PUEBLO GRANDE MUSEUM BLOG

My Grandmother asked me what I do at work…

2012-02-01T09:11:00.000-08:00

Today I'm cataloging a figurine fragment from an archaeological project that was delivered to Pueblo Grande Museum just last week. This figurine was found in a Hohokam fieldhouse settlement that dates to the Colonial Period (ca. 550 – 900 A.D.)

When a project is delivered to the Museum, we process the collection. The majority of the artifacts are things like bags of sherds, lithics and soil samples, those end up in our “research collection” which are inventoried, entered in our database then stored in boxes awaiting that special archaeologist who needs the samples for future research.

Artifacts that are particularly interesting either because of what they are or where they were found end up in our cataloged collection where they receive additional levels of documentation.

After identifying the object for cataloging, the first step is to assign the artifact a unique number.

Applying a topcoat to the label

The back of this figurine fragment is labeled with a piece of acid-free paper, printed on a laser printer. The label is sandwiched between coats of a water-soluble conservation quality adhesive.

After the label dries the process to document the artifact begins. The first step is measuring. This helps to reduce future handling of the artifact, allowing staff and researchers to refer to the measurements for determining storage needs or space requirements in future exhibits.

Measuring the figurine with calipers

The measurements are entered into a catalog card in our database. We also enter information about when and where the artifact was found. Finally we write a verbal description of the artifact. Having a catalog card allows us to keep track of the artifact and refer to the database for information rather than examining the artifact every time information about it is requested.

Screen shot of a catalog card

We also document the artifact visually. Most of our artifacts at PGM are relatively small. We use a small table covered with blue fabric as the background for most of our pictures. A scale and a catalog number are placed with the artifact.

Pueblo Grande photo lab

Documentary photograph

The photograph is the last step to give us a complete reference for the object. If a researcher or a staff member requests information about the artifact, we can pull up the image and send information from the catalog card. These completed cataloging steps help to reduce potential damage to the figurine which can be caused by frequent movement or clumsy handling.

Once cataloging is complete we find a storage location for the artifact. This figurine is small enough to go in one of our cabinets located in our collections storage vault. This room is environmentally controlled with a constant temperature of 65 degrees and 35% humidity. The stable environment helps to reduce stress to the object, further aiding in its preservation. The figurine will remain in the cabinet awaiting a researcher or the chance to be displayed in an exhibit.

Figurine (lower right) in storage

Posted By Lindsey Vogel, Collections Aide

New and Improved!

2012-01-25T09:38:00.000-08:00

What’s new and improved, you ask? Why our database/s. Why the ‘/s’ at the end of database, you say? Why not either database or databases? Well…because it’s all being renovated! Currently, the City Archaeology Office uses two databases to help manage cultural resources in Phoenix: our Site File Database, which is an Access database with some GIS components, and our GIS database. The Site File Database contains the plots of sites and the records associated with each site. We use it for doing research on projects to see if any archaeology has already been conducted within a project area and for site file searches when people from archaeology firms come in to see what sites are located in and near a project they are working on. The GIS database is supplied to us courtesy of the Streets Department (long story) and contains information in the form of ‘layers’ from Streets, from the Site File Database, and there are even a few layers I created myself. We use this database when we are processing archaeology assessment requests because it is very accurate and can show definitively whether a project is or is not within 250 feet of an archaeological site or 50 feet of a prehistoric canal.

Database Symbol

In addition to the databases, our office also uses a number of Excel spreadsheets. There is a Project spreadsheet that contains a list of all the archaeology reports that we have in our files along with other information, such as location and the results of the project. There is also an Archaeology Project Tracking spreadsheet that we use to keep track of when project reports are submitted and when they are reviewed and accepted. The Collections staff also uses this spreadsheet to keep track of when archaeology collections for each project are submitted. There are also a few other spreadsheets: the Hohokam Burials spreadsheet and the Prehistoric Canal Project spreadsheet.

We are currently planning to combine the two databases into a single GIS database and the spreadsheets into an Access database. Or incorporate them into a SQL database along with information from the Site File Database… Or put everything all together in one awesome database… Or…

Due to the sensitive nature of some of the site data,
we are not able to show a screen shot of the database...
but here is our lovely associate archaeologist, April Carroll, hard at work.

As you can see, things are very much in flux, but changing for the better. Combining our databases and spreadsheets means improvements in efficiency and speed because data will be stored in only a few places instead of many. If our Site File Database can be fully integrated with the GIS database, we would be able to upload shapefiles instead of digitizing them manually, which is much faster (not to mention more accurate). Someday, we even hope to be able to have project areas digitized in GIS, which will significantly cut the time it takes to do site file searches. If our spreadsheets are combined into a database, we can quickly and easily run queries and get answers to such questions as: How many reports did we review in 2009? How many projects have been conducted within T1N R3E Section 4? We can also answer these questions without having to rely on searching through paper documents or sorting in Excel, which can get tricky given the types of data we have and how they are currently arranged in the spreadsheets. And these are just a few examples! Things that are new and improved are more than welcome in an office that serves Phoenix but only has two people in it!

Posted by April Carroll, Contract Associate Archaeologist

Behind the Scenes: PGM Sneak Peek of the Sky Train

2012-01-19T09:12:00.000-08:00

In December, Pueblo Grande Museum staff had the opportunity to take a tour of the new Sky Train maintenance facility. Staff were able to tour with the Phoenix Sky Harbor representative and the representative from Bombardier, the company that Sky Harbor has contracted with for the next 10 years to operate the Sky Train. Bombardier has been operating these types of systems around the world for over 40 years.

The facility is beautiful and was built with the future phases of the Sky Train project in mind. There is office space for all of the employees it will eventually take to run and maintain the entire 5.5 mile line by 2020, as well as room to expand the maintenance areas for more trains. Stage 1 and service to terminal 4 will be opening in about a year to the public. Starting in March you will begin to see the Sky Trains on their track, with regular rider-less routes beginning in September 2012.

Each silver and black car will be able to hold 53 passengers with luggage and will take approximately 5 minutes to get from the station at 44th Street to Terminal 4. Just in the first year of operation, Sky Harbor estimates they will have over 6 million riders. They are also planning to have a SkyCap service at the 44th Street and Washington station to help passengers check in baggage. Passengers will be able to comfortably ride the light rail, then walk through an air conditioned pedestrian walkway to the Sky Train station, check in their bags and be dropped off 5 minutes later to Terminal 4 with plenty of time to grab some coffee or do a little shopping before boarding their plane. Not only is this environmentally friendly but incredibly convenient for travelers!

For those who have a layover at the airport they could easily hop on the Sky Train, walk across the street and visit the museum for a fun and educational visit. If you have to have a layover, why not learn a little about the area!?!

For more information on Sky Train visit the official page at http://skyharbor.com/phxperspective/Construction.html

Posted By Stacey Mays, Visitor Services Supervisor

Pueblo Grande Museum part of Arizona SciTech Festival

2012-01-10T08:32:00.000-08:00

Many of you probably did not even know there was going to be an Arizona SciTech Festival in 2012. Well, no excuses now. During the months of February and March, throughout the state, people will get the opportunity to see how science and technology thrives throughout Arizona. The SciTech Festival will offer “a series of hands-on activities and workshops, conversations and debates, exhibitions, concerts, guided walks and tours” all while showcasing “Arizona as a national leader in science, technology and innovation.”

Pueblo Grande Museum will be participating in the SciTech Festival by hosting a brown bag lectures series throughout the month of February on various topics such as southwest history, archaeology and current research projects in the fields of archaeology, anthropology, and museum collections. Our Ancient Technology Day on March 10th is listed as a featured SciTech event where we will also be having a special Radio Healer presentation and workshop focusing on the relationship between technology and cultural heritage. Bring your old electronic devices such as cell phones or video game accessories, to transform them into instruments of music and cultural interpretation.

Arizona Scitech Festival Lecture Series
Join us for one or all four lectures on February 6, 8, 15 and 29 from noon until 1:30pm. These lectures are free and open to the public.

• February 6 ~ 12 to 1:30pm
Guest Speaker: Wayne Ranney
Topic: Ancient Landscapes of the Colorado Plateau
Author and geologist, Wayne Ranney, will take participants on an incredible landscape tour of the desert Southwest through millions of years of earth history in his presentation, “Ancient Landscapes of the Colorado Plateau”. Arizona used to be the site of giant mountain ranges, long sandy beaches, warm tropical seas and Sahara-like deserts and the evidence for these long-lost scenes are preserved in Arizona's rocks. True-to-life maps have been created that show the sequential changes through time and Ranney will take listeners on a fantastic journey through time. He is the co-author of the book, "Ancient Landscapes of the Colorado Plateau," and will be signing copies of his book after the lecture.

• February 8 ~ 12 to 1:30pm
Guest Speaker: Stephen Reichardt, ASU, Museum Studies
Topic: Development and Integration of Cultural Resource Data in a Geographic Information System:
An Innovative Model for Museum Collection Management
Stephen Reichardt, in his project on “Development and Integration of Cultural Resource Data in a GIS system”, seeks to preserve and maintain multiple GIS layers of contextual information derived from archaeological investigations within an easy-to-use digital artifact collection management system and also to provide collection specialists, researchers, and students with a visual mode of spatial data interaction. This example builds upon records for the Schoolhouse Point Mound site from the Roosevelt Lake area. Mr. Reichardt is an archaeologist, GIS specialist, and physical anthropologist (MA). He currently works for the Archaeological Research Institute and the Institute of Human Origins at Arizona State University and is pursuing a Certificate in Museum Studies.

