2016-2017 YEAR IN REVIEW We walk side by side in America with our past. Attica Locke A Message from the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR This year saw the return of hurricanes to Florida, with Hermine making landfall near St. Marks in early September and Matthew running up the east coast in October. Both posed challenges for FPAN offices. Hermine caused substantial storm surge in the Big Bend, which flooded our offices at the Crystal River Archaeologi- MISSION: cal State Park. Matthew had significant impact on St. Augustine as it moved north, slightly off-shore. Although the FPAN office was To promote and facilitate the stewardship, public appreciation, not flooded, we lost two vehicles to fallen trees and flooding. For- and value of Florida’s archaeological heritage through regional tunately, staff fared well across the state. centers, partnerships, and community engagement. Matthew caused significant shoreline erosion along the east coast, and our newly minted shoreline monitoring program, HMS Florida, sprang into action to assess some newly recorded sites that had been severely eroded. Of importance, staff and volunteers were able to revisit sites already recorded in the system. These revisits provide striking before and after documentation of the effect of a particular storm on a particular resource, strongly validating the importance of this program. Following reactions against Confederate symbols, initially the Bat- tle Flag, following the Charleston church shootings of June 2015, this year has seen the discussion move to address parts of our historic landscape: Confederate monuments. Some have been moved, some taken down and stored, and some destroyed, but the nation and Florida is nonetheless in the midst of grappling with the place of uncomfortable history as part of our heritage landscape. There is no simple answer to this question, but it is clear that there cannot be an answer without an understand- ing of the past. I do not remember a time when people at all levels, from the White House to the grocery store, are more vested in discussing our heritage. This in itself is good; time will tell what impact all of this will have on our heritage landscape and how we approach our uncomfortable past. Dr. William B. Lees, RPA Staff in the West Central Region lead a tour of Weedon Island. FPAN’s Tristan Harrenstein and UWF’s Dr. Elizabeth Benchley at FLORIDA ARCHAEOLOGY MONTH the Florida State Capitol for Archaeology Advocacy Day. Florida Archaeology Month (FAM) provides FPAN the opportunity to reach out to ing Florida Archaeology Month, participating in be launched prior to the beginning of Florida Ar- visitors and residents, promoting Florida’s unique cultural resources. more than 10 events in the Southeast and South- chaeology Month 2018. west Regions. FPAN staff also distributed post- ARCHAEOLOGY ADVOCACY at the CAPITOL ily Jane Murray, archaeologist and paleontologist ers and gave lectures, ensuring 31 days of Florida ARCHAEOLOGY ACADEMY at WEEDON ISLAND As part of the statewide Florida Archaeolo- Mike Stallings, Sam Carr with the Putnam County Archaeology. This year, the Annual Archaeology Academy at gy Month celebration, the North Central Region Bartram Trail, and Kellie Thropp, owner of the win- Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural His- hosted the second annual Archaeology Advocacy ery. Participants also took a tour of the winery to BUILDING A BETTER FAM WEBSITE tory Center took participants to prehistoric settle- Day at the Florida Capitol during the 2017 legis- look at native plants, including many that William Over the last year, Northwest Region’s Nicole ment sites. After sitting in for brief presentations lative session. Archaeological and historic pres- Bartram described in his books. Grinnan has been working with an independent on the area’s environmental and archaeological ervation organizations from around the state at- website design company to produce a new Flor- context, Academy attendees canoed through the tended. Each organization had a table display and PARTNERSHIP WITH FAU ida Archaeology Month website. While the pre- mangroves and bayous to see remains of two ar- met with legislators and visitors to the Capitol to This year, Florida Atlantic University’s Anthropol- vious website was a great resource for finding chaeological sites on the south end of the Pre- discuss the importance of protecting our state’s ogy Department began an undergraduate intern- more information about each year’s theme and serve. cultural resources. ship program with the Southeast Region office. FAM events, FPAN staff thought it would be Through interning with FPAN, students were able beneficial to preserve the information on each ARCHAEOLOGY AT THE LOG CABIN WINERY to visit many of South Florida’s archaeological poster from year to year via the website. These The Northeast Regional Center explored archae- sites, conduct fieldwork with local partners, and suggestions prompted an entire redesign of the ology