tribal historic preservation office

SEMINOLE TRIBE OF FLORIDA

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THPO/FGCU Archaeological Field School Officially Certified by the Register of Professional Archaeologists As RPA-4

In March 2011 the THPO/FGCU archaeological field school was officially certified by the Register of Professional Archaeologists as RPA-4 (the 4 stands for the number of weeks we will be in the field).  The Register of Professional Archaeologists is the Professional Organization that regulates the standard of archaeology in North America.  Currently only one other field school in Florida holds RPA certified status (University of South Florida).  One result of certification is that students attending the field-school can apply for a scholarship (including some funding from the RPA). In order to achieve certification we had to turn in a 150 page research design which included detailed research questions and the qualifications of the people involved in the project.  As a Florida Public School FGCU figure-headed the application with the fieldwork being co-directed by the THPO and FGCU (Backhouse and Snapp).  Students will be participating with the THPO as part of the Council Approved THPO Internship Program.  We are hoping to focus our research on evaluating the Waxy Hadjo’s landing site on the Big Cypress Reservation for possible inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places and will look to engage Tribal members with outreach throughout the project.  Currently 15 students are enrolled and we should be in the field by May 22nd

THPO Will Be Hosting GIS Workshop on Big Cypress

On April the 8th we will be hosting a GIS workshop at the Museum Campus here on Big Cypress.  Stakeholders in the GIS community from throughout South Florida will be attending the workshop to get a perspective on how the Tribe and more specifically the THPO has setup its GIS systems.  We expect the workshop to be a great opportunity for GIS professionals to network and exchange ideas and data.  It also goes some way to solidifying our standing as a leader in the implementation of GIS technology at a regional level.

 

White House Tribal Nations Conference

WASHINGTON – On Thursday, December 16, 2010, President Obama hosted the White House Tribal Nations Conference.  This conference provided leaders from the 565 federally recognized tribes the opportunity to interact directly with the President and representatives from the highest levels of his Administration.  Each federally recognized tribe was invited to send one representative to the Conference.   This will be the second White House Tribal Nations Conference for the Obama Administration, and continues to build upon the President’s commitment to strengthen the nation to nation relationship with Indian Country.

The Red Barn

The Red Barn was chosen by the National Park Service as one of the featured historic properties for American Indian Heritage Month 2010.

Read more here:

http://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/indian/2010/red_barn.htm

Big Cypress Chickee Survey Complete!

The Architectural Historian and Cultural Advisors have spent the past 16 months documenting all the chickees-approximately 500-on the Big Cypress Reservation.  The team took a GPS point location for each structure and filled out a survey form containing information such as: builder, shape, use, condition, and distinguishing characteristics.  The information from the survey has been uploaded into GIS software.  The team plans to conduct a similar survey on each reservation in order to ultimately study the patterns and characteristics of chickee architecture and chickee builders.

Welcome New Employees!

The THPO has hired six new employees! Click on the link to read more about them and what they did prior to their employment with us at theTHPO.

Meet our newest staff members!

The "Tribal Historic Preservation Office - 2009 Annual Report" is Complete!

Click here to see what was accomplished in 2009.

THPO joins the Culture and Heritage Committee at the United South and Eastern Tribes’ Semi-Annual Meeting:  June 14-17 in Mobile, AL

United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc. is a non-profit, inter-tribal organization that represents its member Tribes at the regional and national level. This June, the Semi-Annual Meeting was sponsored by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians at the historic Battle House Hotel in Mobile, AL.  The Culture and Heritage Committee provided a forum for the exchange of ideas and information amongst Tribes, agencies and governments. At this meeting the Culture and Heritage Committee presented three resolutions that were all passed:

 1) CALLING UPON THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT TO RECONSIDER ITS APPROVAL OF THE CAPE WIND PROJECT

2) FEDERAL COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 106 CONSULTATIONS RESPONSIBILITIES ON THE MISSISSIPPI CANYON OIL SPILL

3) USET SUPPORT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND FUNDING OF THE USDA FOREST SERVICE’S CEREMONIAL STONE STRUCTURES AND LANDSCAPES INVENTORY PILOT PROJECT

