Past Field School Sites

Site names and numbers are color coded. Red indicates a prehistoric site. Blue denotes a historic period site. Click here for a Kansas county map showing locations of KATP sites. The same color coding is used on this map. Click on thumbnail of photo for a larger view.

1996 - 2002 1991 - 1995 1982 - 1990 1975 - 1981

1990 - Sheridan County, Albert Bell Site (14SD305) & Cottonwood Ranch (14SD327)

A total of 120 KAA volunteers donated 6,200 hours during the KATP investigations at these two sites.
The Albert Bell Site is an earthlodge habitation site culturally affiliated with Middle Ceramic period Upper Republican peoples.
The Cottonwood Ranch consists of a late nineteenth century sheep ranch. The native stone house (constructed 1885-1896) and outbuildings (built 1891-1892) symbolize English settlement and ranching on the High Plains of northwestern Kansas. The Pratt family maintained elements of their British heritage in the construction of the buildings and in their daily activities. The site is currently owned and operated by the Kansas State Historical Society as a museum facility and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Reported in: William B. Lees (1990) "Report: 1990 Kansas Archeology Training Program," KAA Newsletter 2(4):1-3; and William B. Lees and John D. Reynolds (1991) "History and Prehistory the Subject of Sheridan County Expedition," Kansas Preservation 13(4):1-4.

1989 - Comanche County, Booth Site (14CM406)

During the 1989 KATP event, 130 KAA members volunteered approximately 5,590 hours in the study of this Middle Ceramic period Wilmore complex site.
Reported in: William B. Lees and John D. Reynolds (1989) "Fifteenth Annual Training Program Dig Held in Comanche County," Kansas Preservation 11(6):6-7; William B. Lees (1990) Chronological Placement of the Booth Site: Implications for the Wilmore Complex and Southern Plains Culture History; Martin Stein (1991) "Booth Site Provides Preservation Example," Kansas Preservation 13(2):5-7. Report on file, Archeology Office, Kansas State Historical Society; C. Tod Bevitt (1999) "An Archeologist's Notebook: The Wilmore Complex of the Middle Ceramic Period on the Southern High Plains of South-Central and Southwest Kansas," Kansas Preservation 21(1):5-7, 12; and C. Tod Bevitt (1999) "Life on the High Plains Border: Archeological Investigation of Three Late Prehistoric Habitation Sites in Southwest Kansas," The Kansas Anthropologist 20:1-106 and (2001) "Cache or Trash? The Characteristics of Two Lithic Features from the Booth Site (14CM406), Comanche County, Kansas," The Kansas Anthropologist 22:15-32.

1988 - Harper County, Hallman Site (14HP524)

This site is culturally affiliated with the Bluff Creek complex dating from the Middle Ceramic period (ca. A.D. 1000 - 1500). During the project 128 KAA volunteers donated 6,400 hours of labor.
Reported in: Randall M. Thies (1989) "A Preliminary Report on the Hallman Site and the 1988 Kansas Archeology Training Program," Journal of the KAA 9(9):174-199; Randall M. Thies (1989) "KAA Members Make Archeological Discovery in Harper County," Kansas Preservation 11(2):2-3; Marie H. Huhnke (1999) "Artifact Analysis Reveals Bustling A.D. 1100 Farmstead", Kansas Preservation 21(4):9, 12-13; Marie H. Huhnke (2000) "The Hallman Site (14HP524), Harper County, Kansas: New Light on Bluff Creek," The Kansas Anthropologist 21:1-33; Shelly Berger (2003) "Pots and Posts from Hallman, 14HP524, a Bluff Creek Phase Site in Harper County, Kansas," Unpublished Master's thesis, Department of Anthropology, University of Kansas, Lawrence; and Shelly Berger (2004) "Ceramic Artifacts from the Hallman Site (14HP524), A Bluff Creek Complex Site in Harper County, Kansas," The Kansas Anthropologist 25: 75-124.

