Meeks Etchieson grew up in
southwest Arkansas, where he developed an interest in archeology at an early
age. He received a BA in anthropology from Memphis State University (now
the University of Memphis) in 1973 and an MA in anthropology from Northern
Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona in 1980. He worked as a project
archeologist in the contract archeology program at West Texas State University
(Now West Texas A&M University) from October 1976 to August 1979. He
then became a staff archeologist within the regional office of the southwest
region of the Bureau of Reclamation in Amarillo, Texas. There he was
responsible for projects along the Rio Grande in New Mexico; in south, east and
northwest Texas; and in southwest Oklahoma. Meeks moved back to
Arkansas in July 1987 to take the position of Forest Archeologist for the
Ouachita National Forest. He currently serves as the Heritage Program
Manager for the Ouachita NF.
Abstract: The Ouachita National Forest conducted
an evaluation testing project at two archeological sites on the Kiamichi Ranger
District in LeFlore County, Oklahoma, in early December 2004. These
two sites consist of a small Choctaw farmstead (34LF0595) and a very extensive
mid-Archaic site (34LF0596). The Choctaw farmstead appears to have been
occupied during the mid to late 19th century, and this site may have been
associated with the Benjamin Woods family. The mid-Archaic site consists
of a high density lithic workshop atop floodplain knolls, containing
extensive burned rock features. Testing concentrated on two of the knolls.
Towana Spivey
Towana
Spivey has spent his professional career preserving and interpreting the
prehistory/history of the Trans-Mississippi West with particular interest in
the Oklahoma area. Born in Madill,
Oklahoma in the old Chickasaw Nation, he is the descendent of several
generations of Chickasaws who came to the Indian Territory (Oklahoma) in 1837
from northern Mississippi.
Mr.
Spivey’s educational background includes undergraduate work in History/Natural
Science with graduate emphasis in Anthropology and Museum Studies. He has conducted archaeological
investigations at 19th century military posts including Fort
Washita, Fort Towson and Fort Sill, as well as other historic and prehistoric
sites. This experience has developed
his expertise in the restoration and interpretation of 19th century
buildings. He has served on numerous
boards and advisory committees for such organizations as the Oklahoma
Archaeological Survey; Governor’s Review Committee for the Oklahoma State
Preservation Office; Oklahoma Museum’s Association; and Southwest Oklahoma
Historical Society. His work experience
includes: Historic Archaeologist for
the Oklahoma Historical Society; Curator of Anthropology for the Museum of the
Great Plains; and Director/Curator of the Fort Sill National Historic Landmark
and Museum. He is also a Senior Curator
for the U.S. Army Museum System.
Mr.
Spivey has authored several books and numerous articles pertaining to frontier
history and has served as a primary consultant or been featured in at least
thirty-five television documentaries.
His television contributions have focused on subjects such as the Bison,
Geronimo, Quanah Parker, frontier military, Apache POW’s, and other topics for
major networks such as PBS, A&E, Turner Network, Discovery, etc. He has contributed and appeared in similar
programs for the Japanese Broadcasting, British Broadcasting, and Norwegian
Broadcasting Corporations. He has also
been featured in live interviews for Australian Radio in Sydney. In 1984, during the Cold War with the Soviet
Union, he recorded several hours of audio-tape on Native America and frontier
military history for the “Voice of America” to be broadcast behind the Iron
Curtain.
Throughout
his career he has regularly been involved in preserving the history, language,
and material culture of many Oklahoma tribes including the Chickasaw, Choctaw,
Comanche, Kiowa, Chiricahua and Warm Springs Apache, Apache Tribe of Oklahoma,
and others. He has testified as an expert
witness in state and federal courts on Native American Issues. In years past, he has served as Director
and Consultant on several National Endowment for the Humanities projects
including: “Bison-From the Prehistoric
Past to an American Frontier” and “Oklahoma Genesis-A Survey of Historic Maps
in Oklahoma History”.
He
is currently involved in planning for the new Field Artillery Museum facility
yet to be built at Fort Sill as well as ongoing development of the National
Historic Landmark and Museum.