Venango Archaeology

STEPHEN GLADFELTER WARFEL passed away on May 14, 2020 after a four year battle with gastric junction cancer at the age of 70. Born in York PA, he graduated fro...m York Suburban High School, Franklin and Marshal College, and Brown University achieving a Masters Degree in Archaeology. Before retirement as senior Curator of Archaeology at The State Museum of Pennsylvania, he conducted excavations at a variety of native American and colonial period habitation sites throughout the Commonwealth. His greatest joy was teaching archaeology field schools to college aged students at sites such as Ephrata Cloister, Fort Augusta, Priestly House and Laboratory, and Eckley Miners' Village to name a few. When possible, Steve encouraged members of the local community to join his digs. They worked tirelessly as volunteers under his direction. He leaves behind his family: wife Barbara, sons Stephen II (wife Heidi) and Noel Andrew (wife Meredith), grandchildren Jack, Quinn, and Finley Rose, his twin brother Bill, younger brother Tom, and sister Jane Kilefner, seven nieces and nephews, and eight great-nieces and nephews, as well as legions of friends and admirers. We all sorely miss him as he was taken from us too soon. His remains will be cremated. Memorial services to be determined at a later date. Donations to honor Steve's memory may be made to: Friends of Camp Security PO Box 20008 York PA 17402 or by donating on line at campsecurity.org Online condolences can be made at Hetrick-Bitner Funeral Home, Inc.

Hey everyone- Hope you are enjoying some of the milder weather we've been having the past few days. I'm ready for Spring! The Venango Archaeology Chapter will be meeting on Friday, March 13th, in Franklin, a tChrist United Methodist Church, 1135 Buffalo Street, at 7pm. ... This month’s speaker will be Venango Archaeology Chapter President Bill Black. He will present a program which discusses the Wisconsin Glacier’ impact on northwestern Pennsylvania and the climate changes which followed its retreat. Lake and marsh water levels, temperature fluctuations ,and different types of ground and forest cover altered animal life patterns and affected Paleo-man entry into the area. Flint and chert tool sources will be traced. A 1980’sprivate artifact surface collection and a 2006-2012 excavation by archaeologist Jerry Lang at the Bisquisiack Site (36-Cw-248) in Crawford County will emphasize possible hunting and food resources. The program will present C14 dates and the need for additional research. Additionally, Black will present an overview of several sites considered for Chapter #30 excavations in Venango County during the summer of 2020. Bill Black is the current president of Venango Archaeology SPA Chapter #30. He has led Venango SPA #30 on several digs locally and has presented a number of programs at nearby SPA chapters and Society of Pennsylvania Archaeology (SPA) annual meetings. Venango Archaeology programs are free, and any interested public is welcome to attend. Convenient parking can be found on Chestnut Street behind the church in a well-lighted parking lot, with entry to the meetings at the rear of the building as well. Hope to see everyone there!

Hey Everyone- Let's hope that Punxsutawney Phil was right in that we have an early Spring. There will be no February meeting. See you in March!

Hey everyone- Hope you all had a very merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year. The Venango Archaeology Chapter will be meeting on Friday, January 10th, in Franklin, at Christ United Methodist Church, 1135 Buffalo Street, at 7pm. ... This month’s meeting will be a show and tell session with pizza. We encourage members and guests to bring in any and all artifacts that they have found on their own explorations to share with others. Venango Archaeology programs are free, and any interested public is welcome to attend. Convenient parking can be found on Chestnut Street behind the church in a well-lighted parking lot, with entry to the meetings at the rear of the building as well. Hope to see you all there.