• February 15 ~ 12 to 1:30pm
Guest Speaker: Christopher Caseldine, ASU, Archaeology
Topic: A Fort on a Hill: Evidence of Yavapai Presence in the Perry Mesa Area
Christopher Caseldine will focus his talk on the archaeology of the Perry Mesa region of Central Arizona. In particular, how current research conducted through the ASU Archaeological Research Institute is reinterpreting our understanding of the region's use by Native American groups. Mr. Caseldine is a graduate associate of the Archaeological Research Institute in the ASU School of Human Evolution & Social Change. His research focus is Hohokam archaeology with a specific interest in the management of their vast prehistoric irrigation systems. He also has research interests in the archaeological past of the Perry Mesa region of central Arizona.

• February 29 ~ 12 to 1:30pm
Guest Speaker: Dr. Arleyn Simon, ASU, Archaeological Research Institute
Topic: Many Communities: The Archaeology of the ASU Campus
Arleyn Simon summarizes excavation evidence of many prehistoric and historic communities within the ASU campus in her talk, “Many Communities: The Archaeology of the ASU Campus”. When preparing for new construction, glimpses of the past history of the campus emerge including Hohokam villages, Hispanic barrios, and an early Mormon settlement. Dr. Simon is Director of the Archaeological Research Institute in the ASU School of Human Evolution & Social Change. She specializes in central Arizona prehistory, particularly studies of regional community relations based on ceramic compositional studies.

For more information on the 2012 Arizona SciTech Festival visit the website at azscitechfest.org and remember to check Pueblo Grande’s Facebook, Twitter and Blog for updates and event info too!

Posted By Renee Aguilar, Visitor Services Museum Aide

The Value of Volunteering

2012-01-03T09:10:00.000-08:00

I first met Holly Young, Curator of Collections at Pueblo Grande Museum, in early 2011 at a meet and greet panel for museums around the valley area. I was interning in the registrar department for the Heard Museum. After hearing about Pueblo Grande from Holly, I realized that this museum was something right up my alley for combining my experience and knowledge in archaeology and my ever growing interest in museum studies. I came to Pueblo Grande Museum in June and began working in the Collections Department with Lindsey Vogel and Laura Andrew.

I have spent my time here learning the procedures and techniques of what goes on behind the scenes of an archaeological museum. From data entry and problem solving, to the opportunity to help from the beginning of the acquisition of the Light Rail collection, working here has allowed me to continue to learn and explore more about museums. While my time here has come to an end, the experience I have gotten will help me when I go back to Arizona State University for my Masters’ degree next fall in museum studies. I have enjoyed volunteering here and hope to continue to expand my experience and knowledge in the field of museums.

Posted by Lianne, Collections Volunteer

Interested in volunteering or interning? Sign up for our Docent Training Classes which begin next week, January 12 at 9:00am! Or contact Visitor Services Supervisor, Stacey Mays at 602-495-0901 for more information on the various volunteer opportunities available at PGM.
To hear more about volunteer experiences at Pueblo Grande Museum, check out these blog articles from some of our other past volunteers and interns.

Kids, Kids & Much Fun @ Pueblo Grande Museum

Why Volunteer?

Getting to Know Pueblo Grande Museum... Again

Every Job Has It's Own Language

Support the PGM Auxiliary with a Tax Deductible Gift Donation

2011-12-26T12:58:00.000-08:00

Greetings Pueblo Grande Museum Friends and Supporters!

There is still time to send a 2011 tax deductible gift donation to help support the auxiliary and it's many programs and events. We depend on your support throughout the year but especially in December as we enter into our busy season. Gift Donations to the Pueblo Grande Museum Auxiliary are tax deductible and may be sent to:

Pueblo Grande Museum Auxiliary

4619 E. Washington Street

Phoenix, Arizona 85034

School Programs

Our docents lead thousands of school children on an adventure of discovery exploring the platform mound, ballcourt, houses and other features of the museum. Our school groups participate in education programs including pottery painting, making petroglyphs, and other related crafts as they learn about American Indian Culture.

Educational Exhibits

Our exhibit committee produces world class exhibits including our current exhibit All Good Clay Smells Like Rain and coming in 2012 our new exhibit on Desert Sustainability.

Special Events

Your support will help the auxiliary produce anticipated yearly event like our Indian Market, our Annual Rug and Art Auction, and many more!

These are just a few of the ways that the Pueblo Grande Museum Auxiliary helps support this rare cultural resource. We ask you to join us today and help support the Auxiliary by either purchasing a Museum Membership, which you can do three different ways:
1) Purchase in the Museum Store
2) Visit the Auxiliary website, complete and return the membership form
3) Visit the Museum Store website and purchase your membership online

Or by sending your 2011 tax deductible gift donation to:

Pueblo Grande Museum Auxiliary
4619 E. Washington Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85034

Thank You All for Your Support & Have a Safe and Happy Holiday!

From the Pueblo Grande Museum Auxilliary and Staff

Shining a Light on Tovrea Castle

2011-12-13T10:17:00.000-08:00

The iconic landmark Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights is moving closer to opening in early 2012 through the work of the Tovrea Carraro Society. The group has been partnering with the City of Phoenix to help maintain the facility since 2009, when staffing for the maintenance was cut from the city budget. Pueblo Grande Staff has been supporting the effort with technical assistance to help with exhibits and other things that need to be done to open the facility. I have taken a few pictures to point out the little details that make Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights a historical gem in Phoenix.

If you would be interested in more information on Tovrea Castle please visit the Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights website.

Posted by Katie Lasure, Recreation Leader

The Haunting of Holly

2011-11-30T08:30:00.000-08:00

I have become haunted by Perry Mesa, an area just north of Phoenix on the Agua Fria National Monument. Always an area of interest for me, lately, it seems to be seeking me out. Ever since we did the Landscape Legacies exhibit, Perry Mesa has become a minor obsession. First, objects from Perry Mesa find their way out of store rooms and people’s homes and take up residence in my office, where I ponder over them, and bother researchers to tell me what they can about them. Next, people with different areas of research and different experiences of Perry Mesa find me and draw me into their world. It’s like some kind of archaeological convergence. I find myself being driven over exquisitely unimproved roads in search of a particular site just below the edge of the mesa. I don’t even lift a finger. I cannot move mountains, but Perry Mesa comes to me.

There are objects that I suspect are Perry Mesans, but I don’t know for sure, because documentation is sketchy or contradictory or non-specific or completely absent. The bane of a curator’s existence is uncertainty. For example, these pots.

They are a pottery type found on Perry Mesa, Los Muertos Polychrome, from the collection of a person who was even more obsessed with Perry Mesa than I am. Were they made on Perry Mesa? Probably not. Were they recovered from Perry Mesa? Entirely possible. So, no certainty here. No rest for the wicked, as my dad says.

Is it any wonder why I love systematic archaeology collections? We know so much more, and know it more certainly. There are still lots of questions to be answered, enough to last me my lifetime, at any rate.

Posted By Holly Young, Curator of Collections

Rain Effects on the Platform Mound

2011-11-23T11:01:00.000-08:00

Here in the desert, we are always hoping for rain and very grateful when it comes. However, rain has negative impacts on cultural resources that are exposed to the elements. The platform mound and compounds at Pueblo Grande are open for public visitation and education, but as such, they are also relatively unprotected from the effects of weather. Jim Britton, and his volunteer group of PGM Mudslingers, have done their best to counteract the effects of rain and other forms of weathering on the Pueblo Grande ruins for the past 18 years.

Moisture at the base of the platform mound

Rain seeps into the bases of the ruin walls and moves upward through the mortar by capillary action. The moisture reacts with the salt in the adobe, changing its composition and causing erosion, most commonly at the base of the walls.

Erosion of mortar between wall stones, caused by rain

Heavy rain also creates runoff channels, scouring prehistoric room fill and wall fabric, as water flows across the site, sometimes exposing sensitive resources and mixing and disturbing archaeological deposits.

Jim and the Mudslingers have created a series of drainage gutters along the top of the platform mound, the purpose of which is to channel the rain water to specific routes that drain it away from the sensitive parts of the ruin. The gutters themselves are composed of solid amended mud that is less easily eroded.

Runoff gutter created by Mudslingers

This past Saturday, stabilization activities were performed on the Pueblo Grande platform mound. Walls that were damaged from rain over the Veteran’s Day weekend were patched with amended mud, and cracks in some of the adobe were filled with a thinner “slurry” and then capped. The rain early Monday morning, following these efforts, was relatively light, and overall, the resource was minimally affected. But more rain is anticipated over the Thanksgiving weekend…

Maintaining the architecture of the site of Pueblo Grande is a never-ending task. Only a few areas of the site can be worked on at a time during the monthly Mudslinger activities. It can be difficult to keep up with the need for amended mud, when there are only one or two people hauling dirt to the site. Mixing up the material is strenuous work, and carefully delivering it to the specific work areas across the site keeps Jim very busy. If stabilization activities occurred continuously, there would still always be repairs needing to be made.

Posted By Laurene Montero, City Archaeologist

At the Heart of Transportation in Phoenix

2011-11-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

One of things that intrigues me about Pueblo Grande Museum is that it seems to be at the center of transportation in Phoenix. The museum is at the north east corner of Sky Harbor Airport with 449,351 takeoffs and landings last year and serving more than 38,554,530 passengers last year. Our eastern boundary is the State Route 143, Washington Street and the Metro Light Rail are our Northern boundary and the Phoenix Sky Train station and light rail connection are rising to our west and will begin carrying passengers in 2013. Historically the “Tempe Road” ran past Pueblo Grande from the earliest days of Phoenix and Tempe and there are references to ruins in the Salt River Valley noted by soldiers carrying freight from the Yuma Quartermasters Depot to Fort McDowell in their correspondence that may be referring to Pueblo Grande.

