Winter Pacific Northwest Archaeological Society (PNWAS) Meeting:
Friday, February 10th, 2012, REI Seattle, 7-9pm
Mapping, Archaeologically Testing, and Modeling an 1880s Logging
Railroad System
By Tyler Graham, Archaeologist and Model Builder, Michael Martin,
Computer Aided Design Professor, SPSCC and Dale Croes, Archaeologist,
SPSCC
An 1880s logging railroad track was found going from one end to the
other of the South Puget Sound Community College campus, Olympia, WA.
Archaeology students began testing the route, finding rail road spikes,
lag and drift bolts and nuts, tobacco cans and a wooden shoring for both
a bridge and trestle. Computer Aided Design students began mapping and
creating a 3-D model of the entire route.
Anthropology Club students were able to obtain support to build a highly
accurate scale HO model from the archaeological testing, mapping, and
historic documentation, including locating one of the locomotives that
ran on this line, the Minnetonka (reconstructed in the HO model). It is
a prize exhibit in the Lake Superior Railroad Museum, Minnesota–the 1st
locomotive owned by Northern Pacific.
The archaeological testing of this logging railroad line and many
discoveries will be shown.
Come hear how the combination of historic research, archaeological
testing, computer aided design mapping and model building bring alive an
important part of the railroad logging history in the Northwest.
DATE: Friday, February 10th, 2012
TIME: 7 pm to 9 pm
PLACE: R.E.I. flagship store in Seattle, 222 Yale Avenue North (Low-cost
public parking in 3-level garage with voucher—provided at meeting)
COST: FREE to members, $10.00 to non-members, $5.00 for SPSRY members
and Students
Refreshments provided (Please bring cookies/snacks to share with the
beverages).