Hey everyone, Hope you guys are all ready for Christmas. The Venango Archaeology Chapter will be meeting on Friday, December 13th, in Franklin, at Christ United Methodist Church, 1135 Buffalo Street, at 7pm. ... This month’s speaker will be Kenneth Burkett. His presentation is entitled Examining Culture Diversity in the Middle Allegheny River Valley. The Early Later Woodland period populations inhabiting the upland tributaries of the middle Allegheny River Valley occupied locally isolated upland villages positioned at major fords of known historic and presumed prehistoric Indian paths. From 1977 through 2011, extensive archaeological excavations at the Fishbasket locale have uncovered a locally unique series of intense multi-occupations that share a blend of cultural traits expressing interactions with neighboring populations yet remaining distinctive to this central section of western Pennsylvania. This paper will present a detailed examination of the varied settlement patterns and artifact assemblages associated with these villages, while introducing regional cultural comparisons. Kenneth P. Burkett is employed by the Jefferson County History Center and is a Field Associate with the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Venango Archaeology programs are free, and any interested public is welcome to attend. Convenient parking can be found on Chestnut Street behind the church in a well-lighted parking lot, with entry to the meetings at the rear of the building as well.

Hey everyone- Hope you are enjoying the leaves changing color and some last minute fall bonfires. The Venango Archaeology Chapter will be meeting on Friday, November 15th, in Franklin, at Christ United Methodist Church, 1135 Buffalo Street, at 7pm. ...Continue reading

Hey everyone- Happy Fall! It's here whether we like it or not. Hope you had a great Indian Summer! The Venango Archaeology Chapter will be meeting on Friday, October 11th, in Franklin, at Christ United Methodist Church, 1135 Buffalo Street, at 7pm. ... This month’s speaker will be Chuck Williams. His presentation is entitled Maps as artifacts: the Thomas Hutchins map of 1778 and the forgotten environments of Pennsylvania’s French Creek Valley. Historic maps are artifacts that can shed light on past landscapes and environmental change. Soldier-surveyor Thomas Hutchins traveled extensively in the Ohio Country, including Pennsylvania’s French Creek Valley during the mid-19thcentury. Hutchins’ journals and early cartographic work led to the publication of his widely acclaimed topographic map of Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and North Carolina in 1778. In this presentation, I use Hutchins’ map as a guide to the forgotten landscapes of the French Creek Valley and discuss the natural and human factors that shaped these environments through time. Chuck Williams is an ecologist and archaeologist with particular interests in the past and present landscapes of Pennsylvania’s northern Allegheny Plateau. His current research focuses on landscape archaeology and historical ecology. Chuck was a Fulbright Scholar in environmental history/archaeology at the University of Iceland and was Professor of Biology at Clarion University of Pennsylvania for 15 years. Chuck currently teaches biology and ecology online and has a small consulting business, Williams Ecological, LLC. He earned a Ph.D. in ecology at Virginia Tech and recently completed an MA in archaeology and heritage from the University of Leicester in England. His MA thesis was entitled Coaling the Iron County: Colliers and charcoal production in the historic iron industry of Clarion County, Pennsylvania. Venango Archaeology programs are free, and any interested public is welcome to attend. Convenient parking can be found on Chestnut Street behind the church in a well-lighted parking lot, with entry to the meetings at the rear of the building as well. Hope to see everyone there!

Some remnants from tonight’s flint knapping presentation.

Hey all- Hope you had a fun and restful summer. It's almost time for sweaters and fires. The Venango Archaeology Chapter will be meeting on Friday, September 13th, in Franklin, at Christ United Methodist Church, 1135 Buffalo Street, at 7pm.This month’s speaker will be Bob Briggs. His presentation will be a flintknapping demonstration of how to make stone tools and projectiles. He will also bring a modern knappers kit and his version of tool kit as well as some of the pie...ces he has created to view. Bob Briggs first became interested in flint knapping in 2006 when he attended an event and approached the demonstrator afterwards in an attempt to learn as much as possible on the art. Since then, Mr. Briggs has attended various flint knapping events and has met many knappers from around the country, learning as much as possible along the way. Venango Archaeology programs are free, and any interested public is welcome to attend. Convenient parking can be found on Chestnut Street behind the church in a well-lighted parking lot, with entryto the meetings at the rear of the building as well.

Killer day at Drake Well for Drake Day! Lots of kids dug up some fabulous treasures from our faux archaeology pits