History of Antiques -Tuesday April 1st at SRAC

History of Antiques 

By Henry Evans, Local Auctioneer/Collector 

Tuesday, April 1st, 6:30 – 7:30pm 

At SRAC 345 Broad Street Waverly, NY

ONE FREE APPRAISAL AFTER THE PRESENTATION!

Local auctioneer and antique collector Henry Evans will give the audience a history lesson of antiques dating from the mid 19th century to the 1960’s while explaining what becomes a collectable and why. Bring one item (smaller than a breadbox) and get a fair market price after the presentation!

Admission is $7 for adults, $4 for SRAC members. Free admission to the SRAC exhibit hall is included in the admission price.

SRAC’s Annual Giving Campaign is Underway

SRAC's Ted Keir (shown here with Macy Waschezen and Sarah Brown)  turns 90 this year

(WAVERLY, NY) The Susquehanna River Archaeological Center (SRAC) annual Giving Campaign is currently underway. The Center which is located at 345 Broad Street in Waverly, NY recently celebrated their 10th year and has approximately 300 members and operates totally on a volunteer staffing. The Center does not accept state or federal funding and relies on donations as a major portion of the funds that keep their organization alive. Some other interesting facts about the Center include that they are open 5 days a week year round, have had their artifacts and research published in NY and PA scientific journals, national magazines, and books, it houses thousands of local artifacts found by collectors in our region, university grad students have used SRAC as a resource for thesis work, and that two of the three SRAC Co-Founders Ted Keir and Dick Cowles both do tours each week at the Center and will be turning 90 this year.

SRAC’s Deb Twigg added, “SRAC has become an important place for not only collectors and researchers, but also for locals who now have a museum that celebrates our local prehistoric and Native American past through archaeology available right here in their own back yard. But we are a young organization with no large endowment or savings account yet, and we literally work to survive monthly at this point. That’s why I hope people support our mission and our efforts by donating what they can during our campaign this year. We could not possibly survive without it.”

Items for Resale: Certain items donated to SRAC (non artifact donations!) can be resold by SRAC to raise funds.  Please call SRAC today at 607-565-7960 if you have household items, lawn items, vehicles, or other items we can resell to raise funds. You will receive a donation letter with the amount raised for you to claim on next years taxes!

Donations made to are tax deductible and can be made online at www.sracenter.org/donate or mailed to SRAC, PO box 12, Sayre, PA 18840.

SRAC article published in Ancient American Magazine

Copies of the Ancient American magazine with Twigg’s article are available at the Susquehanna River Archaeological Center (SRAC) gift shop

(WAVERLY, NY) “Who were the people who lived in our region before the Iroquois?” This one question has driven The Susquehanna River Archaeological Center’s Deb Twigg for over a decade. First published in 2005 in the Pennsylvania Archaeologist scientific journal, Twigg continues her research that gives archaeologists and researchers new insights to our local prehistoric past. The latest article she has written has just been published in the “Ancient American” magazine, and relates to pottery found in a burial site in Athens, PA. According to Twigg, the article has spurred so much interest that she has also been invited to present at the New York State Archaeology Conference in Oneonta, NY in April.

“This area is really important and has many sites that hold the key to unlocking our understanding of the prehistoric people that lived here, and although people like Ellsworth Cowles and Louise Welles Murray wrote extensively on our sites in their lifetimes, I just felt that we have more questions to be answered and wanted to do my part.” Twigg continued,” The latest article centers on the Susquehannocks who lived here before the Iroquois and the pottery that was found in an ancient grave in Athens, PA. This pottery could in fact shed new light on who the Susquehannocks were and where they came from.” SRAC is also developing an extensive research library to make rare archaeology and historical resources available to other researchers interested in serious research concerning the region’s Native American past.

Copies of the Ancient American magazine with Twigg’s article are available at the Susquehanna River Archaeological Center (SRAC) gift shop at 345 Broad Street, Waverly, NY. photo caption: Twigg's article in the Ancient American magazine

SRAC is Officially Part of the NYS Path Through History!

Signs went up Thursday, 3/27 in Waverly, NY

Path Through History gives visitors to NYS an opportunity to learn about and visit the hundreds of museums, parks, galleries and other destinations that help tell the important story of New York and the role it has played in our nation’s history. Through the interactive website they are working on, you will be able to plan a trip, find out about special events or get a glimpse of some of the important people and events that helped make our country great. With over 500 hundred destinations located throughout the entire state you are sure to find the “path” that is right for you. SRAC is proud to be recognized as an important part of the NYS story in America's history.

Help.

Please consider supporting SRAC and our mission. Our survival depends on you. Thanks for whatever you can do.