along the St. Johns River at an afternoon learn to communicate effectively with the general Florida Archaeology Month website with a new of presentations hosted by the Log Cabin Win- public both in person and through writing. Matt interactive map that would store both themat- ery. Participants heard about local archaeology Abate, Laura Hellmuth, David Leong, and Branden ic and site-based information for each year’s and history from speakers including FPAN’s Em- Young had an active role in planning and execut- theme. The new FAM website is scheduled to Some of the Port St. Joe “Dash through the Past” participants pose after finishing the scavenger hunt race. Young participants explore a mock shipwreck at the HERITAGE TOURISM Mandarin Museum’s Winter Festival. HISTORY BIKE GAINESVILLE Heritage tourism is an increasingly important aspect of the tourism industry with sixteen historic sites located in town that Who likes to learn while you exercise? History in Florida; FPAN encourages visitors to explore heritage sites yearlong! were host to various “Pokemon Go” stops. Staff Bike Gainesville enjoyed another successful year also partnered with Mission San Luis, a living his- of guided tours through the Gainesville of today. tory museum, to host a “Pokemon Go” event. As a EXPLORING THE MAPLE LEAF SHIPWRECK Mound Key is known as the Calusa capital, and Central Region’s Nigel Rudolph organized sev- result, many participants mentioned that the app The Northeast Region participated in the Man- is one of the premier sites of southwest Florida. eral new rides highlighting important aspects of brought them to historic sites in Tallahassee that darin Museum’s Winter Festival. Megan Liebold UGA and UF are conducting excavations at the Gainesville and Gainesville-area history and ar- they had not visited or known about previously. spoke with 170 visitors about the Maple Leaf ship- site. A group of avid kayakers, including Dr. Mike chaeology. wreck, which sank in the St. Johns River during Harris, PI for the Southeast and Southwest Re- the Civil War. Dr. Keith Holland and others from gions, braved the two-hour trip out to the park CLAASP OPEN LAB DAYS DASH THROUGH the PAST in PORT ST. JOE from Lovers Key State Park, then were brought up The Communities of Lake Apopka Artifact Survey the dive team who excavated the shipwreck also This year, FPAN’s Northwest Region expanded to speed on the archaeological excavations at the Project (CLAASP) held a series of open lab days stopped by to help kids learn about underwater its “Dash through the Past” program to historic site by Drs. Thompson and Marquardt. Southwest at the Oakland Nature Preserve in Orange Coun- archaeology. Visitors explored the Maple Leaf site downtown Port St. Joe. This scavenger hunt race staff also had the opportunity to volunteer on ex- ty. This project works to utilize unprovenienced through a shipwreck on a tarp activity. encourages teams of two (or families) to explore cavations at the site in January 2017. artifact collections at local museums and nature local sites of historical and archaeological interest centers around Lake Apopka to teach the pub- KAYAK ADVENTURE at MOUND KEY and collect information about each site in order lic about the process of archaeological lab work. In February 2017, Southwest Region staff part- UTILIZING NEW TRENDS for TOURISM to finish the race. A number of partner organiza- Participants help to sort, count, and analyze the nered with Koreshan State Park for a kayak adven- The North Central Region took advantage of the tions in Port St. Joe, including the St. Joseph Bay collections of mostly prehistoric artifacts. Results ture tour of Mound Key led by Dr. Victor Thomp- popularity of the “Pokemon Go” mobile app to Buffer Preserve, the Constitution Convention Mu- from the labwork will be incorporated into dis- son of the University of Georgia (UGA) and Dr. promote heritage tourism sites around Tallahas- seum State Park, and St. Joseph Peninsula State plays at each museum, which will be produced Bill Marquardt from the University of Florida (UF). see. Staff set up booths around the city at pop- Park, provided support to host the program in with assistance from the public. ular “Pokemon Go” locations to hand out a map their town. Southeast Region staff assist the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary by documenting abandoned migrant craft. Cultural Resource Managers with Biscayne National Park assist TRAINING PROGRAMS FPAN staff with conducting the SSEAS workshop there. Training programs allow FPAN to provide others with relevant and ucation. Participants got hands-on experience in DOCUMENTING MIGRANT CRAFT practical information toward helping preserve Florida’s heritage sites. conservation and recording in the Tolomato and Southeast Region staff collaborated with Bis- Hugenot Cemeteries, and toured the City’s cem- cayne National Park and the Florida Keys Nation- SSEAS IN THE KEYS TEACHER TRAINING AT LITTLE SALT SPRING eteries on a trolley ride downtown.