Join SCAS for “The Evolution of a Historic Property Treatment Plan: Two Years at P-31-001730 in Lincoln, Placer County, California,” a talk by Theadora Fuerstenberg, MA, Registered Professional Archaeologist. The talk will be held on June 8, 2017, at 7:30 pm at the Santa Cruz Live Oak Grange Hall at 1900 17th Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062 (click here for Google Maps directions).

A prehistoric, Middle-Archaic archaeological site in the Sierra Foothills, comprised of two bedrock milling stations and an extensive midden deposit, is situated in the middle of a planned housing development. It was identified in January 2015, tested in July 2015, and its eligibility was concurred upon by the Army Corps of Engineers and the State Historic Preservation Officer in July 2016. Preliminary obsidian hydration testing dates the site to circa 1,250 BP (Before Present). This talk describes the efforts made concerning avoidance, minimization, and mitigation of adverse effects to this site, and specifically touches on the extensive efforts employed by archaeologists and government agencies to finally decide on measures for a Historic Property Treatment Plan (HPTP). The HPTP dictates data recovery (excavation) for a portion of the site, and a preservation-in-place (capping) treatment for the remainder. However, these methods are far from cut-and-dry in the foothills. Come hear the saga of how this came to pass, and hear the most recent updates on progress at this site!

Theadora Furstenberg, MA, RPA, began her career in Minnesota in 2004. After graduating from the University of Minnesota, she spent a year conducting burial recovery excavations in the Midwest before moving to California to establish residency and apply for graduate school. Over the past 12 years, she has worked in nearly every county in California, and in most counties in Nevada, for a dozen firms, conducting archival and background research, performing and directing large and complex archaeological survey, excavation, and laboratory analysis of prehistoric and historic-era sites and collections, and writing research designs, management plans, and reports for archaeological and cultural resource management projects. Ms. Fuerstenberg’s Master’s thesis focused on influences between Native American groups and archaeologists under consultation pursuant to Federal and California state legislation. She presented a comprehensive history of consultation through the progression of legislation, and conducted ethnographic interviews with both Native American tribal members and professional archaeologists to demonstrate that consultation is a circular, progressive, and ongoing process. Ms. Fuerstenberg is an active volunteer at Sonoma State’s Anthropological Studies Center, and continues to mentor new and incoming students. She is currently a Senior Archaeologist for ECORP Consulting, Inc., in Rocklin, California.