THPO to talk at the Florida Anthropological Society Meeting in Fort Myers

THPO Presents at the Florida Anthropological Society Meeting May 7-9, 2010, Fort Myers

Symposium Title : Outpost On The Edge Of The Everglades: The Fort Shackelford Location Project, The 2009 Field Season

Objective: Presented papers outline the results of a unique collaborative research project between the Tribal Historic Preservation Office of the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Anthropology Program at Florida Gulf Coast University. The project sought to identify the location, integrity, and archaeological significance of an important Third Seminole War fort, which is presumed to have been located on what is today the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation.  Results of the 2009 field season appear to archaeologically confirm the location of the fort and point to the benefit of the unique learning experience.

  What is "Tribal Archaeology"

            February 2010                                                                         SWFAS Feb Meeting Newletter

Tribal Archaeology Section archaeologist Hope Hawkins will provide members of the Southwest Florida Archaeological Society with an insight as to what is "tribal" archaeology." At the meeting scheduled to be held on February the 17th at Bonita Springs Community Center, Hope will discuss some of the recent projects undertaken by the tribe including the results of recent investigations at the site suspected to be the location of Fort Shackelford during the third Seminole War.

Meet the Tribal Archaeologists at This Years AIAC in Big Cypress

      October 2009
                      AIAC 2009 Banner

The Tribal Archaeology Section of the Seminole Tribe of Florida will be hosting an informational booth at this years exciting American Indian Arts Celebration event held on the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation.  The archaeologists will be available to answer questions and will host fun activities, as well as explaining the important role that archaeology has in protecting significant sites on all the tribes reservations.

Editorial Praises Collaborative THPO and FGCU Program

August 2009 FSLP Tour Group

A guest editorial authored by Dr. Annette Snapp of Florida Gulf Coast University was published in the Naples Daily News.  The editorial praised the recent collaborative effort between the THPO and the Anthropology program at FGCU and further suggested that it has important implications for the way we understand the history and prehistory of South Florida.  The Complete editorial can be viewed online here 

Red Barn - Preservation in Three Dimensions

August 2009 Sketchup Render of the Red Barn based on the Laser Scan Image

The THPO Department has been working with Arc Surveying & Mapping, Inc. to accurately record and document the National Register listed Red Barn, located on the Brighton Reservation.  After completing a 3D laser of the structure an accurate model of the building was rendered (pictured).  The model is not only an important record of the structure but also an interpretive tool that allows an appreciation of the building and its importance to the tribe.

THPO Receives Special Achievement in GIS Award

July 2009 ESRI SAG Award Winners

ESRI Press Release: The Seminole Tribe of Florida received a Special Achievement in GIS (SAG) Award today at the 2009 ESRI International User Conference (ESRI UC) in San Diego, California. The organization received this honor for its vision, leadership, and innovative use of ESRI's geographic information system (GIS) technology. The Seminole were selected from more than 300,000 organizations worldwide and recognized during today's SAG awards ceremony for making extraordinary contributions to our global society. 

The Seminole incorporate GIS throughout their organization including historic preservation such as tribal archaeology and research. The organization uses GIS for a common method of integrating data that will make work more effective and efficient, providing a place to store and share data and enhance communication between staff members. GIS has also allowed the Seminole office to integrate data across various disciplines. The technology has become an essential tool for the organization’s archaeologists and historians as it helps them better understand the spatial context of all cultural resources located on and off the Seminole reservations in Florida. GIS is also used to examine the areas of ancestral and historical research that are important to the tribe.

The Red Barn Listed in the National Register of Historic Places

January 2009 Red Barn, Brighton Reservation

On December 24th, 2008 the Red Barn became the first Seminole property listed in the National Register of Historic Places.  The Red Barn (ca. 1941), located on the Brighton Reservation, was a project of the Civilian Conservation Corps Indian Division (CCC-ID).  The barn housed Seminole horses during the formative years of the tribal cattle industry, and later served as a place for tribal meeting, family reunions, and community activities.  The Red Barn stands as a shining example of the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s solidarity.