As my interests in photography shifted towards using a large format camera the people I worked with in Kampsville were very generous in allowing me to impose on them for the time consuming process of standing in front of my camera on a tripod while I used a dark cloth to adjust my focus and composition.
I think it is a lovely body of work. Without their support of my photography we would not have it.
Jason is the current director of the Center for American ArcheologyPosing outside the main office back doorTwo of the (then) current graduate students posing in front of the “Repository” building on the North end of town. Even though the “repos” is built a long way from the river and on higher ground, as you can see by the levee of sandbags-still to be cleaned up, it still needs extra protection at current flooding levels.Archeology Grad Student 2020A long time supporter of the archeoligists in Kampsville and town Mayor for the past 20 years. He used to own the local service station. At one point in time or another most of his family members (wife and daughters) also worked for the Archeology Foundation. A true gentleman.. (Sadly about a year after this image was made, Red Eye passed away)Lisanne and Larry. She was instrumental in developing and improving the teaching curriculum. Larry went on to complete his PhD and has done archeology and research all over r the world. (Not to mention he has also published a number of interesting books).in the 1960’s there were some extensive excavations during the Tennessee Valley Authority project. Vern became friends with and volunteered for Greg Perino during that era. When Greg did some excavations in the Kampsville area in the mid-sixties Vern was there to lend a hand. In 1969 and 1970 when Koster started to evolve into a major excavation, Vern was there. When I met him in 1971 he was in his 70’s. Through all of the hundreds of days of hard work Vern was there doing the grudge work (screening dirt) and acting as a cheerleader, father figure and mentor to the hundreds of young men and women who came to Koster. He was the glue that bound the crew together. On rare occasions he would take out the black powder rifle and teach a lucky few how to shoot. Or, when spirits were really low a jug of hard cider might materialize. Wiser in the ways of archeology than most of the young students…he was always there to advise… when asked. He was a mentor and a friend. Occasiononally I would head to Carlyle Il and visit him at home.After his teaching facility in Kampsville was destroyed by floods, John Left the Foundation and purchased a piece of property South of town where he built his own teaching campus with re-creations of multiple pre-historic house designs. Here you can see him posing for the camera inside one of his Middle Woodland homes.Heather taught in the Field School Program. Don, worked with Jane Buikstra’s crew on Mortuary sites. The tow of them worked in Kampsville for many years.Karen Attwell was a fixture around Kampsville for many years. She continued to be an asset to both the Field School Program and the Contract program up until the time that both were downsized and she had to move on. I have heard that she successfully started her own Contract Archeology Consulting business and is still active in the field. Here you can see her drawing a mound profile. Also in this image you can see rectangular chunks of soil removed at regular intervals. This was more than likely for either pollen, snail, or flotation sampling.In 1971 I met Ed’s older sister Pepe when I assisted her and Steve Noble in digging a test square at Koster that was 35 feet below ground surface. A couple of years later Ed came for a short visit with his High School and just like me fell in love with Kampsville. Also like me he chose not to stick with “pure” archeology. He gravitated towards geology and geomorphology (of archeological sites). Post Kampsville/Koster after completing his Doctorate he went on to be one of the best in his field.Julie and I met by chance during a disaster of a roundtrip from Carbondale to Chicago. It turns out we had many mutual friends at school. A chance comment at a potluck supper led her to be employed for a period of time in Kampsville. One of my favorite buildings that was purchased by the foundation was the old drug store. The windows still had the vintage Coca-Cola advertising.Pete was one of the nicest and most capable individuals I have ever met. He was married to a retired school teacher named Margarite; who was instrumental in working with Stuart to set up the first museum. It seems like every time you blinked Stuart purchased another building in town. They all needed a Herculean effort to sort out and maintain. All of the labs need sample drying racks built. Drying racks needed to be fabricated. Toilets needed to be unclogged. Leaky faucets needed fixing. Somehow with good cheer and grace Pete did it all.Chip’s father was also a well known Archeologist in Arkansas. You might say that Chip was a second generation excavator.Unknown Contract worker 1980’sJim Novelli, Spent a number of years at Koster, transitioned to the contract program