Vermont Archaeology Month 2013 (VAM) successfully engaged Vermonters in archaeology and history at multiple levels of involvement. VAM informed many Vermonters and visitors about Vermont archaeology, Native history and culture, and our state history in general. VAM also showcased the new Vermont Archaeology Heritage Center through various events and media and propelled new visitors to the State's Historic Sites. Nearly 2,000 people participated in the 40 events. In contrast, Vermont Archaeology Month 2012 had 26 events and 1,140 participants. The Route 78 archaeology

Photo courtesy of Nancy Trombley

project in Swanton drew the largest crowd, with 910 people visiting the site and/or volunteering their time throughout the month. One visitor, also a local legislator, to the Route 78 project posted on the  Vermont Archaeology Month Facebook page:

Several programs and types of events stand out as especially well-attended with many enthusiastic participants. The Route 78 Swanton archaeology project was a highlight of VAM for many reasons, with 910 people visiting the site or volunteering their time throughout September. In addition to the direct participants, the project reach was enormous, touching untold thousands of people through many outlets:

For the month of September, the NEARC gave 18 presentations for 8 schools, 1 home-school group, 1 camp, and 2 organizations reaching a total of 374 students and 83 adults. On-site, we scheduled 20 tours for 11 school groups, 2 universities, and 1 camp reaching 398 students and 55 teachers and chaperones. In our log-in book, 143 people signed-in. WCAX, Fox 44, and Northwest Access TV and the Burlington Free Press all came to our September 21 Open house. The Burlington Free Press ran the story in their Buyers Digest. Numerous archaeologists visited the project to observe & learn. (From NEARC)

VAM events that interfaced nature and history were well-attended and seem among the most popular VAM offerings. Examples of this type of event include Tom Wessel's Reading the Forested Landscape, Talk and Walkabout at Mount Independence State Historic Site in Orwell; Looking at Forested Lands Through the Eyes of Archaeology and Forestry: Walking Tour of the

Taylor Valley Tree Farm in Strafford; Fall Frolic in the Stranahan Memorial Town Forest: Cellar Holes, Sheep Dips, and Microbursts in Marshfield; Lost and Re-found: Remembering the Long-Forgotten Patients at the Cemetery of the Vermont State Asylum for the Insane in Waterbury; and The Shortest Distance Between Two Points - A Guided Walk Across a New Landmark, the Champlain Bridge in Addison. Collaboration among archaeologists, foresters, ecologists, historians, and other knowledgeable specialists merged entertainment and learning in an inter-active field setting. Based on feedback from hosts, participants highly praised these programs.

Thousands of listeners, viewers, and readers whose awareness of Vermont archaeology and history increased - a little or a lot - through radio and television shows, news stories, radio and newspaper advertisements, and participation in the VAM Facebook community. Based on anecdotes, many people expressed awareness of, and interest in, archaeology stories and VAM programs even though they did not participate in any of the events. VAM 2013 provided exciting, new opportunities, such as greatly increased print and radio advertising, improved social media and website presence, and extensive public television programming in central Vermont. These provide a terrific springboard for more improvements in VAM 2014. Southern Vermont, especially, saw little VAM activity and buzz, but we'll work on changing that in 2014.

VAM is a collaboration between the State of Vermont's Agency of Transportation (VTrans) and various entities within the Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD). The Vermont Division for Historic Preservation (DHP), with the State Archaeologist as VAM coordinator, led the collaboration. Former DHP assistant archaeologist Sarah Bergh worked with various event hosts throughout the late winter and spring, organizing events until she left DHP in early June. As in past years, VTrans provided the primary funding. Yet again, National Life Group's generous contribution to execute VAM mailings was a valuable ingredient to the project's success. VAM was further supported with important contributions from Mimi Baird, Center for Research on Vermont, Montpelier Heritage Group, ORCA Media, VSECU, WDEV Radio Vermont, and Tom Wessels.

The complete VAM 2013 Project Report can be accessed on the Vermont Archaeology Month website. We're hoping that the VAS can play a more active role in VAM 2014! If you have ideas for events or programs in your area, please let me know.