The earliest railroads to come to Phoenix bisected the site of Pueblo Grande (my favorite reference to the history of railroads in Phoenix is Railroads of Arizona Volume II, Phoenix and Central Railroads by David F. Myrick, Howell North Books, 1980), and steam locomotives were once a common site from the top of the platform mound at PGM. But not since 1976 when Arizona was celebrating the nation’s bi-centennial has a steam locomotive passed by Pueblo Grande Museum until Saturday, November 12, 2011 as part of a special run along the railroad corridor known as the “Sunset Route” to celebrate New Mexico’s and Arizona’s Centennial. The Union Pacific Railroad’s historic Steam Locomotive Engine #844 made a run past the museum as part of this special event celebrating the centennial. The Steam Locomotive No. 844 is the last steam locomotive built for Union Pacific Railroad and remains in operation for special runs. You can see a video of this historic steam locomotive shot from the top of the platform mound at PGM with room 11 in the foreground. The train made a return trip past the museum on Tuesday, November 15.

To see Steam Locomotive Engine #844 in action as it rides by Pueblo Grande, visit our Pueblo Grande Museum YouTube Channel.

Posted by Roger Lidman, Museum Director

Art and Navajo Rug Auction is a Success!!

2011-11-10T09:36:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we had our 6th Annual Art and Navajo Rug Auction hosted by the Pueblo Grande Museum Auxiliary and RB Burnham Trading Post. Over this two day event many one of a kind pieces were sold such as baskets, kachina dolls, and of course all different sizes and types of rugs. The bids were anywhere from $25 to almost $3000 for one piece. Collectors from all over the state and southwest came out to purchase items, as well as locals who were interested in being part of the experience and a piece caught their eye. We also had over 200 people attend the auction and visit the museum during this time. As part of the festivities museum admission was free on Saturday and a group was selling Frybread.

A portion of the proceeds collected from the two day auction goes to support our non profit group, the Pueblo Grande Museum Auxiliary. The Auxiliary supports the museum with volunteers, the museum gift shop, events and financially. This is a wonderful event that helps to raise funds that go towards education programs and events, exhibits and the care and collection of artifacts.

We are awaiting the final numbers, but would like to thank the folks of Burnham Trading Company and all of the hard work of the Auxiliary volunteers who organized the event. We are looking forward to the 7th annual event in November 2012.

Posted By Stacey Mays, Visitor Services Supervisor

Hohokam piercing gauge?

2011-11-07T08:55:00.000-08:00

Pueblo Grande Museum recently received the collection from the Valley Metro Light Rail construction for curation in our archaeological repository. The construction of the light rail impacted multiple sites, including our own Pueblo Grande. We’re still in the middle of processing the collection and there are some very interesting artifacts.

One of the most unique is this small stone ring which is similar in shape to a modern pulley. It’s made from a fine-grained stone, and has flared ends with a small waist, while the center of the ring is perforated with a large hole.

Stone Ring

With dime for scale

Flat stone disks are common in the Hohokam region, but flared stone rings like this one are quite unusual. We aren’t positive of their use, but a similar object found in the 1930s excavations at Snaketown was identified as a “cheek plug” based upon the usage of flared stone rings in Mesoamerica.

We know that people in the Hohokam region practiced body piercing. In the collections at PGM we have “nasal septum plugs” which were used to ornament the nose by perforating the lower septum and emerging through the nostrils.

It’s possible that this stone ring was used as a plug in someone’s cheek, ear or lip. It’s also possible that the ring had another function; other similarly shaped ceramic objects are often identified as spindle whorls, though their purpose is also debated. While we aren’t certain, the shape of this ring calls to mind the gauges, plugs and spacers that people use today in modern body piercing.

Posted By Lindsey Vogel, Collections Aide

6th Annual Navajo Rug and Art Auction

2011-11-01T14:19:00.000-07:00

Joining Forces for National Archaeology Day!

2011-10-26T10:29:00.000-07:00

Mudslinging activities were a great success at PGM last Saturday! October 22, marked the first National Archaeology Day, an annual celebration of archaeology and the thrill of discovery, established by the Archaeology Institute of America (AIA). The Central Arizona Society of AIA came to PGM to help with the monthly maintenance of the Pueblo Grande platform mound. Routine stabilization maintenance activities are performed by the PGM Mudslingers one Saturday per month from September through May. The Mudslingers, a volunteer group, was originally created by the Southwestern Archaeological Team (SWAT). Jim Britton, group leader, eventually developed the group into a separate entity, naming it the “PGM Mudslingers.” It now consists of volunteers from various organizations as well as members of the public. Jim has been instrumental in maintaining the Pueblo Grande ruins for the past 18 years.

Thirty volunteers, including 15 from AIA, showed up for work on Saturday. AIA members were divided into two groups, and while one group was slinging mud, the other group received a tour of the museum and the archaeological site by Roberto Gagnon, one of our dedicated and entertaining docents. The weather was typical for October, sunny and dry, and a little too warm by the time activities were starting to wind down. Stabilization work was conducted on top of the mound and along its western wall, as well as in a few of the compound rooms.

The ruins stabilization process involves several steps. First, the loose, crumbling portions of adobe wall are carefully removed with a brush to expose a hard surface. Next, a whisk broom is dipped into a bucket of water and thrust close to the wall in sweeping motions in order to moisten the wall. When the wall is sufficiently damp and free of crumbling material, amended mud is “slung” by hand onto the wall. The amended mud is then smoothed, also by hand, to fill in wall cracks. Lastly, a brush is used to stipple the newly applied material, in order to remove any finger prints and create a more consistent appearance to the wall. Whereas it is important to be able to identify newly applied amended mud from original fabric, it is also important that this distinction not be too obvious. This subtle distinction is a fine art that takes a great deal of experience as well as patience. Following stabilization activities, the ground surface is gently raked to remove footprints and debris.

Jim’s excellent leadership was a great benefit to those who are new to ruins stabilization and also for those who haven’t performed this work in many years. His careful attention to detail and general enthusiasm for the work contributed to a productive, yet also fun experience for many of us. Of concern, however, is who will lead the PGM Mudslingers when Jim finally retires? His skill and dedication will be difficult to match. For anyone who may be interested, please speak with Jim at the next Mudslinging event on November 19 (8 am to noon). In addition to Jim and the dedicated team of PGM Mudslingers, special thanks and recognition go to the following individuals: Tom and Mira from AIA (President and Vice President of Central Arizona Society), for their assistance with the event and their team of volunteers; Mike Zajac, for helping to recruit and organize; Roberto, for providing thought-provoking tours; Kathy Neenan (SWAT) for doing great work while also taking awesome photographs throughout the event; and to Dave Morris for opening the museum early and providing logistical assistance.

Posted By Laurene Montero, City Archaeologist

And the Survey Says!

2011-10-07T10:57:00.000-07:00

Have you ever filled out a survey at a restaurant, museum, or store, and wonder what happens to them? The Museum recently completed a survey study of teachers and students on field trips at the museum. As part of the completion of the survey, done by the American Association of State and Local History (AASLH), I was required to attend a debriefing meeting to go over the findings of the survey in September 2011.

The survey we were part of with AASLH is a national survey that collects information anonymously and it is sent to a third party for collection and analysis. They generate a report based on the three pages of questions, including some custom questions, and then compare our museum with other like museums nationally. I am proud to say that Pueblo Grande Museum did very well!

Some quick highlights include that we scored well or at the top rating in 27 of 33 attributes tested, over 80% of the students surveyed could not wait to tell their family and friends about the visit and one of the most impressive results…our staff and volunteers consistently were rated extremely high! In a few categories our staff and volunteers scored higher than the three top museums that Pueblo Grande was benchmarked against. We always knew we had great staff and volunteers but it is so rewarding to hear that we are making a difference in our school tours!

In all surveys, you look not only for the exceptional things but also for areas that need a little boost. One of our concerns had been the museums website and if it was meeting teacher expectations for today’s technology savy students and teachers. As we expected, according to the survey, we could use a little more in this area so we are starting to revamp some and get an action plan in place for other bigger remodels of our education and resource pages!

Surveys are important and we are so glad we were able to participate in the AASLH survey. We try to do various surveys each year on our membership, exhibits, programs, etc so we appreciate when you take the time to fill out the survey. Just know that we value your opinions and really try to make changes based on the feedback we receive!

Posted by Stacey Mays, Visitor Services Supervisor

What's That Green Tree?

2011-09-29T10:14:00.000-07:00

Blue Palo Verde flower

The Palo Verde, Arizona’s State Tree, literally means “green stick,” with the green in its bark being the presence of chlorophyll enabling this tree to drop all its leaves and conserve water in times of drought but make use of even the slightest rainfall and instantly begin producing food. Leaves will appear shortly after decent rains and will fall off again after extended dry spells.

All Palo Verde trees have yellow flowers, and quite often produce copious amounts turning the trees and the desert ablaze in yellow each spring. The flowers are edible as are the seeds. Seeds are best when green but may be ground into flour when ripened.

In Arizona there are three main native species of Palo Verde, although others are being introduced as landscape varieties. All are categorized within the Parkinsonia genus, and were formerly called Cercidium. The Mexican P. V. or Jerusalem Thorn, P. aculeate; the Blue P. V., P. florida; and the Yellow Foothills or Little Leaf P. V. , P. microphylla. Another common landscape species here is native to Mexico all the way into Argentina. It is known as the Sonoran Palo Brea, P. praecox and has a distinguishing lime-green bark with more blue-green foliage growing close to the branches.

These trees share many similarities already mentioned, but are fairly easily identifiable.

The Mexican P. V. has long, needle-like leaflet stem and pair of tiny leaves along it which are quickly shed. The long stems also fall and litter the ground beneath the tree. The yellow flowers have a single red or rust colored petal at the top. Often that red is solid, but it may also appear as spotted or streaked. The Mexican P. V. has fairly large spines on the branches, although there are now cultivars of crossed species known as P. x Desert Museum which has the appearance of a Mexican P.V. but no spines.

The Blue P. V. has the largest leaf of the three and usually only two or three pairs of leaves on each little stem. There are small spines between the stem and branch as well. The bluish color is a distinctive but sometimes misleading feature as it can appear to look exactly the same color as the Yellow Foothills P. V. The flower is completely yellow and the seed is slightly flattened, making these indicators a little better for identifying the Blue P. V.

