The Smith Family Archaeological Preserve contains thousands of intricate petroglyphs that were created by many generations of Indigenous people. Though the Preserve itself occupies only a couple hundred acres, the material culture found here is part of a web that connects the Preserve across space and time. Join Public Archaeologist Elizabeth Hora as she interprets the clues that describe what life was like for the people on the west side of Utah Lake.

The Smith Family Archaeological Preserve contains over 200 petroglyph panels and several features including a stone circle, rock cairns, a low-lying rock wall, and intermittent debitage. The rock art at the Preserve was created over thousands of years, during multiple occupations dating back to around 13,000 BCE. The Archaeological Conservancy acquired the site in 2013 from a generous land donation by the Adelbert Smith Family Trust. The partnership forged between The Archaeological Conservancy and the Smith family continues to thrive under the Smith Family Archaeological Preserve’s stewardship program headed by Site Manager Emily Cebrowski.

Elizabeth Hora, MS, is the Public Archaeologist at the Utah State Historic Preservation Office within the Utah Division of State History. Her work focuses on bringing science-based interpretations of archaeological data to the public. She is especially interested in ways to stop archaeological vandalism at culturally sensitive sites.