2014 SRAC Request for Support

Pine Needle Basket Making Class April 12th

Would you like to learn how to make items the way Native Americans did for centuries – with long

pine needles collected from nature? If so, be sure to sign up for this class made available by The Crooked River Artisan Co-Op at 358 Broad Street in Waverly, NY on April 12th from 1-4pm. This class focuses on materials and tools, construction, and finishing. Baskets and pots are not the only things you can make with pine needles; you can also create picture frames, lampshades, and other decorative items. But first, you must learn the basics. This fun-filled class will introduce you to them. Cost is $45 which includes instruction and materials. Taught by Carol Lukovich of Vestal, NY. To enroll email Deb@teaoga.com, or call 607-565-7329.

Wennawoods Publishing Partners up with SRAC AGAIN!

Ron and Kris Wenning, owners of Wennawoods Publishing

Ron and Kris Wenning, owners of Wennawoods Publishing company have published over 40 hard cover books dedicated to the early frontier history of Pennsylvania and have been avid supporters of the Susquehanna River Archaeological Center (SRAC) for nearly a decade. They have donated hundreds of books and maps over the years to us to support our cause and to help us raise funds. Most recently, they have donated several high quality collector prints that we also have added to our museum.

I can't stress enough the added value that a visitor gets when they walk in to our museum and see not only thousands of artifacts left by the people who first inhabited our region, but can also experience imagery of these people as they were when the first white settlers entered this region.Then add the fact that they can then visit our gift shop and purchase many books and other resources to learn more about this part of our history and the experience is truly one-of-a-kind and rare for a small museum such as ours.

During their most recent trip Ron and Kris have again floored us with their generosity by telling us that they are donating the third print of each of their books in inventory to our ever growing Research Library. I want to personally thank my dear friends for ALL that they have done for us over the years, your generosity and friendship to all of us at SRAC is deeply appreciated. Thank you , Thank you , Thank you!

To learn more about Wennawoods or to order their books, maps or prints online, visit http://www.wennawoods.com today!

NYSAA Meeting Preliminary Program Details

This year's NYSAA Meeting will include a program by SRAC's own Deb Twigg! Consider attending!

2014 NYSAA Preliminary Program

NYSAA Award Nominees

Dear NYSAA Member, As the days become longer and signal a possible end to this seemingly endless winter, our thoughts turn to the quickly approaching Annual Meeting—this year in Oneonta. I hope your Chapter has had a busy and rewarding year. Are there people who have made important contributions that you want to recognize with an Award at the Annual Meeting? An Award can be a nice way to thank members who have helped to make your Chapter successful. It can also be a great way to recognize people who have made significant contributions to NYS archaeology. Awards can help to encourage other members to contribute in the future. Remember that Award recipients can include people providing special help with an event or with monthly meetings. They can also be used to recognize significant fieldwork, analysis, or contributing to a monograph as a junior author or author of a specialized appendix. Does your Chapter have someone whose work qualifies them to be considered for election as a Fellow of NYSAA? Has someone completed a major piece of work that might qualify for the Achievement Award? Does your Chapter have someone who has devoted a lifetime to furthering New York state archaeology and should that person be considered for the Theodore Whitney Award? I have enclosed a copy of the Criteria for Annual Awards. The listing of the Awards is alphabetical. No award is considered the “top award” or the most important. The awards are designed to recognize different kinds of contributions to NYSAA. It takes everyone contributing in the best ways that they can to make the individual Chapters, and the NYSAA as a whole, successful. I am also enclosing a copy of the application form. Please use the form and make the case for why your nominee deserves the award for which they are being nominated. In this day of the internet, providing a link to peoples’ work(s) on-line is helpful. It also helps if the completed form can be sent via email. The Fellows’ Committee carefully reviews the nominations, and it is important that you tell us why your person qualifies for a given award. Much of the committee’s review is done on-line which allows us to have all of the Fellows involved in the deliberations. A final Fellows’ Meeting is held at the NYSAA Annual Meeting to complete the deliberations. The Fellows take their responsibility seriously and carefully review the nominee(s) with respect to the criteria. Any help you can give us by providing a good nomination and online, if possible, is greatly appreciated. Because of logistics in reviewing the nominees, preparing the Awards Certificates, and preparing the addresses for the Annual Meeting, the Award Form(s) must be in my hands by March 26. If you can make your submission via email (nysaa.awards@gmail.com) that would be preferred. I will acknowledge to you receipt of the form(s) within one week of receiving them. That way you’ll be sure I got your information in time for review. If you don’t hear from me within the week, give me a call (315) 687-9441 or email me at nysaa.awards@gmail.com Looking forward to seeing you in Oneonta April 11-13. Peter P. Pratt Chairman NYSAA Awards Committee 6156 Ridge Road, RD 4 Cazenovia, NY 13035 (315) 687-9441 nysaa.awards@gmail.com