Archive of Past NEARA Field Trips

NEARA FIELD TRIP NOTICE, Dec. 9 (or 10) to Indian Ceremonial Sites in the Carlisle, MA area.

On Saturday December 9 (rain date Dec.10), Tim Fohl of NEARA, will lead a tour of several Indian ceremonial sites in and around Carlisle, Massachusetts. We will meet at 10:30 at the upper parking lot of the Great Brooks Farm State Park. Dr. Fohl will first show us a large stone turtle with related solstice alignments, and many other interesting stone forms. He will also show us a feature called the "Indian Grinding Stone" which has been split into several pieces. (Total walking distance about 1/4 mile.)

From there we will drive to the Carlisle Town Hall. We will walk into the Conant Land which has numerous stones piles and a spectacular turtle effigy with some interesting astronomically aligned features. (Total walking distance about 1/4 mile.)

Lastly, we will drive to Spring Hill Conservation Land in Acton where we will walk along a new trail that has been established to access an Indian ceremonial area containing numerous stone piles. (Total walking distance about 1/4 mile.) We might even go to a fourth site, if we have time.

Please contact Tim Fohl by phone at: 978-369-5649, or by email at tfohl@tigco.com if you have any questions, and to let him know you plan to join this field trip. It is suggested people dress for the weather, carry some water, and a midday snack. R.S.V.P.

DIRECTIONS: We will meet at 10:30 at the UPPER parking lot of Great Brook Farm Stat Park. It is an unpaved lot on the east side of Lowell Street, about three miles north of Carlisle Center. To get there from I-495, take Exit 32. Drive south-east on Carlisle Road, through a set of traffic lights, and in about 2 miles, turn left on Route 225 towards Carlisle Center. At the traffic circle in Carlisle Center turn left (north) onto Lowell Street and go about 3 miles to the parking lot.

If you are traveling from the east, take exit 31 from Rt. 128/95. Proceed north-west on Rt.225 seven miles to the traffic circle in Carlisle Center, and from there north on to Lowell Street.

We're on for a field trip on Saturday, June 3rd. Expect to see balanced rocks. Chip's number is 845-424-3422

Chip Marks is leading us up Bull Hill. We will meet in the Garrison Library parking lot at 10:30. Chip intends to lead us to a parking lot in Nelsonville from which we will start walking. We will not be leaving from the base of the hill but from a higher place. Chip rates the trip as intermediate in difficulty.

Bring a sandwich, tick protection and any interested friends. It is always helpful to know who is coming but last minute attendance is welcome.

On Saturday, November 12, 2005 Kenneth Leonard, a member of both MAS and NEARA, will lead a tour to a ceremonial site in Lakeville, MA. Kenneth has been doing extensive research on this site which is southeast of Taunton and only a few miles east of Dighton Rock State Park.

This sizable Native American ceremonial site in southeastern Massachusetts was centrally located year-round as the local tribes conducted their annual movements between the Great Ponds and the seashore. While it may be an integral part of an even larger complex of sites, it contains an apparently complete ceremonial replica of the Algonquian universe. The site is clearly delineated by a wide variety of stones and boulders arranged along a north-south axis which is over one kilometer in length.

The site's southern end emerges from a 1000 acre cedar swamp; its center crosses a large granite outcropping apparently marked with socketed standing stones, and it terminates atop an even higher outcropping which features an elegant, dais-like overlook platform. The southern third of this axis has been adapted to form a complete annual calendar where the solstices, equinoxes and several interim dates have been marked by sunrise stones.

When taken as a set, these stones have been placed to an accuracy comparable with the resolution of the unaided human eye (three inches on a 300-foot sight line). Along the axis is a complex, bifurcated stone row which was apparently designed to inject a leap month every two or three years as required to synchronize the Native¹s lunar and solar calendar. Adjunct to a stone circle on the axis, which marks the summer solstice sunrise, a stone arrow has been placed which designates a spectacular 50 ton perched boulder on a hillside over one kilometer distant. This may tie a perched boulder directly to a ceremonial site for the first time.