The Yellow Foothills P. V. has a single white petal at the top of its flowers. The leaflets are fairly short with very tiny pairs of leaves. These leaves are the smallest of the three main types of Palo Verde trees. There are no spines, but the branch ends often have a spine-like protrusion making it appear spiny.

Posted By, Dan Gronseth - Park Ranger

Why Volunteer?

2011-09-21T10:12:00.000-07:00

Being a student is stressful. Between class, homework, term papers and a job, one barely has time to sleep. Unfortunately, after all is said and done the student may not be ready to work in their chosen field. This is a dilemma I did not want to face. This past summer I had the amazing opportunity to work with two Arizona archaeological institutions, the Archaeological Research Institute at Arizona State University and Pueblo Grande Museum. Interning for ARI and volunteering with Pueblo Grande has been an awarding experience and given me an in depth look at the inner workings of collection management and display.

I graduated with a degree in art history from Arizona State University, and am currently working on a master’s degree in anthropology at New Mexico State University. During summer 2011, I wanted to acquire some hands on training in a museum environment for two reasons. First, this would help me to understand if this career path is the right one for me. Second, I would begin to develop practical knowledge in the work environment.

At the research institute I have been creating an exhibit with their Hohokam red-on-buff whole pot collection. Through a combination of research and perseverance I have completed my task. This internship was challenging and rewarding in that I learned some of the finer points of exhibit creation and installation. However, at the beginning of the summer I wanted to make sure I had a well rounded experience and asked Holly Young, the collections curator at Pueblo Grande Museum, if she had a volunteer opening that would fit my goal.

Working with the collections staff at Pueblo Grande had been an incredibly beneficial and rewarding experience. At the beginning, I thought I would just be working with a few pots moving them from one shelf to another; however, by the end of the summer I learned how to photograph artifacts, update a condition report and prepare storage space for pieces. I had no idea the amount of skills and experiences I would acquire during my short summer with them. Anyone interested in archaeology, museum studies or just love the museum and want to help out would benefit from the Pueblo Grande volunteer program.

Posted by Samantha Womack, Collections Summer Intern

Site Visitation and Etiquette

2011-09-08T10:05:00.000-07:00

Many of you are already aware of the principles of Leave No Trace, which describe ways that people can enjoy the outdoors (especially areas like state and national parks) with as little of an impact as possible. The seven principles of Leave No Trace are:

1. Plan ahead and prepare

2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces

3. Dispose of waste properly

4. Leave what you find
5. Minimize campfire impacts

6. Respect wildlife

7. Be considerate of other visitors.

For more information on these principles, please visit the Leave No Trace website: http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles.php

Many of you are also aware of site etiquette, which is also generally listed as sets of principles to follow when visiting an archaeological site. The principles in this case vary from agency to agency, but they follow some of the principles of Leave No Trace, particularly: leave what you find. Here are a couple of the agency websites that discuss site etiquette:

Most principles of site etiquette are just common sense (i.e., take your trash with you, don’t take or move anything at the site, stay on trails, etc.), but others are not. For example, you should only visit a site if you are invited. For most folks, that means one that is open to the public. Sites that are open to the public have special areas where it is safe for the site (and you) to go, as well as special facilities for interpretation and waste disposal. Also, there shouldn’t be any campfires or smoking at archaeological sites. The residues from the smoke may interfere with cetain dating techniques or damage the ruins or rock art.

There are obvious reasons why you should avoid doing other things too. You should avoid removing artifacts or moving them around because the more artifacts that are moved or removed, the less can be learned (also, in most cases of artifact removal, it is theft)! You should avoid climbing on walls of ruins because they could collapse, potentially injuring you and wholly or partially destroying the wall. You should avoid touching rock art so that it doesn’t get damaged over time. However, there are less obvious reasons for taking these steps and precautions. Namely, when you visit an archaeological site, you are visiting a place where someone’s ancestors lived in the past. Around here, most archaeological sites are associated with ancestral Native Americans, but there are some that are not. In any case, you should show respect for the ancestors of whichever group is represented at an archaeological site.

The principles above are often the same as if you were visiting someone’s house. Don’t leave your trash all over Uncle Bob’s house! Don’t move Aunt Sophie’s things around her house or take them home with you! Don’t draw all over Grandma and Grandpa’s artwork or climb all over their walls! You show respect for their things so they’ll let you visit again. In the same way, you show respect for those who used to live at archaeological sites so that both you and others can enjoy them and keep visiting.

Posted by April Carroll, Contract Associate Archaeologist - Archaeology Office

New Library Additions

2011-09-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

Come check out some of the latest additions to the PGM Research Library!

Stealing The Gila, by David H, Dejong, 2009.
This volume discusses the Pima's irrigation agriculture economy and water right issues from the time period of 1848 - 1921.

Engendering Households in the Prehistoric Southwest, edited by Barbara J. Roth, 2010.
This volume focuses on gendered activities in the prehistoric Southwest by looking at evidence from household contexts.

The Sierra Pinacate, By Julian D. Hayden, essays by Charles Bowden and Bernanard L. Fontana photographs by Jack Dykinga, 1998.
This beautifully illustrated book focuses on Julian Hayden's work in the Pinacate of northwestern Mexico. It covers the natural history, archaeology, geology, and human history of the area and includes text from Hayden in both English and Spanish.

Pueblo Grande Museum's Research Library is more than a room full of books. The research library contains materials on the archaeology, history, cultures, animals, and plants of central Arizona. The library maintains and manages these resources to support staff, volunteers, and Auxiliary members as they fulfill the museum’s mission. The library’s collections are also available to researchers, museum patrons and the general public by appointment.

Our goal is to connect people with scholarship. One way in which we do this is through our electronic catalog database that was developed in-house. This database contains an inventory of the library’s holdings including books, booklets, periodicals, professional journals, and manuscripts. Some of our dedicated volunteers are in the processing of entering detailed subject headings for each resource; these subject terms will assist in making the library’s collection more searchable by all users.

If you have a moment or two please stop by the research library so I can show you how to navigate through the museum’s electronic catalog. Give me a call before you drop in so I can make sure we have a computer available, 602-495-0901. You never know what unique resources you might find in our library’s collection!

Posted By Laura Andrew, Collections Assistant

A Door to Nowhere?

2011-08-18T09:43:00.000-07:00

One of our most intellectually valuable collections here at PGM are the field notes and photographs documenting a series of excavations that were conducted at Pueblo Grande in the 1930s. The majority of the people involved in these excavations were not professional archaeologists, but rather laborers who were funded through Depression era programs including the Public Works Administration, Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration. The bulk of the 1930s excavations are poorly documented, making the papers and photos that exist extremely important in our interpretation of the site.

This is one of the rooms on the southern half of the Platform Mound as it appears today. The room’s most unique feature is a sealed doorway that once led into another room to the north.

Here’s a view of the same doorway and room from a photograph taken during excavations in 1937.

This photo shows an aerial view of the room. The red arrow points to the sealed doorway. Note the scaffold shadow in the photograph. A large, moveable tripod was built on site and provided the crew with the ability to take photographs from overhead.

Though the sealed doorway remains today, other features, such as those on the floor have been destroyed by excavations and the elements.

For example, these three hearths were located just inside of the unobstructed doorway. The layering of the hearths indicates a long period of use. Unfortunately, excavations in 1935 damaged the layers above and around the hearths, making their analysis in 1937 by archaeologist Julian Hayden problematic.

Posted By Lindsey Vogel, Collections Assistant

Pueblo Grande Museum Auxiliary Indian Market 2011 Featured Artist

2011-08-10T09:42:00.000-07:00

The wonderful thing about working as a buyer for Pueblo Grande Museum Store is that I have an opportunity to meet some really gifted artists. One of these artists is Norbert Peshlakai. I had the pleasure of meeting him at our Pueblo Grande Museum Indian Market last year.
I am proud to say that Norbert is this year's Featured Artist for our Indian Market. Peshlakai has designed, exclusively for us, a pin that represents songs of the ancestors called "Ancient Song". Norbert Peshlakai’s pin will be on display in the Museum Store after August 23, 2011 and I would like to invite you all to stop by and view our featured pin.

A limited edition of 25 pins has been created by Norbert to be sold at the Indian Market; however, you can reserve your pin right now! Visit the Museum Store website at
www.pueblograndestore.com/ProductDetail.cfm?ItemID=75367 to see additional information.

If you would like to read about Norbert Peshlakai you can go to our Indian Market website at www.pgindianmarket.com/art.php .

Posted By Francine L. Kavanaugh, Museum Store Manager

Pardon our Dust!

2011-08-09T10:53:00.000-07:00

Pardon our Dust! as the outdoor trail takes a detour around construction of an enlarged and improved trail stop at the excavated Hohokam ballcourt. Why the enlargement and improvement you ask? The ballcourt is one of the main stops and talking points during our school tours. And with such a high volume of little feet lining up along the ballcourt, we decided to add some more concrete to give them a good vantage point. We're also adding a bench to give people a place to rest and reflect while out on the trail.

More than 200 ballcourts have been recorded in the Hohokam region, however, only a few have been excavated. The playing surface of these bowl-shaped depressions was smoothed and plastered with caliche. Constricted openings at each end may have been goals. In front of these, Pueblo Grande's ballcourt had stone markers embedded in the floor, possibly denoting zones of play. Visit http://www.pueblogrande.com/ for more information on the Hohokam and Pueblo Grande Museum.

Posted by Glena Valpey, Exhibits Coordinator

Kids, Kids, & Much Fun @ Pueblo Grande Museum

2011-08-03T14:37:00.000-07:00

Pueblo Grande Museum hosted their July 2011 summer programs for children ranging from ages 7-12. The programs were fun and educational, teaching information on the Hohokam and Native people of the Southwest. Our latest Visitor Services intern/employee from the Phoenix Indian Center, Marieka, had a chance to work with the instructors and kids during the programs and see what Hohokam Experience was all about! Read all about her "Hohokam Experience" experience.

