Smith Rock State Park will host its 14th annual Oregon Archaeology Celebration (OAC) lecture series in October. In addition to the weekly Friday evening presentations, a special Saturday event is set for October 1.
All presentations will take place at the Smith Rock State Park Welcome Center, 10087 NE Crooked River Drive, Terrebonne. The free talks are open to the public. Day-use parking is $5. Annual parking passes for 12- or 24-months are available.
“This is an outstanding opportunity for members of the public to discover the compelling and colorful history and heritage of our region,” said Paul Patton, Mountain Region resource specialist for the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD).
October 1 [Saturday], noon-3 p.m.: Patrick O’Grady, Ph.D., and staff archaeologist for the University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History, will display and discuss “The Traveling Museum of Oregon Prehistory.”
The following Friday evening presentations are scheduled from 7-8:30 p.m. and will include a question and answer period.
October 7: Rory Becker, Eastern Oregon University associate professor of anthropology, will present “Seeing Beneath the Soil: Remote Sensing Techniques in Archaeology.”
October 14: Jenny Huang, Bureau of Reclamation archaeologist, will present “A Place of Power: The Watson Rock Art Site of Malheur County.”
October 21: Eric Iseman, OPRD park ranger and researcher, will present “Tribal Rock Art of the Oregon Country.”
October 28: Paul M. Patton, OPRD resource specialist, will present “A New Look at the Peopling of the Americas.”
The OAC program was established in 1993 when Gov. Barbara Roberts made a proclamation that set aside one month each year to celebrate and promote Oregon’s archaeology, cultural heritage and history.
Smith Rock State Park is located off U.S 97 three miles north of Redmond and three miles east of Terrebonne. More information and directions are available at www.oregonstateparks.org or by calling 541-923-7551, ext. 21.
Paul Patton, OPRD Mountain Region Resource Specialist
541-923-7551, ext. 21
paul.patton@oregon.gov
