Fall 2019 Field Assembly

We are now just a few short days from the Fall 2019 Wisconsin Archeological Society Field Assembly which will be at Silver Mound in the Hixton/Alma Center area. Here are some important details:

1. The event is on October 19th, 2019 from 10 am to 4 pm.

2. The access to Silver Mound is through the Hixton/Alma Center KOA campground located at N9657 State Road 95, Alma Center, WI 54611.

3. Every person who attends the event must be a current member of the Wisconsin Archeological Society at the Associate Member level ($5.00 annually) or above. This is a requirement of our insurance. We encourage you to renew online at http://wiarcheologicalsociety.org/membership, but we will also be able to accept cash or check on-site on the day of the event.

4. Each person will also be required to sign a waiver from the Archaeological Conservancy for their insurance liability. You can save time by filling out the attached form and bringing it with you to the event.

5. There will be three tour types. The first two types will be led by archaeologists from several Wisconsin institutions and will run throughout the day. The first tour will start at 10:30 am and the final tour will start at 1:30 pm.

   1. The Ravine Tour (short) – 1 hour – The tour commences at the campground and goes up a ravine to the Dwyer Rockshelter. Along the way you will see the formation that was being mined, several quarry pits and the Dwyer Rockshelter

   2. The Ravine Tour (long) – 2 hours – This is an extended version of the Short Tour which takes the group up on to the top of Silver Mound where you will see historic and pre-Euro-American contact quarry pits, as well as the Geske rockshelter and pictographs

   3. The Long Tour – 2+ hours – Led by Robert “Ernie” Boszhardt. This tour will be given only once, in the afternoon and will go around to the “back” of Silver Mound to see the extensive Pre-Euro-American contact quarrying areas.

6. All of these tours will be up and down hill over terrain that is in some places rugged. Please make sure that you are healthy enough to hike and that you wear appropriate foot gear (no sandals, flip-flops, bare feet, etc).

7. There will be a number of other activities throughout the event including:

   1. Native American gaming

   2. Spear throwing using an atl-atl (spear thrower)

   3. A flint knapping demonstration

   4. Collectors displays with artifacts from the area

8. We will hold the event rain or shine unless there is thunder and lightning. Please dress appropriately! Rain gear may be a necessity so plan ahead.

9. Bring a picnic lunch if planning to stay through the lunch hour. There are snacks and drinks available at the campground store.

 All of us who have been working on this event from the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Archeological Society to the public outreach department at the Mississippi Valley Archaeological Center are looking forward to seeing you at the Fall 2019 Field Assembly!