Week 1: Those Crafty Hohokam

Sandy Oglesby taught the children Native crafts from replica weaving to making shell jewelry. The excitement the kids had from beginning to end made them want to stay longer. Getting their crafts done and entertainment from the instructor was tons of fun - Not only for them, but for me too! They did not have to make that trip to the nearest toy store to be amazed or entertained. All it took was a dried squash and cup to make a game similar to a ball on a paddle held by a rubber band. The shell jewelry they made had them rubbing against the sidewalk to make holes for the necklace. The most popular was the weaving, which is similar to rug weaving. In the end, everyone was happy to take their crafts home and plan on returning next year.

Week 2: Stone-Age Survival Kit

It was a pleasure to meet Naturalist Vincent Pinto, who was the instructor for this class. The children were taught survival skills and emergency techniques used to survive in the wilderness. Each child went home with a handmade bag that held the survival kit which included a stone saw, fire-making kit, digging stick, fishing rod, and much more. The amusement the kids had with the fire-making had them determined to start a fire on their own. My favorite was the fishing rod that was made from agave cactus (for the string), a stick (used as the rod), and a hook (taken from the barrel cactus). All the materials used came from the plants found in our Arizona deserts and forests, and rocks off the ground. Great to know we can survive with just about everything around us, and the kids can have survival tips on that next camping trip.

Week 3: Preserving the Past: Archaeology for Kids

Archaeologist, Gina Gage had the kids excavating, digging and cleaning artifacts, and just learning about history from what is buried by years and years of sand. The kids were very interested in archaeology and how much hard work had to be done in order for history to be told and revealed. Many theories had the kid’s minds wandering how people once lived back in time. Even with the hot temperatures outside, they enjoyed the excavation the most.

The summer program came to an end and had them already planning to come back next summer. When it was time for parents to pick up their children at noon they did not want to go. All the fun they were having during these past weeks will have them sharing their experiences with others.

Posted By M. Dallas, Visitor Services

Got Plants?

2011-07-27T10:01:00.000-07:00

Pueblo Grande Museum recently added the Native Plant Oasis and new plant signage along our outdoor trail system and will be adding more plant signage in the near future. However, if you’re looking for an interesting place to visit this summer that has almost 375 acres of various arid plants from all over the world then the Boyce Thompson Arboretum in Superior would be a good choice. You can stroll through grounds on 1.5 to 2 miles worth of shady trails to enjoy and learn about how arid land plants adapted and survive. There are also specialty tours available to help you learn your lizards, butterflies or birds. It’s a little cooler at the arboretum than here in the valley and the summer hours of 6:00am to 3:00 pm will help you beat the heat. Check their website for directions and more information.
http://arboretum.ag.arizona.edu/index.html

Katie's Cactus Friends

2011-07-07T10:24:00.000-07:00

There are many kinds of different cacti throughout our Arizona landscapes, like saguaro, prickly pear, cholla; all different sizes, shapes, and shades of green. Though the only thing they seem to have in common is their prickly thrones (that I am sure everyone has been poked by once or twice). Once you look past the prickly exterior they bring beauty to the Arizona desert. Being an Arizona native it still excites me to see the bright flowers bloom from these prickly friends. One of my joys of working here is to see all the different kinds and learn more about this forgotten desert beauty!

Hedgehog Cactus Bloom

Hedgehog Cactus
Echinocereus

Barrel Cactus Bloom

Barrel Cactus
Ferocactus wislizenii

Prickly Pear Cactus
Opuntia engelmannii

Prickly Pear close up

Agave

Saguaro
Cereus gigantia

Posted by Katie LaSure, Recreation Leader

Reminiscing with Roger, 35 Years at PGM

2011-06-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

This month, Museum Director Roger Lidman celebrated his 35th year at Pueblo Grande Museum. How could he have known that what started out as a part-time summer job would lead to one day becoming the Museum Director and a distinguished 35 year career at the Museum. Over the past 35 years, Roger has witnessed many changes, not only here at PGM but in the surrounding area. In this blog article, Roger shares with us some of his first and funniest memories of working at Pueblo Grande Museum.

Congratulations Roger for a remarkable achievement and your continued dedicated service to not only the Museum, but also to the staff, Auxiliary and museum community!

In the 1970s the ride into work took me through Papago Park and past the cattle feedlots just south of the Tovrea Castle. Since my Volkswagen beetle didn’t have air-conditioning the window was open and the earthy, slightly sour, smell of the stockyards was inescapable. While waiting for a red light at the intersection of 48th Street and Washington, a hint of the sickly-sweet smell of the rendering plant that processed the remains from the nearby slaughterhouse and meat processing plant, joined the warm air outside my window. The slaughterhouse and meat processing plant had been a landmark at Van Buren and 47th Street since 1918 when it was opened by the Tovrea family; the Cotton Producers Seed Company just east of the museum and other agricultural purveyors were unlikely neighbors for Pueblo Grande Museum a National Historic Landmark.

Museum driveway in 1983

In the 1970s, Washington Street was a two-way road and there was no left turn lane to pull into to wait for traffic to pass. It was always a good idea to keep an eye in the rear view mirror for approaching cars to make sure that they saw your turn signal and didn’t rear end you. The sign at the Pueblo Grande Museum’s entrance was small, very easy to miss and very difficult to see, almost as if it was meant to be hidden. I always looked for the “Willys Automobiles” sign, painted on the side of the old red-brick dealership building housing the Universal Camper Manufacturing and Sales Center on the south side of Washington, as my signal to get ready to turn. When I was almost parallel to the Gilbert Pump and Equipment Company - “Serving Arizona’s Farmers”- on the north side of the street, I needed to be ready to turn.

As I headed south along the entrance drive to the Pueblo Grande Museum building, quail ran alongside my Volkswagen beetle darting around the whitewashed river cobbles (about the size or a person’s head) that lined the entrance drive. The adobe walls that enclosed the drive for its 400 feet length wouldn’t be plastered with concrete for another year. The drive to the museum was bumpy and uneven – it was originally a gravel road built in 1938 - and it only had a thin, haphazard coat of asphalt checkered with potholes and low spots that filled with rain after a storm. I pulled into a parking space at the foot of a tall eucalyptus tree that I knew would shade my car in the afternoon so it wasn’t as hot for my ride home -- the same majestic eucalyptus tree still stands today at the entrance to the Pueblo Grande Museum’s walkway.

Exhibit Gallery 1979

In 1976, the “new” museum building was only two years old and had replaced the first adobe museum building which was built between 1933 and 1935. The museum’s one exhibit gallery contained a series of twelve glass-fronted display cases. There was a replicated ramada in the center of the room with a saguaro fruit harvesting pole leaning against the ramada as if it was forgotten by someone and a large granary basket topping the saguaro ribs of the ramada like an off-center hat. Three of the exhibit cases were empty with “coming soon” signs announcing that exhibits would be installed in the cases in the future; the barely discernable cobwebs on the signs hinting that there wasn’t any real hurry.

When visiting the outdoor areas of Pueblo Grande Museum the uneven steps that climbed the side of the mound gave the impression of an odd unmoving escalator, spaced at irregular intervals of length and height. Climbing the steps left you feeling disoriented and wobbly when you’d climbed to the top. The wooden observation tower looming over the ruin was the highlight of the mound. A fence made of sagging wire, strung between metal posts of the style that ranchers used, enclosed the paths that lead off at sharp angles from the base of the tower. The posts were leaning at angles (none of them parallel to each other) like some phantom earthquake had moved each post in its own separate dance.

Stairs leading to the top of the mound, mid 1960s

I ran into a high school buddy in a restaurant during the first year I worked at Pueblo Grande Museum and we caught up on what we had been doing in the years since we had graduated. My friend was working in a nursery and he said he really liked working with the living plants. I told him I was going to college and had a summer job at Pueblo Grande Museum. A slightly puzzled look crossed his face, then recognition – “Isn’t that the Mud Castle on Washington Street?” he asked. With a smile and a touch of pride I answered “Yep, that’s the place!”

Posted by Roger Lidman, Museum Director

Getting to Know Pueblo Grande Museum... Again

2011-06-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

Depending on whom you ask here in the Valley, Pueblo Grande Museum can mean a lot of different things. Recollections of third grade field trips taken to explore the mound, news blurbs about the light rail construction taking place alongside the museum, visits to Sky Harbor that require a drive down 44th St while casually looking out the window to the east and thinking, “Oh yeah, I forgot about that place”. Good or bad, the realities of this cherished monument to the desert dwellers before us, have become all too apparent over the ensuing decades. As Phoenix set its eyes on the ever expanding frontier of tract home building and low density development, the Pueblo Grande Museum could have easily slipped farther and farther into the pit of obscurity.

Now wait just a minute, who is this blogger stomping on all the toes of such a great piece of Arizona history? I, like so many of you, am a native of the Phoenix area. I am 24 years old, was born in Mesa and grew up in South Scottsdale before going to Arizona State University and earning a bachelors degree in American History. I am currently working on my Masters at ASU and am fortunate enough to be interning at Pueblo Grande this summer. Now, I’m not going to lie to you and tell you how I had wanted this job forever and have always cherished my monthly trips to the Museum while growing up. I, like so many other Phoenicians, had not been here since elementary school and had simply neglected to look into the fantastic work that was being done at PGM. But I can tell you honestly, after having only been here a few short weeks now, many of my previously held notions of Pueblo Grande are completely undeserved and unwarranted because there is some truly great archeological and historic work being done here.

