Highlands Archeological And Historical Conference 

By Geoff Welch, Harmony Hall Curator

At least some of the best things in life are free. This Saturday, October 26, the free 27th Annual Highlands Archaeological and Historical Conference will be held at the Lautenberg Visitors Center at Sterling Forest State Park, 115 Old Forge Road, Tuxedo, New York.

Organized by noted archaeologist and Author Edward Lenik, who during a recent interview told me: “Each year a group of scholars present their current research on historic and archaeological subjects pertaining to the highlands region.”

The presentations are by scholars and local historians. Each is at 20 minutes long with time at the end for a few questions from the audience.

Having attended most of the conferences for the last twenty years or so, I can attest to the marvelous variety of subjects covered. The ancient Ramapo Mountains around Sloatsburg and the greater highlands region have many secrets still to reveal to the curious and this conference is the place to hear about them.

This year’s program will include:

•  Morning Hike with Doc Baynes from 10 a.m to Noon: Doc Baynes will lead a 2 mile hike to the Upper and Lower California Mines and the old town of Lakeville.  If time allows, Doc will show hikers, the Benjamin Mine, “never seen before.” The hike will leave the Sterling forest visitors center at 10 a.m.

The afternoon program will begin at 1 p.m. and run through 4 p.m. It takes place at the Sterling Forest State Park, Lautenberg Visitors Center, Lower Level.  Jason Okin, NJHHS, presiding.

• 1:00 PM-1:25 PM: “The Spicer Manufacturing Company and its Universal Joint: Creating an Automotive Industry Revolution in South Plainfield, New Jersey 1903-1929.” Eugene Boesch, Ph. D, Registered Professional Archaeologist.
• 1:25 PM-1:50 PM “Archaeological Survey of West Rock Ridge: The Contribution of “Trap Rock Ridges” to Understanding Late Archaic Cultural Processes in South-Central Connecticut.”  Cosimo Sgarlata, Ph. D, Adjunct Professor, Western Connecticut University
• 1:50 PM-2:15 PM “The 2013 SUNY New Paltz Excavations on Huguenot Street, New Paltz, NY.” Joseph Diamond, Ph. D, Archaeologist, Assistant Professor and Chair, Dept, of Anthropology, SUNY, New Paltz, NY.
• 2:15 PM-2:30 PM COFFEE BREAK
• 2:30 PM-2:55 PM “Cherry Ridge: A Vanished Village of the Highlands.”  Ron Dupont, Historian and writer.
• 2:55 pm-3:20 pm “SSI Station For The Study Of Insects In Harriman State Park A Place To Learn Natural History.”  Susan Scher, Professor Emerita, Ramapo College.
• 3:20 PM-3:45 PM “The Ramapo Saltbox Environmental Research Center: Where Preservation and Recovery Meet.” Chuck Stead, Environmental Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension; Adjunct Professor, Ramapo College.
• 1:00 PM-4:00 PM BOOK ROOM Noted archaeologist and Author Edward Lenik