Archaeologist Aaron Mayer will be presenting his findings on the laundress quarters at Fort Meade in Deadwood on September 5, 2024. The presentation, hosted by Deadwood History, Inc. and the Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission, will focus on the life of Rose Courtney, a Seventh Cavalry laundress, through the discovery of a log cabin, privy, and over 6,000 artifacts. The event will take place at the Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center and is free for members and $5 for non-members.
Mayer, a senior archaeologist/paleoethnobotanist at Augustana University, has extensive experience in Great Plains archaeology and experimental archaeology. His research on the day-to-day life of an immigrant couple in 1907 on the western frontier provides insight into clothing, food, and liquor consumption during that time. With a background in excavations across Wyoming, Nebraska, and Minnesota, Mayer’s findings have been published in various archaeological journals.
As a member of the Register of Professional Archaeologists and the treasurer of the South Dakota Archaeological Society, Mayer’s presentation is expected to draw a crowd interested in learning about the history of Deadwood and the lives of its early settlers. Attendees will have the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the past through the lens of archaeological research and uncover the story of Rose Courtney’s life as a laundress in the Seventh Cavalry.
Source
Photo credit www.newscenter1.tv
