Who Were the First People to Live on San Nicolas Island?

Date: October 4, 2009
Contact: Yvonne Menard, 805-658-5725

Steve Schwartz, U.S. Navy senior archaeologist and historian, will discuss the intriguing question of who were the first people to live on San Nicolas Island during the November “From Shore to Sea” lectures.

Schwartz will discuss the latest findings from archaeology, ethnography, and history regarding human occupation of the island. Known as the home of the “lone woman,” (a term popularized by the book Island of the Blue Dolphins), San Nicolas had been inhabited by other “Nicoleños” as well. Recent research reveals that earlier groups preceded them. Just who these people were will be explored in this presentation.

San Nicolas, one of eight Channel Islands, is a military facility used for weapons testing and training. It is the outermost island of the chain, located 65 nautical miles southwest of Ventura County.

Schwartz has worked with the U.S. Navy at Naval Base Ventura County for over 20 years. He has authored numerous publications about the archaeology and history of San Nicolas Island. Prior to this he worked throughout the Southwest as an archaeologist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The “From Shore to Sea” lecture series is jointly sponsored by Channel Islands National Park and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary with support from Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. The purpose of the series is to further the understanding of current research on the Channel Islands and surrounding waters. The lectures occur at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 10, 2009, at Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, 113 Harbor Way in the Santa Barbara Harbor and Wednesday, November 11, 2009, at the Channel Islands National Park Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center,
1901 Spinnaker Drive in the Ventura Harbor. The programs are free and open to the public.