BRING on this tour a pair of binoculars, if you have them. Dress for a day outdoors, and changes in the weather. Be sure to have on footwear that can cope with damp conditions. Bring your luncheon and bottled water. I always bring an inexpensive Fuji waterproof camera on field trips. We will use the facilities in Ken Leonard's house, around noon time, when we stop to eat our sandwiches..

The field trip to the Boxboro Esker has been postponed and will be on 9/24/05. I hope the weather will be better than it was on June 25. Let me know if you will be joining the trip. If you can, please RSVP in a new message.

This field trip will be led by MA NEARA Coordinator, Brenda Toomey, P.O. Box 724, Spencer, MA 01562. Phone: (508) 885-0993. Cell phone: (508) 612-1482.

Mavor & Dix wrote about their explorations of the Boxborough esker in Chapter 11 of MANITOU. I recommend everyone read this chapter and look at the illustrations, prior to the field trip. An esker is a long, narrow ridge of earth and stone deposited by a stream that was flowing in an ice-walled valley or tunnel left when the glaciers retreated.

The Boxborough esker is a two and a half mile long ridge about 56 feet tall, with a level top, that runs between two swamps. There are stone rows, stone mounds, and pits, on and near the esker. Near the "end" of the the esker, two ramps, which begin some feet apart, lead diagonally down to the valley below, meeting near some U-shaped "prayer seats. It is well worth seeing. I expect the round trip walk will take two and 1/2 to 3 hours. When we leave the esker we will drive a few miles to George Krusen's farm to see a field that appears to be a ritual site. We can then take a vote to determine if we want to see any other places of interest on this day.

Wear comfortable SHOES, carry WATER and LUNCH. Always dress for the weather. While this is a longish-walk, it is on a level surface, and not difficult.

If you plan to join us, but are wondering about the weather, or finds you will be late, call my cell phone. I won't answer it while I am driving (7:45-9:00), but I will call you back after I get there. I won't have time to check my email after 7:30 a.m..

Brenda Toomey will lead a field trip for the same group to many interesting sites in Worcester County, which will also cost $5.00. Many long term NEARA members have seen the sites that she will be showing people, but newer members will find it to be a very interesting day. If you are interested in joining this field trip, please let Brenda know.

On August 13, Rick Lynch will lead another field trip for the Central Massachusetts's Chapter of the MA Archaeology Society into Rhode Island. Please write Rick at HstrclRsch@aol.com if you think you would like to go on this trip. The trip is a fund raiser the fee will be $5.00.

Saturday June 25, Brenda Toomey will lead a field trip to the Boxborough Esker. Mavor & Dix wrote about their explorations of the Boxborough esker in Chapter 11 of MANITOU. I recommend everyone read this chapter and look at the illustrations, prior to the field trip.

An esker is a long, narrow ridge of earth and stone deposited by a stream that was flowing in an ice-walled valley or tunnel left by the retreating glaciers.

The Boxborough esker is a two and a half mile long ridge about 56 feet tall, with a level top, that runs between two swamps. There are stone rows, stone mounds, and pits, on and near the esker. Near the "end" of the the esker, two ramps, which begin some feet apart, lead diagonally down to the valley below, meeting near some U-shaped "prayer seats. It is well worth seeing. I expect the round trip walk will take two and 1/2 to 3 hours. When we leave the esker we will drive a few miles to George Krusen's farm to see a field that appears to be a ritual site.

We can then take a vote to determine if we want to see any other places of interest on this day.

DIRECTIONS: From I-495, take Exit 28 to route 111, and head west on Rt. 111 towards Harvard, MA. Then take the first right onto Swanson Rd. Go to the end of Swanson Rd, and make a right into an unpaved turn around area, where we will park. After we have gathered together we will slip through a hole in the fence and follow a path to the esker.

Everyone should wear comfortable shoes, carry water and their lunch. While this is a longish-walk, it is on a level surface, and not difficult. I recommend that while on I-495, as you near Exit 28, you take an exit that has signs for restrooms, because there are no facilities at the meeting spot. I will try to learn where some facilities are, so we can stop at them on the way to the Krusen's farm.

