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THE HISTORY OF THE NYSAA: A SUMMARY

Charles F. Hayes III, Lewis Henry Morgan Chapter

Through selected events and dates, the history of the New York State Archaeological Association can be seen responding to the changes in the field of archaeology over the last eighty-one years. In addition, the on-going professional/avocational relationships have indicated that there has been a high degree of cooperation throughout this long period of activity. A long-standing publication program, informative chapter and annual meetings, Native American contacts, and distinctive personalities have all contributed to the overall vigorous image of the NYSAA.

Introduction

The research for this paper has been a very rewarding because archaeology can be a very personal experience as well as a professional career. Looking at New York State archaeology over the last thirty years, one finds that, often without realizing it, we have witnessed some profound changes in the subject. It is not often that such changes occur during any one individual's career. In gathering the data for this presentation I have focused upon information illustrating some of these changes and the implications for all of us concerned with reconstructing the past.

In this short summary an emphasis will be placed upon several key areas of the NYSAA, namely its long history, programs, publications, key personalities, avocational and professional contacts, and relationships with Native Americans. All these areas certainly indicate a strong commitment by NYSAA members to increasing professional standards in the discipline over the last eighty-one years.

NYSAA History

The history of the NYSAA can be conveniently divided into two periods. The first is the first fifty years from 1916 to 1966. These years have been well researched by Michael J. Ripton, former NYSAA President. His paper was published by the Rochester Museum & Science Center in Museum Service (Ripton 1966) and represented an excellent summary of a considerable amount of documentary data in the archives of the Rochester Museum. Since 1966, the practice of routinely publishing in The Bulletin the Executive Committee Minutes, Business Meeting Minutes, and the program of the Annual Meeting has made documenting the NYSAA's activities a great deal easier.

The following are some important years and events that have influenced the NYSAA's archaeological history, particularly in relation to the overall contributions. They are something that we all should be proud of at the time of our 75th Anniversary. It is an impressive record.

1916
On March 7, there was a preliminary meeting of the NYSAA and its local Lewis Henry Morgan Chapter at the home of Alvin H. Dewey of Rochester. Dr. Arthur C. Parker, State Archaeologist, discussed with the group why he thought that there should be an association. Alvin Dewey was elected the first president. On March 17, the Lewis Henry Morgan Chapter was formally adopted, and the New York State Archaeological Society became the New York State Archaeological Association. There were 48 Charter Members. That same year the Van Epps-Hartley Chapter was formed in Fonda, and the Incorporated Long Island Chapter was established in Southold.

Dr. Parker (1881-1955)

1918
The first Researches and Transactions of the NYSAA was published. This was the now famous report on the Richmond Mills Site by Arthur C. Parker (Parker 1918).

1920
This was the first year that women members were invited to attend the Annual Meeting of the NYSAA, and they wore evening clothes.

1921
The membership of the NYSAA reached 322 individuals.

1922
The Board of Regents of the State of New York issued a provisional charter to the NYSAA.

1924
Dr. Arthur C. Parker comes to Rochester as Director of the Rochester Municipal Museum. His influence, along with that of William A. Ritchie, who shortly arrived at the Museum, began a period when the NYSAA and its members excavated at some of the major sites that became the basis for the archaeological sequence in the Northeast.

1933
The NYSAA became a member of the newly formed Eastern States Archaeological Federation.

1935
The Eastern States Archaeological Federation constitution was ratified in Rochester.

1944
Dr. William A. Ritchie's The Pre-Iroquoian Occupations of New York State was published by the Rochester Museum of Arts and Sciences (Ritchie 1944). Many of the data included in this book were the result of participation of NYSAA members and future members throughout New York State.

Dr. Ritchie, May 1950

1950
The Chenango Chapter was founded in Norwich.

1951
The Auringer-Steelye Chapter was founded in Glens Falls.

1958
Incorporated Orange County Chapter was founded in Middletown.

1961
The Frederick M. Houghton Chapter was founded in Buffalo, the Metropolitan Chapter was founded in New York City, and the Mid-Hudson Chapter was founded in Rhinebeck.

1965
Dr. William A. Ritchie's The Archaeology of New York State (Ritchie 1965) was published by The Natural History Press. Once again this volume incorporated a vast amount of information provided by NYSAA members, both professional and avocational.