I am interning in the Collections department which is held together by its dynamic Curator, Holly. Holly is like the mayo on a delicious sandwich, it could exist without her, but something just wouldn’t feel right and the over all experience would be greatly diminished. My range of duties has been everything from checking UV light levels to changing and recording bug traps and everything in between. All sorts of different “behind the scenes” aspects of running such a quality museum have been revealed before my eyes and have created a whole new understanding and appreciation for Pueblo Grande.

While not everyone can benefit from the experiences that go along with an internship as I have, Pueblo Grande Museum still offers many exciting exhibits and experiences for the casual visitor. So, do as I have and give Pueblo Grande a second chance. Trust me, many things have changed since that field trip in the third grade. There are many great people doing some really beneficial work here and all of it is going on right here in the heart of the Valley. You don’t have to come with children, and you don’t have to be a “snowbird” to enjoy everything this museum has to offer. It is well worth another visit and you might just see something you missed before.

Posted By Alex Bolt, Collections Intern

Did You Know...

2011-06-07T15:51:00.000-07:00

…that Pueblo Grande Museum has a research library? Yep – it is a pretty cool place, both literally and figuratively speaking. You see the research library is located in the collections wing of the museum which is kept between 65 - 68 ˚F year round. The reason behind why it is so chilly in collections is a topic for another blog article – this time lets focus on the library itself.

What makes our research library so special? Well we have tons of archaeological site reports that focus on the Phoenix and central Arizona. Many of these volumes have a very limited distribution making them challenging to find in public libraries. The library also contains resources on all aspects of museums, archives, libraries, preservation, and site management. There are books on the history of Phoenix the first peoples and later inhabitants. We have books on water-rights, canals, irrigation systems, and dams, as well as the soil and geology of the area. There are books on petroglyphs, rock art and archaeoastronomy. Not to mention resources on birds, reptiles, insects, rabbits and all manners of desert animals and plants. And we have books on textiles, baskets, fetishes, jewelry, stone axes, shell, and turquoise……..

There are over 4,800 books and just over 6,000 periodicals in PGM’s Research Library. These resources are available for use by not only museum staff, but also by volunteers, Auxiliary members, researchers, museum patrons and the general public. The only catch is that we ask that you call and make an appointment to use our library. We ask that you make an appointment in part because it is such a small space and we want to make sure people don’t bump into each other looking at the wonderful resources we have. We also want to make sure that a staff member is available to help you search for just the right resource. Did I mention -our research library is a non-circulating library so when you find something you are interested in you must look at it in the library.

Remember if you want to spend some time in one of the coolest places in Phoenix stop by the Pueblo Grande Museum Research Library, just give us a call to let us know you are coming, 602-495-0901

Posted By Laura Andrew, Collections Assistant

Hohokam Experience Storytelling and Summer Programs!

2011-05-25T12:03:00.000-07:00

It is that time again to start planning what the kids will be doing this summer! Pueblo Grande Museum, is offering its children’s summer programs for ages 3-12 during the month of July. Programs begin July 5, 2011 and run through July 29, 2011. Sign up for one program or all of them! Just click the links following each class description.

For participants ages 3-6 we have incredible storytelling programs offered each day from 9:30am to 11:30am July 5-8, 2011on Snakes, Fish and Coyotes! Find out about these desert animals and have fun doing crafts and eating snacks! Children must be accompanied by an adult for these programs. The cost for each program is $10 and pre-registration is required.

Class 1: July 5, 2011 That Minnow was Three Feet Long!

Really! Join Pueblo Grande Museum, and storyteller Sandy Oglesby, for stories about the fish that lived in the great Salt River at the time of the Hohokam. Imaginative fish and water games, healthy snacks, and fun arts and crafts are included. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
https://online.activecommunities.com/phoenix/Activities/ActivitiesCourseDetails.asp?cid=115951

Class 2: July 6, 2011 The Night the Stars Fell Out of the Sky! Watch out for falling stars! When the stars, moon and planets shine in the night sky, the Hohokam were watching. Join Pueblo Grande Museum and storyteller Sandy Oglesby for out of this world stories, snacks, games and crafts! Children must be accompanied by an adult.
https://online.activecommunities.com/phoenix/Activities/ActivitiesCourseDetails.asp?cid=115952

Class 3: July 7, 2011 Silly Snake, Shaky Rabbit
Why do snakes slither and rabbits ears twitch? Join Pueblo Grande Museum, and storyteller Sandy Oglesby, for tales about these two famous desert creatures who will have you laughing and learning at the same time. Clay art, games, snacks and other crafts are included. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
https://online.activecommunities.com/phoenix/Activities/ActivitiesCourseDetails.asp?cid=115953

Class 4: July 8, 2011 Coyote and the Bird People

Quail, Roadrunner and even Turkey keep an eye out for that wild dog, Coyote. Join Pueblo Grande Museum and storyteller Sandy Oglesby and listen to the stories and songs of the birds and hear the howl of coyote. Arts, games, snacks and finger plays will capture your imagination. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
https://online.activecommunities.com/phoenix/Activities/ActivitiesCourseDetails.asp?cid=115954

For children ages 7-12, Pueblo Grande Museum has classes that run Tuesday through Friday from 8:30am to 12:00pm. Classes will focus on stone age crafts, art, survival tools, archaeology and American Indian peoples. Participants will learn how to make tools from stones, gourds and natural materials found in the desert as well as make arts and crafts from natural desert materials. During our archaeology week, participants will learn how to survey a site and techniques in archaeology. Become the real Indiana Jones or Lara Croft and learn what Hollywood doesn’t know about the field of archaeology! These programs include all activities and snacks. The cost for each program is $55 and pre-registration is required.

Week 1: July 12-15, 2011 Those Crafty Hohokam
The Hohokam were wonderfully talented craft people. Join Pueblo Grande Museum and Sandy Oglesby, for a glimpse into the history and creativity of craft items the Hohokam enjoyed making. From the natural items found in the desert, they created a variety of items to wear, distinctively decorated pottery and stone artifacts. They traveled to the ocean to trade for shell which they turned into stunning jewelry items. And the Hohokam left behind thousands of petroglyphs that give us a testimony of what was important to their lives over 1,500 years ago. Learn how to make these crafts and join the adventure! https://online.activecommunities.com/phoenix/Activities/ActivitiesCourseDetails.asp?cid=115948

Week 2: July 19-22, 2011 Stone-age Survival Kit
In this exciting program participants will make a stone-age survival kit, learning many of the ancient skills practiced at Pueblo Grande. Through expert guidance from Naturalist Vincent Pinto, participants will craft such objects as: natural rope, a stone saw, natural glue, fire-making kit, a digging stick, emergency whistle, mineral paints, a wilderness container, a knotted net bag. https://online.activecommunities.com/phoenix/Activities/ActivitiesCourseDetails.asp?cid=115949

Week 3: July 26-29, 2011 Preserving the Past: Archaeology for Kids
Beneath the City of Phoenix is an ancient civilization called the Hohokam. Where did they come from? What did they look like? Where did they live? What were their houses like? What tools did they use? How did they dress? What did they eat? What games did they play? How long were they here? What happened to them? Are they still with us?
Join the Pueblo Grande Museum Archaeology for Kids summer program archaeology crew and you will have all the answers. Have fun with archaeologist Gina Gage at this hands-on, indoor and outdoor archaeology program and find out what archaeologists do, why we do it, when we do it, where we do it, and how. So, grab your sunscreen and a hat, and let’s help the Hohokam tell their story. https://online.activecommunities.com/phoenix/Activities/ActivitiesCourseDetails.asp?cid=115950

Posted By Renee Aguilar, Visitor Services Museum Aide

Spring is in the Air

2011-05-19T13:37:00.000-07:00

It is spring time in the valley. At PGM this marks the start of our slow season. The school year is coming to an end, the snow birds are dwindling, and the air outside is getting warm. The changing season will sway some from visiting. However, I would encourage you to stop on by. It is during the spring season that the museum grounds come to life.

Currently there are many plants blooming on the PGM grounds. The majority of the brittle bush and creosote have just dropped their flowers. Currently the Saguaro, Barrel Cactus, Ocotillo, and some of the Mesquites and Palo Verde are in bloom. The fields are covered in desert sunflowers and desert marigold. We even have a beautiful Tamarisk in bloom.

During spring the animal population also increases. We have our year-round residents witch include squirrels, quial, rabbits, and others. But this time of year the baby population explodes. If one were to take a walk around the trail one might see bunnies, quail chicks, woodpeckers, hummingbirds, cactus wren, or any number of other birds which call PGM their spring time home. It was just a few days ago that I spotted a quail family with five new hatchlings running around. The chicks were so tiny, about the size of a silver dollar.

With the quiet trail, the blossoming flowers, and the multitude of animals scurrying around, I can think of no better time to stop by and take a tour. Just remember to drink plenty of water, try to come earlier in the day, and bring a camera. As a reminder our trail is ADA compliant and we have wheelchairs that are free to use. We also offer umbrellas for a bit of portable shade.

Posted By Joe Clark, Recreation Leader

Seasons

2011-05-12T09:21:00.000-07:00

As I started to close the museum on the last open Sunday for the season, I struck up a conversation with Maryanne (a store volunteer) about her plans to head back East for the summer. We started talking about the seasons that are familiar to most of the country. How people endure freezing winters, wet springs; humid summers and pleasant autumns. Being a native of the Southwest, I always quip that we don’t have seasons we have changes in temperature. Talking to people who have come from cooler parts of our nation, about how the cyclical nature of the four seasons is a nice breaking up of the year. One season flows into the next, and with the different traditions associated with each season it is a good marking of the time.

