PRESS RELEASE: Secretary Byrd Encourages Floridians to Celebrate Florida Archaeology Month 2024

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. –

Today, Secretary of State Cord Byrd announced upcoming public programs to celebrate Florida Archaeology Month, which takes place each March. This year’s events highlight research and initiatives underway at Department of State managed properties in Tallahassee. 

 

“Florida Archaeology Month is the perfect opportunity to showcase ongoing efforts by the Bureau of Archaeological Research (BAR) to protect, preserve, and promote Florida archaeology,” said Secretary of State Cord Byrd. “This year, we feature the latest state-led archeological research and initiatives highlighted through exhibits and public programs at Mission San Luis, Union Bank Museum, and The Grove Museum.”

 

 

The Department of State will be celebrating Florida Archaeology Month 2024 with a series of events throughout the month of March. See a list of events below. For more information, visit: DOS.MyFlorida.com/historical/archaeology/ArchaeologyMonth2024.

 

Listing of Florida Archaeology Month 2024 Events:

 

Signature Event:

Saturday, March 23, 2024

On March 23, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Mission San Luis will be hosting the annual Free Day in celebration of Florida Archaeology Month. Activities offered throughout the day include family-friendly crafts, living history demonstrations and historic site interpretation, guided tours of the BAR Collections Facility, presentations by BAR archaeologists, and information tables from partner organizations. BAR will also be on-site conducting testing and excavation of a feature located near the BAR Collections Facility. An archaeologist will be available to answer questions about the feature and to explain how archaeological research is conducted. Guests are also encouraged to tour the property, interact with interpreters to learn more about Mission San Luis, and visit the gallery in the Mission San Luis Visitor Center to view exhibits related to the site. Vendors will be on-site with food and beverages available for purchase. Mission San Luis is located at 2100 West Tennessee Street, in Tallahassee, Florida.

 

Other Events:

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

On March 6, BAR Senior Archaeologist Jerry Lee will lead a guided tour at Mission San Luis. The tour will highlight decades of research, findings, and ongoing archaeological work at the site. The tour begins at 11:00 a.m. and is included with the normal fee for site admission. Mission San Luis is located at 2100 West Tennessee Street, in Tallahassee, Florida.

 

Saturday, March 9, 2024

On March 9, BAR Senior Archaeologist Brandon Ackermann, joined by Assistant Director for Historical Resources John Grandage, will be on-site at The Grove Museum during the annual Grove Day celebration. Ackermann will discuss recent ground-penetrating radar (GPR) testing on the site and research findings. Grandage will discuss how archaeological research helped in developing the site’s interpretive plan and the creation of museum exhibits. Grove Day also features programs throughout the day about the site’s history and a variety of family-friendly activities, entertainment, and food trucks. The event runs from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public. The Grove Museum is located at 902 North Monroe Street, in Tallahassee, Florida.

 

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

On March 13, BAR Senior Archaeologist Nick Yarbrough will lead a guided tour at Mission San Luis focusing on recent excavations of a feature located near the current BAR Collections Facility. The tour begins at 12:00 p.m. and is included with the normal fee for site admission. Mission San Luis is located at 2100 West Tennessee Street, in Tallahassee, Florida.

 

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

On March 20, Mission San Luis presents Archaeology at Mission San Luis, as part of the Homeschool Days series of family programs. The historic site will be filled with fun, archaeology-related educational activities for whole family, including a copper embossing craft, hands-on pottery puzzles, an archaeological soil sifter, and more! All activities during Homeschool Days at Mission San Luis are included with the normal fee for site admission. Mission San Luis is located at 2100 West Tennessee Street, in Tallahassee, Florida.

 

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

On March 26, Dr. Paulette McFadden, BAR Public Lands Archaeology Supervisor & Law Enforcement Coordinator, will discuss excavations at the site of the Washington Hall Hotel, which burned during the 1843 Tallahassee fire. The hotel, which was located just east of Florida’s Historic Capitol, was a hub of social and political life in Tallahassee’s territorial period and is believed to be where the devastating fire started, before spreading throughout downtown. Following the presentation, Dr. McFadden will also take guests on a brief walking tour outdoors near Union Bank to share more about the excavation. This program is free, open to the public, and part of the Museum of Florida History’s History at High Noon Lecture Series. It will take place at Union Bank Museum, 219 Apalachee Parkway, in Tallahassee, Florida, starting at 12:00 p.m. Seating for this program is limited. To reserve your spot, visit: Eventbrite.HistoryHighNoonMarch2024.

 

Saturday, March 30, 2024

On March 30, The Grove Museum will host a special Archaeology Month program titled Archaeology, Games, and Play. Dr. Sam Wilford, BAR Archaeology Collections & Conservation Supervisor, will join museum staff for a guided discussion and activity focused on how archaeology helps us learn more about the ways that people in the past played games. This family-friendly program includes a guided domino-making craft and game playing tutorial, inspired by bone dominos currently on display as part of The Grove’s temporary exhibit Early Florida Maps & Tallahassee’s Bicentennial. The Grove Museum is free, open to the public, and located at 902 North Monroe Street, in Tallahassee, Florida.

 

Ongoing Exhibits:

March 1, 2024 – March 31, 2024

BAR has artifacts on loan to museums and institutions across the State of Florida and beyond. To view an interactive map of locations with BAR loaned artifacts on display in museum exhibits, visit BAR Collections Loans Map.

 

March 1, 2024 – March 31, 2024

On display at The Grove Museum through June 30, 2024, Early Florida Maps & Tallahassee’s Bicentennial features rare and important colonial and territorial period maps, paired with artifacts from North Florida sites, that explore major themes and events in Tallahassee history. Original maps featured in the exhibit are on loan from the Cognetta Family Trust Collection and artifacts featured in the exhibit are on loan from BAR. The exhibit is accessible during normal museum operating hours. Special tours will be offered on March 9 during the annual Grove Day celebration. The Grove Museum is free, open to the public, and located at 902 North Monroe Street, in Tallahassee, Florida.

 

March 1, 2024 – March 31, 2024

Built in 1841, Union Bank is considered Florida’s oldest surviving bank building. Recently completed exhibits chronicle the history of the building and its many uses over time. Featured in the exhibits are artifacts on loan from BAR that relate to Tallahassee’s colonial and territorial periods. Exhibits are accessible during normal museum operating hours. Union Bank Museum is free, open to the public, and located at 219 Apalachee Parkway, in Tallahassee, Florida.

 

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About The Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research

The Florida Department of State’s Bureau of Archaeological Research (BAR) is entrusted with the maintenance, preservation, and protection of more than 14,000 years of Florida’s heritage. Archaeological and historical resources on state-owned and state-managed lands, including sovereignty submerged lands, are the direct responsibility of BAR. State archaeologists carry out archaeological surveys and excavations throughout Florida, primarily on state-owned lands. They also assist consultants and planners in protecting sites statewide. BAR is also responsible for curating and conserving the State’s archaeological collections. For more information, visit: DOS.MyFlorida.com/historical/archaeology/.