1966
The NYSAA's 50th Anniversary was celebrated in Rochester with Dr. Marian E. White as President. It was also this year that George Selden of the Morgan Chapter was recognized as the oldest Charter Member. The Eastern States Archaeological Federation met in New York City with the NYSAA as host.

1967
At the Annual Meeting of the NYSAA a resolution was written, published, and disseminated. This was the first major policy statement relative to the lack of progress in highway archaeological site "salvage." The resolution read: "Whereas the New York State Archaeological Association currently expresses deep concern over the continuing destruction of archaeological sites as a result of highway construction: Therefore be it RESOLVED, that the New York State Archaeological Association take steps to contact as many individuals and institutions as possible for the purpose of gaining information and cooperation which will help alleviate this problem."

The Triple Cities Chapter was founded in Binghamton this year, and the Incorporated Upper Susquehanna Chapter was founded in Otego.

1968
Incorporated Orange County Chapter was given special recognition upon its 10th anniversary (1958-1968) at the Annual Meeting in Rome, New York.

1969
A letter was written in resolution form and sent to the New York State Department of Education, the Boy Scout Council, and local and state organizations relative to the lack of proper attention given to archaeology in the New York State school curriculum.

1971
At the Annual Meeting in Binghamton, Louis Brennan was reappointed Editor of The Bulletin after eleven years of service during which the publication made significant progress that was carried into the next decade. Native Americans of the Order of the Arrow performed at the meeting, and Dr. William A. Ritchie was given special recognition upon his retirement as State Archaeologist.

1972
This year saw Dr. William A. Ritchie awarded Life Membership in the NYSAA at the Annual Meeting in Albany. At the same time Dr. Marian E. White announced the formation of the New York Archaeological Council. Thus began a continuing relationship between the NYSAA and NYAC with some overlapping membership and participation at NYSAA Annual Meetings. NYAC began to meet the previous day. Of particular significance was a resolution passed by the NYSAA that Charles S. Pierce, Chair of the NYSAA's New York Indian Committee, "be authorized to communicate with the New York Indians and resolve any conflict that may arise from scientific archaeological excavations." This was one of the first measures to address increasing Native American concerns about archaeology and archaeological collections.

1973
At Newburg, New York, at the Annual Meeting there was considerable discussion by the membership with Lilita Bergs on the need for an updated Site Register for New York State. This was the beginning of an intense effort to consolidate the many site names and numbers existing in various institutions. With the input of the New York Archaeological Council and activities by the New York State Museum, this initial effort has now progressed significantly with the assistance of computerization. NYSAA members could now register their sites within a streamlined system.

1974
In Rochester at the Annual Meeting a festschrift for Dr. William A. Ritchie was authorized by the NYSAA and entitled Current Perspectives in Northeastern Archaeology (Funk and Hayes 1977). As with other comprehensive publications on New York State Archaeology, many NYSAA members contributed in one way or another to the data presented.

The William Beauchamp Chapter was founded in Syracuse.

1975
The Chenango Chapter was host to the Annual Meeting. This chapter embarked upon a very active program that exists today along with a very impressive record of publication through its Bulletin. The NYSAA was saddened this year by the death of Dr. Marian E. White, who had been a strong believer in close avocational-professional communication.

Dr. White, ca. 1955

1976
At the Annual Meeting President Elizabeth Dumont expressed concern for the need for public archaeology in New York State since such a concept was gaining popular recognition throughout the United States. The NYSAA also expressed its support for the relatively new field of historical archaeology.

1977
Again at the Annual Meeting on Long Island, President Henry Wemple emphasized that public archaeology was going to be very important in the future and that NYSAA members should participate as much as possible.

1978
Held at Pauling, New York, this Annual Meeting featured a symposium on the Archaic. These papers were eventually published in The Bulletin No. 75 with an impressive array of contributors.

1979
Rochester was the host for this 63rd Annual Meeting at which Dr. William A. Ritchie was the featured speaker. It was also during this year that Louis Brennan began his series of editorials on the need for a better understanding between avocational and professional archaeologists as the degree of technical and theoretical expertise required increased. A very significant announcement was made at the Annual Meeting when it was made public that the Rock Foundation, Inc. had acquired the collections of Charles Wray, Donald Cameron, and other avocational archaeologists for the Rochester Museum & Science Center. Since then, NYSAA members have been continually involved in fieldwork, publication, conferences, and fellowships related to these collections.

