Jamie French (right) and SHPO coworker Katie Henry at the Kam Wah Chung historic site in John Day, Oregon. {Photo: J. French] October 4, 2018 Episode.
I suspect you might not know that we have archaeologists working in state government, but we do! A year or so ago, we interviewed state archaeologist Dennis Griffith, but so much has changed in this short time. Today we talked with Jamie French who has been working with the State HIstoric Preservation Office (SHPO) in various capacities for 10 years. Two years ago she completed her archaeology degree and now is performing compliance review for mostly large-scale development projects on federal lands. She is also in charge of the GIS (geographic information system) & Technical components for SHPO. Jamie has lead many archaeological field schools on behalf of SHPO and Oregon State University throughout Oregon in such locations as French Prairie, Fort Yamhill, Carlton, and various migrant Chinese sites.
I suspect you might not know that we have archaeologists working in state government, but we do! A year or so ago, we interviewed state archaeologist Dennis Griffith, but so much has changed in this short time. Today we talked with Jamie French who has been working with the State HIstoric Preservation Office (SHPO) in various capacities for 10 years. Two years ago she completed her archaeology degree and now is performing compliance review for mostly large-scale development projects on federal lands. She is also in charge of the GIS (geographic information system) & Technical components for SHPO. Jamie has lead many archaeological field schools on behalf of SHPO and Oregon State University throughout Oregon in such locations as French Prairie, Fort Yamhill, Carlton, and various migrant Chinese sites.
Jamie advised us that SHPO maintains the database of all known archaeological sites in the state, as well as calaloging other sites where people have searched. Oregon has enacted stringent laws to protect these fragile sites, so only authorized professionals may access this database. [Note: You may recall that the City of Salem needed frequent access to this database for public works projects so Kimberli Fitzgerald, the Historic Preservation Officer, obtained an additional degree in archaeology to provide such access.] SHPO's secondary mission is to work with landowners of potential and actual sites to develop the best practices for stewarding those sites.
A group of archaeologists Jamie founded meet regularly in Salem. [Photo: J.French] The Archaeological Services department at SHPO also provides technical support and training for archaeologists. To this end, Jamie has been working on the second annual SHPOlooza Event, a gathering for archaeologists from all over the state to learn more about new developments and practices in their field. It also provides an opportunity to network and share experiences since many participants may be the only archaeologist in their county.
 |  The Chinese Mercantile & Laundry building in The Dalles, Oregon (left), and a display of the discovered artifacts. [Photos: J.French] |
Qing Ming Ceremony at Chinese Shrine at Salem's Pioneer Cemetery [Photo: J.French] Jamie has long had an interest in history and the immigrant experience. In fact, her master's thesis project was based on the Chinese immigrant community of The Dalles, Oregon, the largest such community in Oregon due to its location as the last portage stop of the Oregon Trail. She managed the exploratory dig at the site of the Chinese Mercantile & Laundry Building prior to the building's rehabilitation (see photos, above) This joint commodity/personal service business is extremely rare in Oregon. It's a good thing Jamie has this background in Chinese history, as she was also appointed to be the official permanent Record Keeper for the Chinese Shrine project here in Salem at the Historic Pioneer Cemetery.
October is Archaeology Month in Oregon, showcasing events across the state through June 2019. Encouraging the public's interest in archaeology is one of Jamie's passions. She is able to pursue this as a commissioner on Salem's Historic Landmark Commission. She can bring her regulatory review experience into play at the local level, which is the most impactful level. She opined that the best protected resources are the beloved resources of any community. The HLC is continuing to develop programs that educate all of us about our historic resources--both above and below ground level.
Jamie suggested several ways in which folks could learn more about the archaeological history of our state. The Oregon Archaeology Association hosts events at sites throughout the state beginning each October, designated as Archaeology Month [see photo, above] and lasting well into the next year. Here is a downloadable copy of the full event listing; 2018-19 Event Brochure. Other opportunities include visiting the Museum of Natural History at the University of Oregon, the official state repository for all discovered artifacts, as well as the various Tribal museums around the state. There are links to many sites on the SHPO website. For the inquiring minds out there, Jamie recommended the book Oregon Archaeology by Melvin C. Aikens and Thomas J. Connelly, among others. If you'd like more suggestions, feel free to contact Jamie at jamie.french@oregon.gov.
Now, go out there and discover all sorts of new and interesting things! Just be sure to tell us about what you find!
Now, go out there and discover all sorts of new and interesting things! Just be sure to tell us about what you find!
~~Posted by Deb Meaghers
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