WI-3731
June 23-27, 2008
Must commit to full session
Old photographs of national forest scenes and activities are critical to understanding historic land use and management. Unfortunately, these photographs are often fragile and degraded because of improper storage. With your help, we will save electronic images of the photographs and stop the further deterioration of the originals. We will scan, hand-label, and archive photographs from the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest’s historic records and documents collection. At least one volunteer will scan photos using an HP scanner and a MS Windows operating system. Other participants will place historic photos in archive stable photo sleeves and boxes. Photo conservation activities also include removing old labels and relabelling/printing the information from the label onto the back of the photos and sleeves. Volunteers will also type photo information into an Excel spreadsheet on laptops.
Number of openings: 6
Special skills: Must have legible handwriting. (The project leader will request a handwriting sample from potential volunteers after the application deadline.) Scanning, word processing, and database experience helpful but not required
Minimum age: 18 years old
Facilities: Camping, hotels/motels in Rhinelander and surrounding area
Nearest towns: Project in Rhinelander; Eagle River, 30 miles; Minocqua, 30 miles
Applications due: April 21, 2008
WI-3740
August 4-8, 2008
Must commit to full session
The Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, located near the shore of Chequamegon Bay, Wisconsin opened its doors in 1998. The Visitor Center is situated on 180 acres of farmstead that originally belonged to the Milanowski family. Adding to the history of the area is the former Dupont Barksdale Works. This complex was the largest TNT Dupont ammunitions plant operating during World War II.
To kick-off this project, volunteers will attend a two-day Oral History Workshop sponsored by the Forest Service and the Wisconsin Historical Society. The remainder of the week, volunteers will use their new training to interview local residents familiar with the agricultural history of the property, the operations of the University of Wisconsin Ashland Agriculture Station, and the former Dupont Barksdale Works site. Volunteers will also conduct archival research in an effort to obtain a complete historical record of the property. As a break from documentation tasks, we will visit an active archaeological excavation on Lake Owen in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest where an archaeologist will discuss the discoveries and how this project relates to FS historic preservation goals.
Number of openings: 8
Special skills: Historical research experience preferred
Minimum age: 18 years old
Facilities: Numerous hotels and motels; private, city, county, state, and federal campgrounds in Ashland, Washburn and surrounding the area
Nearest towns: Project in Ashland; Washburn, 6 miles; Iron River, 23 miles
Applications due: June 2, 2008
WI-3733
August 17-22, 2008 (including Sunday)
Must commit to full session
The location of this year’s archaeological study will again be along the shores of Lake Owen, one of northwestern Wisconsin’s most scenic and popular recreation destinations. Twenty-three pre-European contact archaeological resources have been identified around the lake, and recent PIT-supported studies have determined that some date back thousands of years. The Lake Owen North Site, the subject of this year’s study, is thought to have been seasonally occupied as early as 4,000 years ago. During this year’s project, volunteers and archaeologists will attempt to confirm the occupation dates and determine activities that took place here. The continuing investigations at Lake Owen are aimed at gathering sufficient information to support a National Register of Historic Places district nomination for the lake’s archaeological resources. Taking a one day break from excavation, we will visit the location of an early 20th century Ojibwe house place, located nearby Lake Owen. During this visit, with the assistance of a descendant of the family who lived there, we will identify, document, and map remnant structural features.
Number of openings: 8-10
Special skills: Experience in archaeological mapping, photography, and drawing helpful but not required; please note previous experience on your application
Minimum age: 18 years old
Facilities: Free camping at the FS Two Lakes Campground with parking spur, fire ring, picnic table, and tent pad; each site can hold 2 tents, or a tent and a RV (under 50 feet); drinking water, vault toilets, pay phone, fishing pier, swimming beaches, boat ramps, dump station, a hiking trail and access to bike trails; no showers; additional camping and motels and resorts within 5 miles, some on the lake itself; Hayward and Ashland are full-service communities
Nearest towns:Drummond, 3 miles; Cable, 10 miles; Ashland, 30 miles; Hayward, 30 miles
Applications due: June 15, 2008
WI-3735
September 22–26, 2008
Must commit to full session
Archaeological excavation is, by its very nature, a destructive process. Following excavation, the artifact collections, photographs, and field notes are all that remain. It is, therefore, critical that these collections and associated records are curated in a manner that allows others to reconstruct the site through review and analysis of the materials. Commonwealth Cultural Resources Group, Inc. (CCRG) is working with the Forest Service to organize and curate Forest Service archaeological collections in accordance with federal guidelines. PIT volunteers will work with CCRG archaeologists at their facility in Minocqua, organizing and repackaging archaeological collections for long-term curation at the Northern Great Lakes Visitors Center (NGLVC), in Ashland, Wisconsin. While comparing collections against inventories, participants will gain a greater understanding of artifact identification and classification. During the course of the project, volunteers will travel to the NGLVC to tour their exhibits and the curation facility.
Number of openings: 6
Special skills: Previous archaeological excavation or laboratory experience preferred
Minimum age: 18 years old
Facilities: State and private campgrounds; motels and resorts in the Minocqua vicinity
Nearest towns: Project in Minocqua; Rhinelander, 30 miles; Eagle River, 30 miles
Applications due: July 27, 2008