Presented by: Tom Trow and Franky Jackson, with special guest Dan Wendt
The Grand Meadow Chert Quarry / Wahni Yukan: A Unique Archaeological and Cultural Preserve
About the lecture
For at least 400 years beginning shortly after 1000 CE, the largest procurement site in Minnesota for chert was an area of 200 acres, covered in deep pits dug through prairie soils. Many holes were dug because this stone, now known as Grand Meadow chert (GMC), was in high demand for making hide scrapers and small points during the Middle Mississippian Period in the region. The source of the prominent gray chert was unknown to archaeologists until 1980, as was an extraordinary 8-acre remnant of those pits which lay hidden under dense tree cover. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places and purchased for permanent protection by The Archaeological Conservancy. A trail with bilingual interpretive signage has recently been developed for the public, in collaboration with the descendant tribal communities whose ancestors may have dug those pits and gathered there annually.
In this presentation, Tom Trow will be joined by Franky Jackson of the Prairie Island Indian Community, the project’s liaison to the descendant communities, and Dan Wendt, Minnesota’s leading expert on the use and sources of tool stones and chert in Minnesota.
About the presenters
Tom Trow is a Consulting Archaeologist, currently directing the development of the Grand Meadow Chert Quarry / Wanhi Yukan Preserve in Mower County, Minnesota. He is the lead archaeologist for that project, working with The Archaeology Conservancy, the Mower County Historical Society, and the Prairie Island Indian Community, along with other descendant tribal communities.
After earning his degrees from the University of Minnesota, Tom served for five years as an Archaeological Field Director with the Minnesota Historical Society. That’s when he first encountered the chert quarry and put it into the official record. Since then, Tom has had 2 other careers: as the first outreach administrator at the University of Minnesota, and then with Twin Cities Public Television as the Executive In Charge of over 130 documentary broadcasts for regional PBS stations.
He returned to his archaeological roots nearly 5 years ago for this project in southeastern Minnesota, where he has managed the grant writing, site interpretation, Indigenous engagement, community relations, and media relations that has led to the upcoming opening of the chert quarry to the public in June of this year.
Franky Jackson is a cultural resource specialist and tribal historian who specializes in finding creative and effective methods of promoting and preserving the various cultures and histories that make Minnesota and the upper Midwest unique. Over the course of his career, he has worked closely with communities, organizations, and individuals to develop innovative plans and processes for cultural resource management. Franky has been very active in the Minnesota preservation community, serving as a Native American Advisor for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a member of the Indian Advisory Council for the Minnesota Historical Society, and as an active member of the Indigenous Round Table for the Science Museum of Minnesota. Franky is the current Compliance Officer for the Prairie Island Indian Community Tribal Historic Preservation Office.
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Free For Everyone
Our virtual lectures are a part of our Outreach and Education efforts. They are free to our Members and the General Public. Recorded lectures are posted on YouTube and on the event page after the event occurs.
For questions about the event or how to register, please contact Susan Bowdoin (susan@thearchcons.org) or Sarah Webber (sarah@thearchcons.org).