Heading out to gate up the Doorways to the Past exhibits I started reflecting on the seasonal changes of the museum and the valley, subtle as they may be. As spring turns to summer, temperatures go from the 70’s, to 80’s, to 90’s, to 100 plus, the Valley of the Sun shows how you really can have too much of a good thing. With these changes in temperature a metamorphosis starts to takes place. Commutes become shorter due to the exodus of students from ASU, and the shifting of tourists who came to the southern part of the state for its warmth, now head to the northern part of the state for its natural wonders. The thin vale of green produced by the spring rains that once blanketed the surrounding mountains turn brown again. Valley natives begin to cower in buildings from the oppressive sun as it passed thru the day, much like the tactics our northern brethren do for Old Man Winter. With summer time, schools close down and with the heat, tourism slows down. PGM stops becoming a hub of activity for grammar school children and out-of-towners looking for Native American ruins and a cactus to pose with. So the museum takes its' cue and restricts its’ week to Tuesday through Saturday.

I also have worked my life around the slowing down of activity at the museum. Being a part time employee I work mostly weekends and nights. The summer means to me the ability to spend more time with my family. With the museum closed on Sundays I’m able to spend one day of the week with my wife instead of swapping parental responsibilities between the week and the weekend. The summer slowdown also means having time for vacations, from doing the "Zoney" thing in San Diego; to spending time with the in-laws back in Indiana. Summer plans with my boys also involve visits to museums, attending swim classes, and going to the July Friday story telling's at Pueblo Grande.

Soon, in just a mere five months, of blistering heat, the seasons will change once again. The temperatures will go from the 100’s to the 70’s, kids will return to school, and Pueblo Grande Museum will open it doors all week long. Until then, I wish the docents and volunteers that head back to cooler climates a safe trip; to the volunteers that stay behind, remember to drink plenty of fluids and reapply that sunscreen; and to my co-workers that I hardly see when I am working during the fall and spring, “I’ll see ya when I see ya."

Posted By Chris Johnson, Museum Aide - Visitor Services

No It's Not A Giant Slinky, It's a Sky Train.

2011-04-28T13:32:00.000-07:00

It is getting to be that time of year again. The weather is becoming warmer and the sun is shining brighter. We are all ready to welcome the summer with open arms, but that is not all. Something else up-and-coming that is taking place just around the corner from us is the construction for the PHX Sky Train. The construction for this automated train is located on 44^th and Washington.

You can even see the enclosing arches from the Pueblo Grande Museum property.

Fortunately, the construction for the train is elevated and does not create much more congestion for those commuting. The Sky Train is estimated to be open in early 2013 and provide an easy, convenient way for travelers, both local and passing through, to get to and from the airport without having to deal with traffic congestion trying to drive into the airport. Also, with being on the corner of 44^th and Washington, not only can people come to visit Pueblo Grande Museum on lay overs or as a final cultural stop on their way to the airport, but the Sky Train will also provide quick and easy access to the Lightrail, allowing travelers to access the rest of the Valley without having to rent a car!

This additional form of transportation and the freedom it will provide to those trying to get around Phoenix is all very exciting; especially because of how many more people we anticipate will be seeing Pueblo Grande Museum as they travel on that busy street corner.

We are all anxious to see the outcome of the PHX Sky Train. What will it finally look like? What kind of benefits it will bring to the city of Phoenix? And of course most importantly, how important Pueblo Grande Museum will be in providing a little culture, history and entertainment to those travelers and commuters looking for a way to spend some time enjoying Phoenix on their way to or from home.

Posted By Taryn Rast, Museum Intern and Renee Aguilar, Visitor Service Museum Aide

Making a Living Fence out of Ocotillo

2011-04-20T13:05:00.000-07:00

I have never had much success with ocotillo transplants, so being given the task of revitalizing the living fence around the demonstration garden was a bit daunting to me. I cut around 50 canes in December from various ocotillos – several dozen from other parts of the living fence itself. Then in January, which is the prime time for this sort of thing according to sources on the internet, I planted the canes in several places along the fence where other canes didn’t take root for some reason.

Watering the canes may be the main key to the success or failure of this type of project. They should be sprayed down about every three days or so for a few months and then weekly through the summer. The established ocotillos have greened up considerably with the extra watering. They will often drop leaves in times of drought and grow new leaves with each significant rainfall rather than fall and spring like many familiar plants and trees.

The new canes have sprouted flowers, but that does not mean they have successfully established a new root system. It may take up to a full year for roots to begin to grow on the canes planted in January. An interesting thing about the flowers is that they are edible. The nectar is quite sweet.

Posted By Park Ranger Dan Gronseth

Arizona's Western Heritage Showcase

2011-03-28T11:28:00.000-07:00

presented by the

Pueblo Grande Museum Auxiliary

Arizona’s Western Heritage Showcase

April 2 & 3, 2011, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Join us for this exciting inaugural event at Pueblo Grande Museum on Saturday and Sunday April 2-3, 2011 from 9am to 4pm. This invitational fine art show hosts national award winning artists and artisans. This event brings Arizona’s rich cultures together through high quality fine art.

Featured artists are Dave Powell, a member of the Cowboy Artists of America, and Carson Thomas, a second generation saddle maker and sculptor. Additional award winning artists attending this show includes Sharon Brening - Western Artists of America 2011 Gold Medal Winner for Oil Painting and Tim Harmon - 2011 Sculpture Medalist with Western Artists of America. Native American flautist and dancer, Allenroy Paquin will be performing each morning and western singer, Jan Marrou performing each afternoon.

Grab some frybread for lunch or try the ground tenderloin chili offered by The Stockyards Steakhouse!

Worried about parking? Ride the Light Rail!

The museum is just off the 44th St. and Washington exit.

The showcase is free and open to the public.

General museum admission applies

Pueblo Grande Museum

4619 East Washington Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85034
602-495-0901, www.pueblogrande.com

So Much To See

2011-03-17T12:24:00.000-07:00

ALL GOOD CLAY SMELLS LIKE RAIN

Maricopa Potters: Artistry and Tradition

Featuring the Adele Cheatham Collection

Open March 2011 to April 2012

Through interviews with potters, collectors, and community members, this exhibit presents insights into Maricopa pottery as both a cultural and artistic expression. It also examines the prehistoric and historic roots of pottery making. The exhibit, through more than 130 vessels, explores the development of the pottery as a style and as an art form.

Posted by Glena Valpey, Exhibit Designer

Keep Learning... AND Help Support the Museum!!!

2011-03-14T10:28:00.000-07:00

Historic Landmark vs Historic Places

2011-03-01T09:13:00.000-08:00

Pueblo Grande Museum is listed as a National Historic Landmark and has held that distinction since 1964. Originally, in 1963, it was the Park of Four Waters that was first designated a National Historic Landmark and it wasn't until 1974 that the Park of Fours Waters and the site of Pueblo Grande were combined into one National Historic Landmark. Recently, a visitor asked what was the difference between a historic landmark and a historic place.

I guessed – wrongly – that historic spaces would be large areas of historic significance such as battlefields or other locations and buildings or structures or significant land features would be national landmarks. Yet the Orpheum Theater beside City Hall in downtown Phoenix and other structures were listed as historic places. I decided to go to the source online and check out the National Historic Places Register’s website www.nps.gov/nr. I found that buildings, sites, structures, objects and districts may be listed as one of our Nation’s “historic places worthy of preservation.” On the National Historic Landmark webpage www.nps.gov/history/nhl, they describe a National Historic Landmark as a national historic place of national significance “possessing exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States.” There are less than 2,500 National Historic Places designated as National Historic Monuments. Both lists are overseen by the National Park Service.

Now, the next time someones asks me what's the difference between a historic landmark and a historic place... I won't have to guess.

Posted By Dan Gronseth, Park Ranger II

Right Beneath Your Feet

2011-02-18T13:56:00.000-08:00

Working in the City Archaeology Office, one of the many things that I have come to realize about archaeology in Phoenix is how archaeology can exist right underneath modern development. Granted, many archaeological features (especially canals) have had their upper portions removed by historical plowing, but if historical and modern ground disturbances haven’t gone any deeper than this plow zone, archaeological deposits can remain very much intact. In fact, some modern features like paved roads actually help preserve any features beneath them. This is certainly true of roads all around town. In fact, in one recent project in downtown Phoenix, over 200 archaeological features have been identified under a portion of two streets. Impressive enough, but even more impressive considering the total length of just this portion of the project was only about 1,000 feet. The thing that gets to me sometimes is how you would never even know these features were there. The roads that these features were found under are no different than other roads in Phoenix where no archaeology is known to exist. There are numerous other examples under streets that I could list, but that would be a much more involved blog post!

Project Crew excavating Sky Harbor Center Runway,
June 12, 2001

There are other recent examples of intact archaeology underneath buildings and in areas that have been developed for years. One of the best of these is an area near Sky Harbor Airport. An area of industrial businesses was recently leveled to make way for an airport improvement project. And right underneath these buildings? You guessed it—archaeology! In this case, the features were mostly canals. Since large areas were cleared as the businesses were removed, the canals could be exposed in plain view. Once the backdirt was stripped down to the features, their alignments were easy to spot on the ground. In one area, you could even see where the smaller lateral canals and the fields were located and how they were arranged. Once again, if you were in the area when the businesses were present, you would have no idea that such things could exist right underneath all those buildings!

Heading back downtown, there are even more examples of features being identified underneath modern buildings and parking lots. In the Original Phoenix Townsite, there are examples not only of prehistoric features being identified where large buildings had stood (and where even larger buildings are being planned), but right underneath historical archaeological features. Yes, even in historical times, people often had no idea that archaeology lay directly beneath them. Certainly, historical residents of Phoenix knew of the civilization that had been here before (after all, our city was named for this fact), and there are many large and important sites in Phoenix and the surrounding area. Some of these sites have been preserved in places like Pueblo Grande. However, not all of these sites are as large or obvious; many are much more subtle and lay just under the disturbances of the past 150 years. Each day as you travel across Phoenix and along its roads and through its buildings, you’ve probably gone over several archaeological sites. My commute to work each day is less than 10 miles, but I pass through at least three major sites (Pueblo Grande included). The next time you travel around town, take a moment to think about what might be right beneath your feet!