Saturday May 21, 2005. NEARA field trip, led by Peter Wakman. Peter will show us some of the many rock piles he has discovered. He has recently given a talk about rock piles at the North Eastern Anthropological Association and will be able to share with us a great deal of information.

We will meet Peter at 10:00 a.m. at the parking lot of the Pompositticut School in Stow, MA. It is on the north side of Rt. 117, one half mile east of Stow and about 5 miles east of I-495. Save this date! I will send more information about this field trip in early May.

We always appreciate it if people who wish to join a field trip let us know well in advance.

The Massachusetts Chapter of NEARA is open to any dues paying member of NEARA. Chapter dues are $5.00 for those who provide me with an email address, and $10.00 for those who don't. These dues cover the mailing of notices, and copying of material for members. Our dues coincide with the NEARA membership year, and should be renewed by July 1 of every year.

At this time we have field trips scheduled for the following dates: May 1, May 8, June 12, and June 26. If you are interested in joining a field trips, please contact me, leaving a message at 508-885-0993, or 508-612-1482, or by email at brendatoomey@rcn.com. Please state in the subject line "NEARA Message". Sign up sheets will also be available at the Spring Conference.

Most field trips are scheduled for Saturdays with a rain date on Sunday, and start at 10:00 a.m.. Details, including directions and the location we will meet, will be given to the people who have signed up for the field trip. Dress for a day of hiking. Bring lunch, water, any medicines, cameras, flashlights, and GPS units. You will be asked to sign a waiver of liability.

If any of our members have suggestions for other field trip locations, or would like to lead a trip in there own area of the state, please let me know. Volunteers are always welcome and appreciated!

Saturday, October 16th. This is a joint field trip with the Hudson Valley and Vermont chapters and it is a new site for NEARA members. Meet at the Hawthorne Valley School parking lot (route 21C), Harlemville, at 11am. (Sunday, October 17 is the rain date.) Numerous stone features have been found at several sites overlooking a small valley in central Columbia County, NY. They include stone wall complexes, a spring issuing from a bowl shaped earthen berm, a standing stone formation with a V shaped notch, stone circles, presumed quarry sites and a long line of stone heaps leading to an unusual, large hilltop rock. These stone features are on two neighboring hills of roughly north/south orientation.

Tour info: The Stonesites Website displays additional information about the Foxborough State Forest and the stone sites you will be visiting: http://www.stonesites.net/

Description: In the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts, there is a region of approximately 1027 acres of undeveloped forestland known as the Foxborough State Forest. For years, many people have used the rugged trails in these woods for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and for simply viewing the unique characteristics of its scenic New England landscape. However, off the beaten trails and away from the old dirt roads, those that have "bush-whacked" their way across this terrain have discovered many unique man-made stone structures that clearly give evidence of cultures from another time period. These may be cultures that predate the town's incorporation date of 1778 by possibly thousands of years. Guesses as to the origins of these structures have ranged from the local Algonquin Indian culture, to Celtic travelers predating Columbus, to even prehistoric tribal cultures with strong knowledge of solar/seasonal calendars. The State forest area is one of the highest points of land between Boston and Providence, and is currently referred to by locals as High Rock. This "high place" characteristic, combined with the types of stone structures found in this forest, indicates that this region could very well have been considered a "sacred place" in the past, and that it was a regular destination for ceremonial purposes, spiritual cleansing and prayer.

The purpose of this tour is to show interested parties the large number of stone sites (this tour targeting prayer seats) located in the Foxborough State Forest, so they will be aware of their existence. This tour may initiate others to visit, speculate and form personal conclusions concerning who built them, why they were built, and when they might have been created. It is also a great hope that the sites here will spark an interest in the archeological community, resulting in a true scientific study to determine their origins.

June 26. We will have a field trip to a site on Harvard conservation land that has been brought to NEARA's attention by new members Bruce and Veronique McAleer.

