UC Merced Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology Title Hardesty: The Archaeology of the Donner Party Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0tf2c4qw Journal Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology, 20(1) ISSN 0191-3557 Author Scott, Douglas D Publication Date 1998-07-01 Peer reviewed eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California 134 JOURNAL OF CALIFORNIA AND GREAT BASIN ANTHROPOLOGY Levy, Richard edy of 1846-1847. The Archaeology of the Don­ 1978 Costanoan. In: Handbook of North Amer­ ner Party is a concise and well-written account ican Indians, Vol. 8, CaUfomia, Robert F. Heizer, ed., pp. 485-495. Washington: of the history, archaeological investigations, and Smithsonian Institution. reinterpretation of the events. This slim volume Margolin, Malcolm is a model of multidisciplinary research and a 1978 The Ohlone Way. Berkeley: Heyday team approach to producing a publicly oriented Books. archaeological interpretation of interesting events Milliken, Randall T. of our recent past. 1983 The Spatial Organization of Human Popu­ lation on Central California's San Fran­ The book's six chapters and appendices give cisco Peninsula at the Spanish Arrival. the reader the story of the Dormer Party both in Master's thesis, Sonoma State University. historical and archaeological context. The intro­ 1995 A Time of Little Choice: The Disintegra­ duction sets the stage for this contextual place­ tion of Tribal Culture in the San Francisco ment in both time and space, as well as stressing Bay Area, I769-I810. Ballena Press An­ thropological Papers No. 43. the multidisciplinary nature of today's historical archaeological investigations. Chapter 1 gives Milliken, Randall T., Julia Costello, Carina Johnson, Glory Anne Laffey, Ann-Marie Sayers, and Patrick us the details of the Donner Party and the trag­ Orozco edy resulting from being snowbound with lim­ 1993 Archaeological Test Excavations at Four­ ited resources. The second chapter, by Michael teen Sites Along Highways 101 and 152, Brodhead, places the Donner Party trek in a ho­ Santa Clara and San Benito Counties, Cal­ ifomia, Vol. 2: History, Ethnohistory, listic context of the entire overland emigration and Historic Archaeology. Report on file era, 1840 to 1860. In a well developed style, at the Northwest Information Center, So­ Brodhead provides the reader with a neat encap­ noma State University. sulation of the emigrant experience on the trail, and places the Donner Party in a comparative context. In the third chapter, Hardesty and Susan Lindstrom delve into the archaeological investi­ gations of the Murphy Cabin site. They effec­ tively use the historical sources to place the cabin in context. They also build to the story of the modern excavations by recounting the early efforts made to document and locate the cabin The Archaeology of the Donner Party. Donald site for various memorialization purposes. In a L. Hardesty. Reno: University of Nevada pleasant prose style, Hardesty and Lindstrom Press, 1997, xii + 156 pp., 38 figs., 4 then recount their excavations at Murphy Cabin maps, 15 tables, 3 appendices, bibliography, and the finding of the remains. This chapter index, $27.95 (hard cover). alone is a good example of how the application of modern investigation techniques can squeeze Reviewed by: just a bit more data from a previously excavated DOUGLAS D. SCOTT or impacted site. Midwest Archeological Center, National Park Service, Chapter 4 relates the investigations of Alder Federal Building, Room 474, Lincoln, NE 68508. Creek Camp. Here Hardesty demonstrates the Don Hardesty and his contributors have given value of combining traditional excavation and us a new perspective on the Donner Party trag­ sampling strategies with metal detecting to REVIEWS 135 achieve large area coverage. Using metal detec­ cludes from the smallest of ceramic sherds that tion equipment, the investigators were able to the Donner Party members were not carrying focus on specific areas where traditional excava­ old or cast-off ceramics to California. Rather, tion strategies allowed for a more detailed mate­ the ceramic evidence demonstrates that they may rial culture recovery. have purchased new plates and dishes for the The fifth chapter is entitled "Donner Party overland trip. Certainly, the ceramic types re­ Baggage." Along with the appendices, which flect that these Oregon Trail travelers were well should be read in concert with this chapter, the aware of their middle-class social and economic artifact assemblage is described and interpreted. status. Although the ceramic assemblage is An important finding is tiiat the "baggage" of small, both in size and quantity, MUler effective­ the party consisted of what would be expected ly demonstrates the importance of going beyond on an overland trek of people seeking a new mere typologies and looking for the meaning of home. As such, the artifacts are the physical objects. evidence of what was in a wagon traveling on The Archaeology of the Donner Party is well die Oregon Trail. By themselves, the artifacts illustrated and a fine contribution to the archaeo­ are interesting in this context, but the additional logical literature. Hardesty and his contributors interpretations presented in the appendices by have demonstrated, in their fluid prose style, Donald Grayson and George Miller offer some that archaeology need not be boringly presented fascinating insights into the story by detailing the in long, technical, descriptive passages. This is zooarchaeology, ceramic assemblage, and demo­ a readable and informative book. The archaeol­ graphics of the members of the Donner Party. ogy is professionally presented, yet written in a Hardesty has incorporated Grayson's and Mil­ manner easily understood by the lay reader. ler's observations and conclusions from their re­ The layout and design are well done and tmly spective appendices into his "Baggage" chapter enhance the narrative contribution. For those and the final chapter. However, die material in interested in the Overland Trail experience, any the appendices is so interesting and important, it emigrant experience, the westward expansion is this reviewer's opinion that it should have movement, or more specifically the Donner Par­ been worked directiy into the body of the last ty story, this is a book that should be on your two chapters. By way of example. Miller con­ shelf. .