UDC to host ‘Flowing Histories’

The Upper Delaware Council (UDC) will host a public presentation, “Flowing Histories: Tracing Water, Structures, and Hidden Landscapes in the Upper Delaware”, on Thursday, June 4, at 6:30 p.m., at the UDC’s Narrowsburg, N.Y., office and by Zoom.

Geophysical Specialist Sam Bourcy from Hartgen Archeological Associates, Inc. will present the virtual program.

The National Park Service contracted with Hartgen to conduct an archeological background review and geophysical survey of two park unit properties within the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River: Minisink Ford (Town of Highland) and Cowen Farm (Town of Lumberland).

Both properties were evaluated through research, environmental review, historical map analysis, and assessment of archaeological sensitivity. At Cowen Farm, ground-penetrating radar and magnetic gradiometer methods were used to examine the property’s subsurface environment.

Results at Cowen Farm identified a complex historic and modern subsurface landscape, including utility-related disturbances, deeply buried surfaces, a possible canal-era turning basin, and a previously unidentified anomaly interpreted as a potential historic mill complex associated with a former pre-canal watercourse.

The presentation will discuss the histories and backgrounds of both sites, and will go into more detail regarding the Cowen Farm geophysical survey findings.

Sam Bourcy holds bachelor’s degrees in Archaeological Studies and Anthropology from SUNY Potsdam (2013) and a Master of Public Archaeology from Binghamton University (2018). He is currently a PhD candidate in Anthropology at Binghamton University and a member of the Register of Professional Archaeologists.

To request the Zoom link, please contact UDC Administrative Support Stephanie Driscoll at stephanie@upperdelawarecouncil.org or (845) 252-3022.

Check www.upperdelawarecouncil.org or UDC social media for any meeting updates.