On May 1, 2004 (rain date 5/2), Ted Ballard, (NEARA Chair Person for Research and Special Projects) will lead us on a field trip to the Wrentham State Forest. Ted will share with us some of his extensive knowledge of Indian Prayer Seats.

On May 8 (rain date 5/9), Cathy Taylor, a school teacher in Upton, MA, will show us the site on Pratt Hill that Jim Mavor and Byron Dix wrote about in "Manitou". She will also show us a cairn field she has discovered, and other sites in Upton. Please note this is a change of date from 5/15.

On June 12 (rain date 6/13,) I am looking for a team of people to help with the maintenance and preservation of the privately owned Turtle Mound in Andover, MA. In September, 2003 our chapter made a field trip to the Turtle Mound. We discovered that this fascinating structure is in danger of being destroyed by an overgrowth of small plants and trees. We will join members of the owners family in this site preservation event. This event will give NEARA members who missed our field trip last September an opportunity to see the Turtle Mound.

Ann Banks, former Massachusetts NEARA Coordinator, has offered to show us to some interesting sites that are in her corner of the state. We will meet at 10:00 in the morning, at Agassiz Rock, in Manchester, MA. We will continue to Red Rocks, Squam Rock in Gloucester, the so called Turtle Mound in Rockport, and the chamber known as Rowe's Tomb.

On the afternoon of Sat. August 23, Brenda Toomey will lead a field trip to the chambers in Webster, MA and Thompson, CT.

At 8:00 in the evening, we will meet Richard Lynch at the Seagrave Observatory in North Scituate, RI. He will give a presentation at that time, and around 10:00, until sunrise we will be able to view our celestial neighbor, Mars through the observatory telescope. The evening part of this field trip could be effected by cloudy skies, and our "cloudy-skies/rain date" will be August 30.

Cairns of Harvard. At 9:30 George Krusen, NEARA member of long standing, will lead this field trip for NEARA members to a large cairn field on state conservation land in Harvard, MA. We will explore a hillside area, surrounded by a stone wall. Before Route 495 was built, it was recorded that this site had about 500 stone mounds on it. Most were destroyed when the highway was built. The few remaining are less spectacular and situated at a higher elevation outside the area taken for the highway. A large, unique boulder sits at the top of the hill. There may be a summer solstice sunset alignment from a similar boulder 1.7 miles to the east. If we have time, we may be able to see some other sites near this area. This will not be a difficult excursion. George says we will be walking on mostly flat land, and the total walk will be only about two miles long.

11:00 a.m. at Monument Mountain State Park in Great Barrington. Jim Parrish, a State Archivist, will take us on this tour and tell us what he knows about its significant features. There is an historic Indian Cairn on the site and a massive quartz outcrop at the summit where the view is spectacular. It is a gentle walk up an old carriage road. We will continue after a bring-your-own picnic to another prominent historical site in the Great Barrington area: an Indian Burial Ground in New Marlborough. This site involves two glacial mounds.

On September 28th at 10:00 AM Geoffrey Whittum of Connecticut NEARA will lead a tour of interesting sites on the Connecticut-Massachusetts border. We will see a chamber in Southbridge MA and two large cairns with large depressions on top. Then we will go to the Yale forest in the towns of Ashford, Eastford, and Union CT, to explore a complex of lithic structures. These include: perched rocks, an animal cairn, 3 cairn fields, a boulder row, a large boulder with a stone platform on top, stone rows, a perfect corbelled chamber, a marker on a hilltop aligned North and East, and other features. If time allows, we will also travel to Southwick MA to see a larger corbelled chamber. It is missing a capstone, but this helps people to view the interior.

