Partners in preservation: The Binghamton University Community Archaeology Program

Abstract

We often hear the statement that one of the greatest threats to the archaeological record is an uninformed and disengaged public (Davis, 1997: 85; Hoffman, 1997: 73; T. Price et al., 2000; K. Hoffman et al., 2002: 215). This statement derives from the fact that most archaeological research in the USA is publicly funded through legislative mandates that seek to identify and preserve significant aspects of the past for the public good. In fact, the premise on which historic preservation is based clearly states that the collection and protection of information about the past is in the public interest (http://www.cr.nps.gov/local-law/FHPL-HistPrsrvt.pdf). Preservation legislation on both the federal and state levels has established a role for archaeologists as stewards of the past, agents on the ground who discover, interpret, and protect pieces of our collective cultural heritage. The phrase, "in the public interest," is a broad concept, open for varied interpretation. First-line beneficiaries of these legislative mandates tend to be archaeologists, historians, and architectural historians who are presented with opportunities to conduct research deemed to be important to the interpretation of the past. As many of us have already concluded, what archaeologists perceive as important is not always the same as the significance attached to the past by others. We have all come to realize that there are diverse types of "public values" people attach to the preservation of sites, among them the value to descendent communities and cultural descendants, the value to the educational community, and the value to general community constituents. The Public Archaeology Facility (PAF) is a research center on the campus of Binghamton University, one of the four state universities in New York. In 1996, PAF formed the Community Archaeology Program (CAP), an umbrella for the many presentations done throughout the year. CAP is based on the premise that the public has more than a passing interest in the research conducted by archaeologists, and the program provides a way for constituents to become stakeholders. The CAP umbrella still covers traditional slide presentations, site/lab tours, visits to local schools, and a traveling exhibit. In addition, CAP offers a supervised field opportunity for community members (children and adults) to build "sweat equity" in a local site and contribute to the research and interpretive process. CAP also provides an opportunity for graduate students to receive training in the philosophy and practice of meaningful community outreach. This paper will detail the CAP program and discuss the principles we have formulated that guide our partnership with the public in the research, interpretation, and preservation of the cultural heritage in our local communities.