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Contract Archeology Program

The contract archeology program at the Kansas Historical Society began in 1971, with the signing of a cooperative agreement between the Historical Society and the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). That agreement allowed for the evaluation of the potential impact of highway projects on cultural resources, and for survey, testing, and major excavations when necessary. Though similar agreements have been signed with other agencies, most notably the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), work for KDOT continues as the core of the Contract Archeology Program. Contract archeology investigations allow KDOT, NRCS, and other entities to comply with federal and state cultural resources regulations, while offering the opportunity to investigate Kansas prehistory and history. Many investigations undertaken through the Contract Archeology Program have been published in the Historical Society's contract archeology series, and others will follow as analysis and writing projects currently underway reach completion.

KDOT Borrow Areas
Certain KDOT projects require the construction contractor to borrow fill dirt from other locations or dispose of dirt onto a location. That activity too must be reviewed for any impact on possible archeological sites. Contractors involved in such projects should use the following form to submit their project information to the Contract Archeology Program.
Borrow Area Request form (PDF)

Further information about the contract archeology program may be obtained by contacting:

Contract Archeology Program
Administrative Officer
Kansas Historical Society
6425 SW 6th Avenue
Topeka, Kansas 66615
785-272-8681, ext. 258
FAX: 785-272-8682
kshs.landaccess@ks.gov