Dighton Rock State Park. We start this day off with Dr. Manuel Luciano DaSilva's talk. He will share some of his vast knowledge of Dighton Rock, explaining the panels and inscriptions on it. From there, Dr. DaSilva will guide us to Freetown, MA to see the very curious Profile Rock. Then, we will drive to the Newport tower, and ponder some of the theories this interesting structure has inspired. Rick Lynch will tell us what is known about the tower, and its possible connections to the Knights Templar, or to early Norse explorers. He will also point out the locations of some of the astronomical events Jim Egan has photographed. When we leave Newport, we will drive to Jamestown, on Conanicut Island. This is Duncan Laurie's backyard. He will tell us about the Native American people who used to live there, and show us a local museum. He will also take us to see an "Indian rock", he has found. From Jamestown, we will head to the mainland and drive up the east side of the Narragansett Bay, to arrive at the Narragansett Stone by 3:00.

Massachusetts Coordinator: Brenda Toomey, Box 724 Spencer, MA 01562, 508-885-0993

Tuesday, November 14 @ 8 pm; Nature Center, Croton Point Park, Croton, NY: The Prehistoric Mining, Manufacture and Trade of Copper Artifacts from the Great Lakes through the Midwest to New York: Talk and slide presentation by Kirsten Brophy, Archaeologist and former President of Malfa.

A NY Chapter field trip is scheduled for 10 a.m., Sunday, October 29. We will look at cairns in Fahnestock Park. Rob Buchanan is the leader and the meeting place is in Putnam County at the Wicopee Road parking area. Wicopee Road is the first right turn after exiting the Taconic State Parkway onto Pudding Street west west of the Taconic. Call: 914-243-0793 or 914-373-4247 for additional information.

Event with Evan Pritchard - Earth Based Spirituality: Putting it into Action:

John Burroughs Society Annual Meeting: Saturday, October 10, Noon-1:30 pm at the John Burroughs Society, West Park, NY. 845-437-5546

Event with Evan Pritchard - Earth Based Spirituality: Putting it into Action:

Native American Stories of the Sacred: A live radio interview with Evan Pritchard by Jay Nightwolf.

The Real Story, Sunday, October 8, 8 pm on Pacifica Radio's Washington, DC affiliate) WPFW/ 89.3 FM (DC) or www.wpfw.org
Evan heads the Center for Algonquin Culture www.algonquinculture.org 212-714-7151

Event with Evan Pritchard - Earth Based Spirituality: Putting it into Action:

The Transformation of Native American Stories Through Time and What They Are Trying To Tell Us.

Joseph Campbell Round Table: Sunday, September 24, 2-4 pm at 475 River Road Extension, Tilson, NY. 845-331-5141, 845-658-3369

Saturday, Sept. 24 at 2 in Croton at the Croton Library, 171 Cleveland Drive----271-6612.

Tom Brannan will speak about stone pile arrangements that he believes are old trading sites. Occasionally these have been seen on field trips and not been noted or understood. Tom is a surveyor from Middletown, NY. His articles on ancient stone markers and trails have been published in Neara and Archaeological Journals. Several years ago, he lead a field trip for our chapter along the Indian portage trail which connects the Delaware and Susquehanna Rivers near Deposit, NY.

Following the meeting there will be a field trip to Somers where we will briefly visit Cobbling Rock and the Somers dolmen.

Bring your ideas for Chapter projects. There will be a short time for such discussion. Also, I am trying to get a head count for the meeting. If you know your plans in advance, please email me.

The NY NEARA Chapter will arrange field trips to the Pahaquarry Mine (near the Delaware Water Gap) and to the hill east of Harlemville, Columbia County, NY this summer or autumn - if there is suffeciant interest.

Please contact Polly Midgley at polmidge@optonline.net or Betty Cypser at bcypser@bestweb.net to express your interest.

These trips will involve more than local travel for Chapter members, hence we want a head count before making final plans.

Saturday, November 6th at 3pm. Meet at the Fahnestock Park Lake Parking Lot (1/2 mile west of the Taconic State Parkway on route 301.) on the south side of 301 which is across the street from the lake. Sunset Rock is located on a ridge above the Hudson River. It is between Cold Spring and Beacon, NY. The sun sets through a notch in this rock on the Cross Quarter Day of Halloween. This setting will still be visible on Nov. 6th. Contact: Martin Brech 845-628-6301.

