In this program, which will be the second season of Evergreen's archaeological field school, students will learn the methods of archaeological field practice, including survey, mapping, excavation, and the recording and conservation of artifacts. The site under investigation is the homestead of George Bush and his wife Isabella. They were the first non-native settlers in this state, eventually establishing the community of New Market, which later became Tumwater.  As the first pioneers to settle in Washington Territory, the Bushes were important for the subsequent history of our state. They paved the way for other settlers of all ethnic backgrounds, whose increasing presence helped the United States claim this disputed territory over Great Britain in 1846. Bush's children and grandchildren continued to occupy the land he was granted, and the last residence was not torn down until the 1960's. The goal of the second season of this field school is to complete surface survey and archaeological excavation begun in 2015, and to work on public outreach with the project.

This program follows an alternate schedule:

The program will start in the second week of the second session, on August 1st, and will continue through summer evaluation week; Sep 2nd.

The first two weeks (August 1st- Aug 15th) will be conducted online, with an introduction of archaeological methods and the historical context of the site. Readings and discussions for the first two weeks will all happen on the online program platform. Good access to internet is therefore required for all students.

Presence on campus will be required beginning on August 16th on, when we begin field- and lab-work with an intensive schedule (see below). Since in the second half of the session students will be working outside in the field, they should  be prepared for physical exertion and inclement weather. Students will learn proper excavation and field recording methods, interact with the public, and process the finds. Students will also participate in individual or group research projects about an aspect of this site. In the final week of the program, which falls during summer evaluation week (August 29-Sep 2), students will learn to classify, record, clean, and conserve any artifacts found, and will have the opportunity to contribute to the writing and publication of the final excavation report.