and eventually married and settled down near Kampsville.One rainy day (between field school groups) we decided to explore the nooks and crannies of the old bank building. Surprisingly it turned up a few interesting relics. Old wooden boxes, a WW1 ere German Helmet, a small quantity of Bank of Kampsville complimentary calendar plates from 1929. I think there were 7 of us there that day, and there were 7 plates. I still have mine.Another Archeologist of great reknown who came to Kampsville and to do research and teach was Prof. Howard Winters.Ray’s parents were friends of Stuart Struever. When he was a teen he participated in some of Stuart’s earliest projects (pre-doctorate). Down to earth, very capable and worked well with local farmers. During the multi-year large contract project Ray was our go to for intial Phase One and Phase Two inspection of the route of the entire projected highway project.For many, many years Dave was the resident statistician and Nancy was the Resident Botanist. Both skills were absolutely critical in anylizing data and writing reports. Nancy was also an expert on local Flora/Plant life.From left to right: Treg Wyden, Lis Anne Bartram, Larry Bartram, Lynn Cowen and 2-unidentified Field School employees. After the river started flooding the Bano sold the old bank building to the foundation. It was used as an office for the Field School Program. Note: The bank vault and safe.Unknown Contract worker 1980’s working at drafting tableKarl was part of the original crew at Koster in 1969. At that point in time he was working on his graduate degree in Archeology. Although he never finished his graduate degree, Karl and His Wife Donna became and essential part of the succes in Kampsville. Eventually they retired and moved to a small farm a few miles South of town. Their occasianonal gatherings/hog roasts were always an event to look forward to.A gathering at the Udesen Farm. Every so often all of the various crews would gather for a social event. This late fall event was at the farm of Carl and Donna Udesen. This photograph was made about the time that the program in Kampsville was just about at its apogee. This is probably the greatest and most diverse group of anthropologists and archeologists ever assembled on one large project. In just a few short years after this photograph was made both the field school program and the contract archeology program started to wind down. In the diaspora that followed the individuals in this image went on to do great things in many fields of endeavor. As this image was made a long time ago, unfortunately many of our comrades (like so much of Kampsville itself) are no longer with us.Working long hours and living in sometimes relatively primitive conditions created sort an esprit de corps amongst the crew. We worked hard, we played hard and…. After an afternoon of working with some samples in the shed behind the old hardware store it was time to throw the Frisbee around and relax. On this day, like many other days, my friends when asked, indulged me and patiently waited while I set up the Deardorff 5×7 to make a photograph. Seated at the table (clockwise starting from front left) Mike Wiant, Gwen, Frieda Odell, Julia Clifton, Phyllis George, Frank Cowen, George Odell, Larry Bartram, Lis Anne Bartram. At least 5 Ph.D.’s are seated at this table. After Kampsville all of these amazing people went on to do great things in their respective fields. A gathering at the Udesen Farm. Every so often all of the various crews would gather for a social event. This late fall event was at the farm of Carl and Donna Udesen. This photograph was made about the time that the program in Kampsville was just about at its apogee. This is probably the greatest and most diverse group of anthropologists and archeologists ever assembled on one large project. In just a few short years after this photograph was made both the field school program and the contract archeology program started to wind down. In the diaspora that followed the individuals in this image went on to do great things in many fields of endeavor. As this image was made a long time ago, unfortunately many of our comrades (like so much of Kampsville itself) are no longer with us.When I met him in 1971 he was working on his Ph.D. It was a study of wear patterns on pre-historic Lithics. Like some in his field, gainful post doctorate employmant was difficult. Consequentially he spent a number of years post doctorate teaching Field School. Eventually he started his own business and moved away from Kampsville.George Odell was a classically trained European Archeologist who brought an amazing level of old world expertise to Kampsville. But more than that he was an amazing co-worker. The evenings spent at his and Freida’s house around thair bay grand were som eof the best evenings of my life. When George left Kampsville he went on to spent the rest of his career at the Gilcrease Institute in Tulsa.Unknown Contract worker 1980’sData analysis and site write up is just as important as site excavation. I do not remember this mans name. We referred to our crew of in town writers and artists as “townies”.