1987 - Shawnee County, Hard Chief's Village (14SH301)

This earthlodge village site was occupied by Kansa Indians during the early Historic period. A total of 199 KAA members volunteered 9,950 hours toward archeological investigations at this site.
Reported in: John D. Reynolds (1987) "Hard Chief's Village was Site of 1987 KAA Excavations," Kansas Preservation 9(6):1-3; Randall M. Thies (1988) "Hard Chief's Village and the 1987 Kansas Archeology Training Program," Journal of the KAA 8(4 & 5):86-108; and James O. Marshall (2000) "Archeology at Hard Chief's Village: An Introductory Study of the Kansa Indian Experience in the American West, 1806-1846", The Kansas Anthropologist 21:57-89.

1986 - Rice County, C.F. Thompson Site (14RC9)

This Great Bend aspect village site is listed with the Tobias Site as the Tobias-Thompson National Historic Landmark. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Little River Archeological District. During the 1986 KATP 81 volunteers donated approximately 3,483 hours of labor at the site.
Reported in: Martin Stein (1986) "KAA Archeological Survey Completed in McPherson and Rice Counties," Kansas Preservation 8(5):4; and Thomas A. Witty (1986) "1986 Society Dig Held at C.F. Thompson Site in Rice County," Kansas Preservation 8(6):4-5.

1985 - Franklin County, Jotham Meeker Farmstead (14FR308)

This historic farmstead site was occupied from 1844 - 1855 as part of the Baptist mission to the Ottawas. The farmstead and an associated printing office were excavated. A total of 4,500 hours were volunteered during this project by 96 KAA volunteers.
Reported in: William B. Lees (1985) "Kansas Archeology Training Program Investigates Jotham Meeker Farmstead," Kansas Preservation 7(6):1-3; and William B. Lees (1986) Jotham Meeker's Farmstead: Historical Archeology at the Ottawa Baptist Mission, Kansas. Kansas State Historical Society Anthropological Series Number 13.

1984 - Comanche County, Bell Site (14CM407)

The Bell Site is a Wilmore complex site occupied during the Middle Ceramic period (ca. A.D. 1000 - 1500). During this KATP event 2,021 hours of labor were donated by 47 KAA members.
Reported in: Don Rowlison (1984) "Excavations at the Bell Site Provide New Information from South-Central Kansas," Kansas Preservation 6(6):1-2; Don Rowlison (1985) "A Preliminary Report of the Bell Site and the 1984 Kansas Archeology Training Program," Journal of the KAA 5(3):117-129; Joseph E. Beaver (1999) "Faunal Analysis of the Bell Site (14CM407): Implications for Wilmore Complex Subsistence," The Kansas Anthropologist 20:107-122; C. Tod Bevitt (1999) "An Archeologist's Notebook: The Wilmore Complex of the Middle Ceramic Period on the Southern High Plains of South-Central and Southwest Kansas," Kansas Preservation 21(1):5-7, 12; and C. Tod Bevitt (1999) "Life on the High Plains Border: Archeological Investigation of Three Late Prehistoric Habitation Sites in Southwest Kansas," The Kansas Anthropologist 20:1-106.

1983 - Rice County, Crandall Site (14RC420)

This is a Little River focus Great Bend aspect habitation site. Eighty-two KAA volunteers donated 2,799 hours toward the study of this Protohistoric period (ca. A.D. 1541 - 1800) site.
Reported in: Don Rowlison (1983) "Central Kansas Site is Location of KAA Dig," Kansas Preservation 6(1):1-3; and Randall M. Thies (1987) "From the Pueblos to the Plains: Origins of Certain Southwestern Sherds Found at Saxman and Crandall," Journal of the KAA 6(9):226-232.

1982 - Norton County, Le Beau Site (14NT301)

The Le Beau Site was an Upper Republican phase (Central Plains tradition) earthlodge site occupied during the Middle Ceramic period (ca. A.D. 1000 - 1500). During the 1982 KATP, 89 KAA members volunteered approximately 3,827 hours of labor.
Reported in: Don Rowlison (1982) "KAA Dig in Northwest Kansas a Success," Kansas Preservation 4(6):1-2; and Don Rowlison (1983) "The Le Beau Site, 14NT301: A Preliminary Report of the Eighth Annual Kansas Archeology Training Program," Journal of the KAA 4(1-3):2-12.