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Archeology E-gram September 2021

Brenda Todd Named Deputy Superintendent at Badlands National Park

Brenda Todd is the new Deputy Superintendent of Badlands NP. She is currently the Superintendent of Grand Canyon-Parashant NM. Todd recently served as acting Deputy Superintendent of Lake Mead NRA, managing one of the largest field operations in the NPS.

Todd is a 13-year veteran of the NPS. Her previous positions include Superintendent of Knife River Indian Villages NHS, acting Superintendent of Fort Union Trading Post NHS, project manager for the Denver Service Center Planning Division, and staff member in the NPS Office of Indian Affairs and American Culture.

Todd holds a PhD in anthropology, with an emphasis on archeology, from the University of Colorado. She will assume her new position in November 2021.

Rebecca Carr Wong Site Manager for Devils Postpile National Monument

Rebecca Carr Wong is the new Site Manager for Devils Postpile NM. Wong brings more than 20 years of public lands experience to her post, most recently serving as the first manager for Berryessa Snow Mountain NM. There, she was responsible for managing lands for both the BLM and USFS. Wong also served as the first manager for the Sand to Snow NM. She has worked on the Stanislaus NF, San Bernardino NF, and in the Redding, California, BLM Field Office. Previous NPS experience includes postings at Grand Canyon NP, Mesa Verde NP, and Casa Grande Ruins NM.

A native of Connecticut, Wong earned her a BA in anthropology and photography from the University of Delaware in 1994. She earned her MS in historic preservation with an emphasis in architectural conservation from the University of Pennsylvania in 2002. Wong will assume her duties in October 2021.By Jamie Richards

New Website for NPS Archeology

The NPS Archeology Program has launched a new website to celebrate archeology across the national parks. Find information for the public, educational materials for teachers and kids, and opportunities for the public to get involved in archeology. Visit the site at:https://www.nps.gov/subjects/archeology/index.htm

NPS archeologists can find guidance and other professional information on the new Archeology Program website at: https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1038/index.htm.

Enslaved Family’s Storage Pit and Shrine at Arlington House, Robert E. Lee Memorial

A pit containing a possible shrine most likely associated with the enslaved Selina and Thornton Gray family has been found in slave quarters of Arlington House. Originally part of the plantation estate of the adopted son of George Washington, George Washington Parke Custis, Arlington House was constructed between 1802-1818, and later became home to his son-in-law Robert E. Lee.

During rehabilitation of the South Dependency/Slave Quarters west room, work crews found four early-to-mid-19th century glass bottles clustered in historic period soils. Subsequent archeological investigations identified a subfloor pit near the fireplace hearth that is most likely associated with the enslaved Selina and Thornton Gray family occupying the quarters in the mid-nineteenth century.

The pit contained artifacts dating to the mid-19th century and earlier, as well as re-deposited soils that had filled the pit. Most notable among the artifacts were four complete glass bottles. One bottle contained an observable item, a bone fragment approximately 4 1/4” long and 1/2” wide and is possibly a sheep or goat rib. The pit also contained a large bore (5/64”- 6/64” diameter) white clay pipe stem, 7/16” diameter bone button blank/backing with a center piercing, and a black pebble and a white pebble.

The location of the pit, the associated artifacts, and the positioning of the bottles are consistent with enslaved peoples’ practice of maintaining a shrine containing a “spirit bundle” with “conjuring bottles,” to ward off evil and promote self-preservation. All four bottles were lain side by side with their openings pointing northward, within a pit located to the north and east of the fireplace and hearth.

Events of the mid-19th century when the Selina and Thornton Gray family lived in the South Dependency may have increased their and others’ inhumane state of bondage and uncertainty about their future. These events included the passing of Custis, and Lee’s interpretation, as executor, of his will, that delayed execution of provisions in the will for freeing Arlington’s enslaved individuals. Increased likelihood of being hired to other plantations, outbreak of the Civil War, and occupation of Arlington House by Union troops may have encouraged self-manumission and escape. These circumstances may have motivated the Grays to engage the supernatural as a means of resisting bondage and safeguarding their future.

A park website article Archeological Discovery in the Slave Quarters is available at https://www.nps.gov/arho/learn/management/archeological-discovery-in-the-slave-quarters.htmA technical report documenting the archeological findings and historical events and offering potential explanations for creation of the shrine is available via a link in a park website article.

by Matt Virta

The Federal Archeologist’s Bookshelf: will be back soon.

NPS Employee Mental Wellness

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. The ongoing pandemic, high summer park visitation, fires in the west, year-end closeout, and many other stressors impact the ability for employees to do their work, find satisfaction in their career, and maintain a healthy work/life balance.

The loss of our NPS team members through suicide impacts all of us in different ways and with different needs for support. While the NPS does not have perfect data, NPS management does not believe that the rate of suicide within NPS has increased. However, as Deputy Director Shawn Benge stepped into his current role exercising the delegated authority of the Director, he made a commitment to sharing with all of you when we lose a colleague to suicide and, to date, has honored that commitment.

NPS staff are strongly encouraged to take training to better understand mental illness and triggers that may lead to suicide attempts, participate in wellness check-ins, and gain skills in caring for oneself and others. Below is a list of resources available.