Wray & Cameron, Cameron Site

1980
The Annual Meeting in Syracuse featured a symposium on the Laurentian Archaic. Dr. James Tuck was the main speaker.

The Louis A. Brennan Lower Hudson Chapter was founded in Katonah.

1981
This year, following the trend of addressing major issues and topics at the Annual Meeting, there was a symposium on Avocational and Professional Relationships. This meeting in Norwich opened up many controversial subjects to the membership and made many members realize that the NYSAA had to change with the times in order to avoid becoming moribund because of personal conflicts.

1982
The Annual Meeting was held in Buffalo with major discussions related to the NYSAA's concern for budget cuts in the funds for historic preservation. At the same time it was decided to transfer the NYSAA Library to MALFA in Katonah in the hopes that there would be increased usage. Since then the library has continued to exist there, although there are still issues of cataloguing and circulation to members to be addressed.

1983
The NYSAA was saddened by the death of Louis Brennan, Editor of The Bulletin, and a long-time member of the association. The New York Archaeological Council began to meet at the same time as the NYSAA Annual Meeting with issues of considerable mutual concern being aired. With development and subsequent site destruction taking place on a very large scale, NYSAA members were made to realize that NYAC's problems were in many cases the NYSAA's problems as well.

Louis Brennan at work

1984
At the Annual Meeting in Middletown there were increasing concerns by the NYSAA about legislation related to archaeology and site preservation.

1985
In April of this year at the time of the Annual Meeting in Oneonta, the NYSAA was saddened by the sudden death of Charles F. Wray, past President and constant supporter of avocational archaeology throughout New York State. Also at this meeting a NYSAA questionnaire was discussed in detail. This document attempted to sound out the NYSAA membership and the chapters with respect to a variety of archaeological and organizational matters. In effect the NYSAA was trying to step back and look at itself before planning for the future.

1986
At the Annual Meeting in Middletown there were increased concerns about environmental impact statements and archaeology in New York State. It was also at this time that the NYSAA decided to utilize Archaeological Services headed by Dr. Roger Moeller. With centralized mailings and membership tracking, it was felt that the NYSAA could address the problem of keeping the organization viable.

1988
At the 72nd Annual Meeting in Albany the festschrift for Louis Brennan was approved for compilation over the next few years. Legislation at this time concentrated upon shipwrecks and who has jurisdiction in the United States.

1989
The Flint Mine Hill situation was a major issue for the NYSAA this year. The New York Archaeological Council worked closely with the NYSAA in an attempt to preserve this very important site. Native Americans presented their views at this meeting on a variety of issues.

1990
The 74th Annual Meeting at Sparrowbush, New York, was again saddened by the passing of another NYSAA staunch supporter, William Ehlers. At the same time, however, the 75th Anniversary Meeting Committee was formed with the hopes that many of Bill's expectations could be realized in 1991. Legislative matters focused upon repatriation and its implications for archaeology.

1991
The NYSAA's 75th Annual Meeting in Rochester appropriately brought the organization back to the location where it was formed in 1916. The program was essentially a retrospective look at one of the oldest and most respected archaeological associations in the nation. Of course, the presentation by Dr. William Sturtevant on Lewis Henry Morgan as a collector can be considered a highlight of the meeting and pointed out the NYSAA's long-standing involvement with both archaeology and ethnology in the Northeast.

1992
The Adirondack Chapter was founded in Ft. Edward, N.Y.

1994
The Thousand Islands Chapter was founded in Clayton, N.Y.

2006
The Finger Lakes Chapter was founded in Ithaca, N.Y.

NYSAA Scientific Publications

No history of the NYSAA would be complete without discussing the publication of the results of all these efforts by NYSAA members over the years. It is here that the NYSAA can be truly proud of its record. With the first Researches and Transactions published in 1918, the first Occasional Papers in 1958, and the first Bulletin issued in 1954, there has been practically an unbroken series of informative monographs and articles on the archaeology and ethnology of New York State. What is of importance to all concerned with the future of the NYSAA is that throughout the history of publishing, contributions have been made by both avocational and professional archaeologists. This has been accomplished because of the informality of the Annual Meetings and the willingness of professionals to assist others in writing up reports and preparing them for publication by the various editors over the years.

