevitt (1999) "Life on the High Plains Border: Archeological Investigation of Three Late Prehistoric Habitation Sites in Southwest Kansas" The Kansas Anthropologist 20:1-106 and (1999) Life on the High Plains Border: Archeological Investigation of Three Late Prehistoric Habitation Sites in Southwest Kansas, M.A. thesis, Department of Anthropology, Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas.

1997 - Gove, Graham, Sheridan, & Trego Counties survey and recording of prehistoric and historic sites

  • The survey, conducted in portions of four counties, documented the presence of several previously unknown sites, including prehistoric quarries, associated habitation areas, and historic sites.

  • Seventy-five KAA members volunteered a total of 2,987 hours during the survey.

  • Reported in: Martin Stein (1997) " KATP Wraps Up 1997 Western Kansas Survey," Kansas Preservation 10(1):8-14; Martin Stein (2005) Sources of Smoky Hill Silicified Chalk in Northwest Kansas Anthropological Series No. 17, Kansas State Historical Society

1996 - Ellsworth County, Fort Ellsworth (14EW26) & Fort Harker (14EW310)

  • A total of 185 KAA volunteers donated 8,300 hours in the archeological investigation of these two historic frontier military posts.

  • Fort Ellsworth was an active U.S. Army post from 1865 to 1867. The site is now located on federal land associated with Kanopolis Reservoir. Artifact collecting and metal detecting are not allowed on federal property.

  • Reported in: Milton Reichart (1997) "Sifting Through History: From sun-dried bricks to dinner forks, one Kanopolis field school participant reports on the important artifacts unearthed during the KATP's annual dig; Kansas Preservation 19(1):1-3; and Robert J. Ziegler (2001) Historical Archaeology at Locality 6 of the Fort Ellsworth Site (14EW26), Kanopolis Lake, Ellsworth County, Kansas, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District

  • Fort Harker, established by the U.S. Army to replace Fort Ellsworth, was occupied from 1867 to 1872/73. This site is located on privately owned land. Four of the original stone fort buildings remain, two of which are owned by the Ellsworth County Historical Society. The old Guard House is operated as a museum.

  • Reported in: Marsha K. King (1997), Results of Archeological Investigations at Fort Harker, 14EW310, Ellsworth County, Kansas Contract Archeology Publication No. 17, Kansas State Historical Society

1995 - Osage County, McGee-Harris Stage Station (14OS399), Havana Stage Station (14OS1301), & Soldier Creek Crossing (14OS1302)

  • These three historic sites were associated with the Santa Fe Trail from ca. 1821 to 1870.

  • During this five-day KATP event in April, 159 KAA members volunteered 3,104 hours of labor toward the study of these three sites.

  • Reported in: Marsha K. King (1995) "Archeologists Investigate Four Santa Fe Trail Sites in Osage County (Parts I & II)," Kansas Preservation 17(4):5-9 & 17(5):4-7.

Continue to 1994-1985 Sites