MALFA, part of the Louis Brennan Lower Hudson Chapter of the NYS Archaeological Association which meets at Croton Point, is making plans for an historical site dig in Westchester County and recruited volunteers this summer. Please contact Barbara Buske (914-271-6835) if you are interested in participating in this hands-on dig.

An underwater archaeological survey was undertaken in July by State University New York at Croton Point near the south beach where many artifacts have been found. This site forms a northern boundary of the area where the Croton River joins the Hudson River. Daria Merwin, an underwater archaeologist working at SUNY Stonybrook, heads this undertaking.

Saturday, October 16th. This is a joint field trip with the Massachusetts and Vermont chapters and it is a new site for NEARA members. Meet at the Hawthorne Valley School parking lot (route 21C), Harlemville, at 11am. (Sunday, October 17 is the rain date.) Numerous stone features have been found at several sites overlooking a small valley in central Columbia County, NY. They include stone wall complexes, a spring issuing from a bowl shaped earthen berm, a standing stone formation with a V shaped notch, stone circles, presumed quarry sites and a long line of stone heaps leading to an unusual, large hilltop rock. These stone features are on two neighboring hills of roughly north/south orientation.

Sunday, September 12th at 2:30 pm. Film showing by Ted Timreck at the Garrison Library. The library is at the intersection of 9D and 403 in Garrison, Putnam County. This will be a sample of Ted's recent work. Most likely featured will be aspects of the Maritime Archaic, the Paleo European connection and lithic structures in the American Northeast.

Sunday, May 2 at 12:30. A viewing of several large chambers in North Central Putnam County with a focus on drill marks. We will observe the drill marks on the rocks behind the 301-Farmers Mills Road Chamber. In addition to two route 301 Chambers, we will visit the large Whangtown Chamber and an Oscawana Heights Chamber. Bill Pollard will discuss his theories about the drill marks and lead the trip. Meet at route 301 and Farmers Mills Road.

Meeting at the Greenburgh Library at 7:30. Kirsten Brophy will speak about new developments in Paleo-American Prehistory, "Who Were the First Americans?" Kirsten is the Past President of Malfa.

Meeting at the Dobbs Ferry Community Center at 7:30 Evan Pritchard will talk on the Native Americans of the Dobbs Ferry Region.

April 18, 2004

Meeting at Concordia College, Bronxville from 2-5:30. (914-337-9300) A Symposium, Conquest and Culture: The Power of the Nomads of Mongolia and Ancient China.

Meeting of the Hudson Valley Chapter meeting on Saturday, at 1pm at the Katonah Library. Bring pictures, site descriptions, interested persons. Meet new members. Plan trips and projects. Writing on rocks presentation, possible video and trip to New Castle Balanced Rock.

A trip to the "California Hill" winter solstice sunrise chamber will take place on Sunday, Dec. 21. Meet at 6:30 on Peekskill Hollow Road at the entrance/exit to the Taconic Parkway. Car pool to Porter's Lane. Sunrise is around 7:20.

Trip along the Hudson: Eagle's Nest (N. Yonkers), archaeological display from Wicker's Creek Site (Dobbs Ferry), "Indian Fort", weirs by the Pocantico River (Old Dutch Church Burying Ground), Huge Rock and presumed Indian pathway in Rockefeller State Park (Sleepy Hollow), Perched Boulder (solar reflector?) on private property.

Thursday, November 13 @ 8pm. "Sogdians on the Silk Route." Dr. David Sensabaugh from Yale will discuss the Sogdian culture, which had roots in Iran and became a very important presence in China in the 7th and 8th centuries A.D. A recent discovery of a 6th century Sogdian merchant's tomb has brought new understanding of Chinese concepts of the after life as well as the rise of landscape painting.

Location: the Bantle Lecture Hall of the Bruce Museum, 1 Museum Drive, Greenwich, Conn. ($8. at the door)

Saturday, October 18th at 12:00: Trip to stone piles and cairns in Ramapo/Sloatsburg (Wrightsman Fields). Meet at the Parking Lot on Seven Lakes Drive, just after entry into Harriman State Park. Trip leader is Bice Wilson 914-328-7580.