A few statistics might be of interest at this time. The initial research was done by former NYSAA President Richard J. McCracken in 1988 when he assembled a history of The Bulletin. Someday this manuscript should be updated and published along with a comprehensive index of all NYSAA publications. As of the end of 1990 there were:

Researches and Transactions 17 volumes 1836 pages
Occasional Papers 4 issues 254 pages
The Bulletin 101 issues 3071 pages
Total 5161 pages

It would, of course, be beyond the scope of this immediate paper to list the names of all the subjects covered in all these publications. At this point it is enough to say that for a great many years outside of some major papers in American Antiquity and Pennsylvania Archaeologist, for example, the bulk of the archaeological data from New York State was disseminated through these periodic publications. Today there are many other national, state and other outlets for New York State research, but you will almost always find references to these basic documents.

Finally, in looking over the NYSAA's membership-at-large list it can be seen that the Association has attracted over the years a significant number, averaging perhaps fifty each year, of libraries, museums, and university anthropology departments. The geographic range extends across both Canada and the United States. With NYSAA publications in these institutions, the membership should realize that archaeological information submitted has and will be of lasting value to science.

Contacts with Native Americans

In the early years of the NYSAA it is apparent that many members, particularly in western New York, were in contact with Native Americans. This was especially true when Dr. Arthur C. Parker arrived in the area and became active both in archaeology and ethnology. His visits to Tonawanda, Allegany, and Cattaraugus often involved trips to archaeological sites as well as to visit traditionalists, craftspersons, and urban Iroquois. At the same time Native Americans were encouraged to participate in a variety of programs both at the Rochester Museum and in several parks in Rochester. If one looks at the early reports in the Researchers and Transactions, one can read about numerous occasions when some of the early NYSAA and Lewis Henry Morgan Chapter members appeared publicly at Iroquois dances, ceremonies, and functions that recognized the Iroquois and their influence on the region. Many Iroquois were involved at the Rochester Museum in the Indian Arts Project, and for years afterwards they maintained contacts through special programs. The New York State Museum and other museums have had similar contacts with local Native Americans in their attempts to extend the knowledge of the Iroquois based upon the archaeological record to one based upon ethnohistory and contemporary events. Individual chapter and NYSAA programs. Dolores Elliott of Triple Cities Chapter maintained her interest in archaeology while at the same time encouraging Native American arts and crafts through the Otsiningo Project now located at the Waterman Conservation Education Center near Binghamton. At the 75th Annual Meeting we were fortunate to be able to have Ganondagan State Historic Site opened for NYSAA members through the courtesy of Peter Jemison, Site Manager, and himself a Seneca. In the future the NYSAA membership will undoubtedly be involved with legislative matters resulting from the passage of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act now known as Public Law 101-601.

Summmary

One of the major trends that appears throughout the history of the New York State Archaeological Association is that the membership has consistently kept up with current trends in archaeology. A glance at the programming over the years indicates that the individual chapters and the NYSAA itself has had an impressive array of speakers. Archaeology in New York State has been continually described and complemented with up-to-date research in all parts of the world. It is this kind of programming over seventy-five years that has enabled the membership to gain an archaeological perspective not always present in other associations where the outlook is sometimes regional.

Charles Hayes at the Cornish Site

References Cited

Funk, Robert E. and Charles F. Hayes III: 1977 Current Perspectives in Northeastern Archeology. Essays in Honor of William A. Ritchie. Researches and Transactions of the New York State Archeological Association 17(1).
Parker, Arthur C.: 1918 A Prehistoric Iroquoian Site on the Reed Farm, Richmond Mills, Ontario County, New York. Researches and Transactions of the New York State Archeological Association 1(1) Morgan Chapter, Press of C.F. Milliken and Company, Canandaigua, New York.
Ripton, Michael J.: 1966 Museum Salutes 50th Anniversary of the New York State Archeological Association. Museum Service, Bulletin of the Rochester Museum of Arts and Sciences 39: 58-60.
Ritchie, William A.: 1944 The Pre-Iroquoian Occupations of New York State. Rochester Museum Memoir No. 1. Rochester Museum of Arts and Sciences. Rochester.; 1965 The Archaeology of New York State. Natural History Press, Garden City, New York.