Mental Wellness Educational Series

A series of webinars focusing on a variety of mental wellness topics. Participants will hear about strategies and skills to help them manage stress and care for their well-being. October 7, 5-6:30 pm ET – Managing Cumulative Stress

October 14, 12:00-1:30 pm ET – Suicide Awareness Prevention and Intervention

October 19, 1:00-2:30 pm ET - Chaos into Calm: How to Prioritize Recovery and Self-Care in a Dynamic and Uncertain World

October 26, 3:00-4:30pm ET - Yoga a Systematic Solution to Battling Cumulative Stress

November 1, 5-6:30pm ET – Stress Management

Eliminating the Stigma Around Mental Health

  • Presented by Sally Mayberry with Special Guest Gabrielle Fisher, MPH; NPS Wellness and Resilience Branch, Office of Risk Management
  • A recording of the session is available on the FriYAY Microsoft Streaming Channel

Employee Wellness Check-ins

Wellness Check-Ins provide an open space for NPS employees to share thoughts, process reactions, offer support, and build community. This interactive session is not a training; rather, it is a facilitated dialogue that calls upon our wisdom and strengths. These one-hour sessions will be offered 3 times. Employees may attend more than one session. (Note these sessions will be held on the Webex platform. Webex allows you to stay anonymous; the name you enter during registration will appear in Webex. For this event, you are welcomed to use a pseudonym when signing up or logging in but make sure the email address you provide is accurate so you can receive the link to join.)

October 5, 3:00-4:00 pm ET

October 20, 2:30-3:30 pm ET

Servicewide Mindfulness Program

NPSMindful is a new employee wellness program sponsored by the Wellness and Resilience Branch. NPSMindful provides opportunities for employees to regularly participate in activities to support employee well-being and to make mindfulness-related resources available.

Mindfulness is being in the present in the moment, not being distracted by the future or the past or what is going on around us. By purposely paying attention to the here and now in a non-judgmental way, we are less likely to become overwhelmed or overreactive to what’s going on around us. Regular practitioners report benefits such as reduced stress and anxiety, increased focus, and a consistently calmer state of being. These benefits are backed by a growing body of scientific research. These sessions occur every Wednesday at 1:00 pm ET

Overcome Burn Out & Build Your Resiliency

While the physical effects of COVID-19 are obvious, the effects of the pandemic on mental health and resilience are just as important. In these times of uncertainty, chronic stress, anxiety, and burnout are at an all-time high. It is critical to develop mental resilience - the foundation on which our ability to work together and support organizations, communities, and families - relies. In this webinar series, Dr. Leah Weiss, author, Stanford Professor, and expert on burnout, will examine how compassionate leadership can be implemented. This series will be both highly interactive (with quizzes, in-person exercises, and reflections) and case-study informed. Presenter: Leah Weiss, PhD (500 seats available)

Other Resources

Many resources are available to help you navigate challenges and struggles with mental wellness, suicide, and stress.

  • Wellness & Resilience Portal resources for both long-term and immediate needs.
  • Employee Assistance Program free 24-hour confidential, live support, counseling referrals, up to six free counseling sessions per year; available to all employees and their families. www.espyr.com (password: interioreap) 800-869-0276.
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. This hotline offers free 24-hour confidential, live support. www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org 800-273-TALK (8255)
  • Federal Employee Health Benefits. All insurance plans within the FEHB program offer mental health benefits. Benefits vary by plan. FEHB and other insurance and health benefits.

  • Sick Leave. Because being healthy includes mental well-being in addition to physical, sick leave can be used for both. The same rules apply. Information is on InsideNPS.

  • Employee Support on InsideNPS links to everything above.

GRANTS AND TRAINING

Citizen Science Training Available

Are you curious about how federal agencies use citizen science to support their missions? Are you aware of the benefits citizen science projects provide to science and outreach programs? USFWS will offer “Implementing a Successful Citizen Science Effort” from February 1-March 8, 2022, over six online sessions. This course addresses these topics, and more! This distance learning course consists of live, instructor-led webinars (WebEx) accompanied by an on-line classroom (DOI Talent). Participants progress through the course together with course instructors. Tuition for FWS, NPS and USGS is prepaid. For participants from other agencies and organizations, there is a tuition charge of $398.00. Register online using DOI Talent, the Department of the Interior’s Learning Management System.

SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC: It's Ranger Betty's Birthday Month!

Betty Reid Soskin is the country's oldest NPS Ranger and works at Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front NHP in Richmond, California. On September 22, 2021, she turned 100 years old. It’s not too late to send Betty a birthday card! Below are digital templates of varying sizes that you can print out and sign, along with a small display flyer where folks can link to Betty's bio on the RORI website.

In recognition of Betty's 100th birthday, Eastern National has created a special cancellation stamp for the Passport To Your National Parks program. You can earn the virtual version of the stamp by visiting the Passport To Your National Parks website, where you can also link to a video of Betty's interpretive public program “Of Lost Conversations.”

Send birthday cards to:

Betty Reid Soskin
c/o Rosie the Riveter Visitor Education Center
National Park Service
1414 Harbour Way South, Suite #3000
Richmond, CA 94804

Feel free to share your stories and experiences with Betty on social media, using the hashtag #RangerBetty100 or the others listed below.

  • #RangerBetty100
  • #FindYourInnerBetty
  • #BeLikeBetty
Digital templates:

Archeology E-Gram, distributed via e-mail on a regular basis, includes announcements about news, new publications, training opportunities, national and regional meetings, and other important goings-on related to public archeology in the NPS and other public agencies. Recipients are encouraged to forward Archeology E-Grams to colleagues and relevant mailing lists. The Archeology E-Gram is available on the News and Links page at www.nps.gov/archeology/public/news.htm on the NPS Archeology Program website.

Contact: Karen Mudar at e-mail us to contribute news items and to subscribe.

Last updated: February 14, 2022