Go north on old route 17 through Sloatsburg. Just north of town is a stop light which marks Seven Lakes Drive. Then, shortly after passing a sign indicating entry into Harriman State Park you will see a Parking Lot/comfort station on your right. Meet here at noon.

Important Notice: Bob Grubsmith has advised us that we are meeting in the Reeve's Meadow Parking Lot and that the Seven Lakes Sign is now missing from the turn-off from route #17.

Thursday, Oct. 16 @ 8pm. "The First Americans: In Pursuit of Archaeology's Greatest Mystery". Dr. James Adovasio, from Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania, is discussing his excavations at Meadowcroft Rockshelter which unearthed what turned out to be the earliest dated archaeological site in North America.

Location: The Bantle Lecture Hall of the Bruce Museum, 1 Museum Drive, Greenwich, Conn. ($8. at the door)

Thursday, September 25th at 7:00 p.m. John Kraft, "The Lenape Indian". John is an archaeologist/educator and the son of Herbert Kraft, N. J. archaeologist.

Thursday, September 18th at 7:30 p.m., Croton Library. Ed Lenik discussing petroglyphs and his new book, Picture Rocks.

Working field trip to do site reports in the Ludington Road area of Putnam County. Meet at 12:30 at the Carmel Diner, route 52, Carmel. 914-923-1152.

Insights into Prehistory: Putnam County, the Hudson Valley and Beyond

Sponsored by the Friends of the Desmond-Fish Library and the

Hudson Valley Chapter of the New England Antiquities Research Association

Located at intersections of Routes 9D & 403

845-424-3020

In partnership with The Hudson Valley Chapter of The New England Antiquities Research Association, The Friends of the Desmond-Fish Library welcome back Chip Marks and introduce other researchers and authors to discuss themes which give possible insight into the prehistory of this region.

Chip Marks is a longtime resident of Garrison and the estate manager at Castle Rock. With a degree in biology and a special interest in metaphysics he is fascinated about how our predecessors in this region may have constructed chambers and stone circles for observances of the solstices and equinoxes. He will illustrate how their awareness of the yearly rhythm of the seasons is still a part of our present cultural inheritance and how this ancient understanding can be applied today to reduce daily stress and help us make more sense of our lives. Chip's recent book, Modest Manual For Living On Earth is awaiting publication.

Dr. Fred Martin lives in Dedham, Massachusetts. His hobby is archaeoastronomy. He will be speaking about sun and moon alignments at King Philip's Rocks in Sharon Massachusetts. (King Philip, Chief of the Wampanoags, figured prominently in King Philip's War which ended in 1675 in the Rhode Island Great Swamp Fight.) The solar and lunar observations at King Philip's rocks parallel the interests of many early cultures. Dr. Martin received his Ph.D. from Yale in 1964 and is an academic physicist active in researching equipment for building integrated circuits.

Betty Buckell has authored five books and is a contributor to magazines and newspapers on the subject of local history. Betty will speak about the fabled city of Norumbega. Her earliest map reference to Norumbega is from a 1527 map belonging to Hieronemos Verrazano, the brother of the explorer. Referring largely to writings of David Ingram, she reconstructs his presumed path of travel to Norumbega in 1568. Was Norumbega on the Hudson? Mercator placed Norumbega north of Manhattan, south of Poughkeepsie. In a translation of a manuscript by Jean Allefonsce, Norumbega is placed 15 leagues up the river. Betty Buckell lives in Fort Edward, NY and attended St. Rose's College in Albany.

Tom Brannan is a surveyor from Middletown, NY and has a long-standing interest in history and archeology. He believes history (and prehistory) is under our feet. His topic will be Time and Distance: Old Time Survey Methods. He has degrees in civil engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Purdue University and has been active in the New York State Archeological Association.

New England Antiquities Research Association

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