Conservancy staff in the Eastern region placed two granite markers on preserves in North Carolina last winter to honor individuals who deeply supported the organization’s mission.
At the Contentnea Creek Archaeological Preserve, the Conservancy honored Paul Gardner, who served as the Conservancy’s Midwest regional director for 25 years. The site was discovered ahead of planned highway construction by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, and almost 3,000 features were discovered, including post molds, storage pits, hearths, canine burials, lithic material, and a wide array of Middle and Late Woodland Period pottery. The site research was directed by Gardner in 1990, and the property was acquired by the Conservancy in 2007.
The William Burlingame Archaeological Preserve at Scotch Hall contains the remains of a dense Native American archaeological site with deposits dating primarily to the Early through Middle Woodland Periods, ca. 1,000 B.C. to A.D. 500. The land, which was slated for development, was found to hold thousands of artifacts when tested by the cultural resource management firm Environmental Services, Inc. Developers decided to donate the land to protect it for future research. While the site has been colloquially known by the name of the surrounding development, it was recently renamed in honor of William (Bill) Burlingame, a resident of North Carolina who was a longtime supporter of historic preservation and The Archaeological Conservancy.