Posted by April Carroll, Contract Associate Archaeologist - Archaeology Office

Can you guess what the Store Manager & the Curator of Collections were up to?

2011-02-03T12:57:00.000-08:00

About a month ago, John Bezy and Stuart D. Scott gave a lecture about Mata Ortiz.

During the lecture, I did two things unusual for me. (1) I picked up a flyer and (2) read it. I found that John Bezy was leading a group of people down to Mata Ortiz, a small village about 100 miles of the US-Mexico border, in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Since I had never been there; I started asking questions.

To my surprise I found that there were two available spaces. So I talked Holly Young, Curator of Collections, into joining forces with me and we signed up for the tour. So….off we went, in the wee hours of the morning, to meet up with everyone at 6am on Thursday morning. There were two vans – Our van was made up of a very diverse group of people – including a retired UN ambassador who had served in Africa. Our van was full of conversation about government, health care, religion and the local area.

As part of our trip to Mata Ortiz, we also took a tour of the pre-Colombian archaeological site Paquime. This site is one of the most important ancient monuments in Mexico. If you haven’t seen it – it’s a must. When Holly had been there (in a previous lifetime), the Museum had been housed in a very small building. NOW... it’s a very large modern building with many different displays containing wonderful artifacts.

While visiting Mata Ortiz, not only did we have the opportunity to meet and purchase pottery from the artists of the village but, John introduced us to the artists that he features in his book called “The Artistry and History of Mata Ortiz”.

All I can say is…..if you go, bring lots of cash! We saw some beautiful pottery.

Wedding Vase by Angela Corona

Rabbit by Tomas Quintana

Above are pictures of pottery that were purchased down at Mata Ortiz. If you can’t get to the village of Mata Ortiz, I invite you to come to our Store at Pueblo Grande Museum or check out our website – www.pueblograndestore.com . We have some wonderful pieces available to purchase.

Posted By Francine Kavanaugh, Museum Store Manager

What's a Pot Ring?

2011-01-20T10:59:00.000-08:00

PGM’s Maricopa Pottery exhibit “All Good Clay Smells Like Rain” opens on March 4th. The Collections staff has been busy selecting pots and photographs for display. We’ve been working with our exhibit designer to layout the cases and are now in the final stages of preparing for the exhibit.

One of the preservation issues with displaying pottery is that many pots have rounded bottoms, are top-heavy or do not sit levelly. This can be a problem in exhibits where cases get bumped or shaken. To prevent pots from tipping over, the Collections staff makes mounts that help the pots sit levelly.

For example this 2007 effigy vessel by Dorothea Sunn-Avery has a rounded bottom and appliquéd feet.

After testing a couple of different mounts, we decided that the best kind of mount for this vessel is a thin pot-ring that supports the base but allows the feet of the vessel to hang freely. These mounts are some of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to stabilize pottery.

First, we cut a length of closed-cell polyethylene backer rod (the same material used in home caulking projects). Polyethylene is one of the more stable plastics and does not off-gas or decay, making it ideal for use in a museum setting.

Next, we use a glue gun with hot-melt adhesive to join the ends of the backer rod, creating a ring.

Once the glue has hardened, we wrap the pot ring in the same fabric that will be covering the exhibit cases and lifts. This helps to create a unified appearance in the case and the exhibit, so that the pot rings blend in to the rest of the display.

Our final step is the “bump test” where one of our Collections staff scientifically bumps the surface where the pot is resting to make sure that our mount stabilizes the vessel.

This upcoming exhibit will feature over 100 pieces of Maricopa pottery. Making pot-rings for the exhibit is only one of the jobs that our staff and volunteers will be busy with over the course of the next month.

Posted By Lindsey Vogel, Collections Aide

Misadventures in Museum Maintenance - "Boiling Point"

2011-01-10T15:18:00.000-08:00

First let me introduce myself. My name is Joe Clark and I am an employee of Pueblo Grande Museum. I have worked at PGM for about a year now. My responsibilities at the museum are varied. Some days I work in the front of the museum greeting visitors, other days I work in a maintenance capacity, and other days I just do whatever needs to be done. It didn’t take long for me to learn that there’s no such thing as a typical day at PGM, but with that in mind I would like to take this opportunity to tell you about one day that stands out in my memory.

It started out like any other day. I arrived to work right on time (in case my boss is reading this), working maintenance at 6 am. First on my list was to wash and sweep the sidewalks and patios. I started on the back patio where there is a large overhanging mesquite tree that in the Fall drops a substantial amount of leaves. Also, a dozen or so doves call this tree home, generally leaving a mess of their own. In preparation for the mess likely awaiting me, I gather up my tools and make my way to the patio. As I walk outside, I notice the sun has not risen and there is a distinct chill in the air and as expected there is quite a mess. After I finish cleaning up the mess, I head to the lunch room to warm myself and refresh my tea.

It is here in the lunch room, that a series of events would be set into motion that would ultimately distinguish this day apart from any another. As I was leaving the lunch room the museum director, Roger, caught me and asked me to do a few things for him. The museum had just hosted a large event and there were a few maintenance items that needed attention. There was a burnt out light, a cooler to be put away, trash to be thrown out, and a coffee machine that needed to be cleaned and put away. Unsure of where to put the coffee machine, Roger took me to the community room to show me. Upon entering the kitchenette Roger noticed some other items needed to be put away and that the freezer in the mini-fridge had frozen. The mini-fridge didn’t have any defrost capabilities, resulting in about 80% of the interior being filled with solid ice.

I decided it would be best to clean out the entire room for a good cleaning. When it came time to defrost the freezer, I remembered Roger saying something about taking the mini-fridge outside to let the ice melt. So I did just that, leaving the door open to facilitate the melting. I realized this method was going to take awhile, so I went to the maintenance shop where I found the largest flat head screwdriver I could, along with a hammer. I started on the edge of the ice block by chipping the ice with the screwdriver but the ice was very dense and the process was going slow. I then got the hammer out to try and take a larger chunk of ice out. Things were going well and I was getting larger and larger ice chunks off when a fracture developed through the center of the ice block. I thought if I could get a clean break along that fracture I would be just about done. I strategically placed the screwdriver and started to tap on it with the hammer. Needing a little more force I tapped a little harder, and a little harder, till…poof! A large white jet of vapor came hissing out of the ice directly in my face.

I had broken the fridge. The screwdriver put a large gouge directly through a Freon line. If I remember correctly the boiling point of the old style Freon is about -22 F. The “poof” I had just experienced was the Freon boiling away in the 70 F day. Lucky for me, Freon is generally harmless to the human body but the unfortunate side is that the CFCs that are in Freon will damage the environment. Over the next fifty to a hundred years the CFCs I just released will deplete the ozone concentration in the earth’s stratosphere.

I had just learned an important lesson that in older freezers the Freon lines are built directly into the freezer lining. I initially thought I could fix the fridge with some JB weld or some type of metal epoxy. However, it didn’t take long to conclude that repair was not an option. The compressor and fitting probably couldn’t take the new Freon and the age of the fridge suggested it needed to be replaced anyhow. I knew what had to be done.

As I entered Roger’s office I was filled with a feeling of regret. How could I have been so careless? I told Roger that I had nicked a Freon line and that the fridge was broken. Roger told me that in older freezers the Freon lines were built directly into the housing and that any old timer knows not to use a pick when de-icing a freezer. I was then given the responsibility of ordering a new mini-fridge.
The task of ordering a new fridge would have to wait, my shift was up so I headed home. On my way home I reflected on my actions and pondered what tomorrow would bring. A few mornings later as I was entering PGM a bird decided to follow me in, but that story will have to wait till another day.

Posted By Joe Clark, Recreation Leader

What It Takes

2010-12-21T09:41:00.000-08:00

Hello, my name is Christina and my job is to help maintain the grounds, as well as various other duties at the prehistoric archaeological site and museum at Pueblo Grande Museum. Have you ever wondered what it takes to maintain a museum and archaeological site?

Every day before we open to the public, the staff arrives very early in the morning to get the museum ready to open up. We clean the grounds and the buildings. Cleaning is done all day and everyday. Cleaning is done all over: main rooms, exhibit areas, offices, hallways, classroom, restrooms, copy room, exhibit prep rooms, maintenance shop, and storage areas.

Staff also cleans outside areas, for example courtyards, sidewalks, patios, parking lots, and the walkway to the museum. Daily site maintenance requires keeping the trees and bushes trim, as well as cleaning the trails, interpretive signs and loading dock area. Monthly, we make sure to maintain all equipment, check all fire extinguishers and eye wash stations, and check the interior and exterior of all buildings. Quarterly, we check roof drains to remove leaves and debris. Irrigation controllers are adjusted seasonally and turned off if rain was sufficient. Sprinkler heads are checked to make sure they are working properly or if there is a break. We also check that all the plants and trees are receiving enough water and do maintenance of indoor and outdoor lights. With special events or after a large school group visits, we check all outdoor trash receptacles, replace liners and do upkeep to the buildings and grounds as needed.

These are the many things that the crew does every day help to make Pueblo Grande Museum look great.

Posted By Christina Hernandez, Grounds Keeper

Pueblo Grande Museum Through YOUR Eyes

2010-12-15T09:42:00.000-08:00

Here is a perfect opportunity to share with the world your experience of Pueblo Grande Museum, which has been a part of the City of Phoenix Parks & Recreation Department since 1929.

PHOENIX PARKS AND RECREATION ANNOUNCES YOUTUBE VIDEO CONTEST

The Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department is looking for amateur videographers and photographers to enter their works in a video contest designed to highlight the city’s desert preserves, parks and recreation facilities.

Videos can be either moving video or a video presentation of still photo images. All videos must mention the preserve area, park or community center location at which it was shot and, if applicable, any program featured in it. To enter, participants will need to post their completed videos on YouTube and submit the link for consideration. Winners will be chosen for each month and will have a link to their YouTube-based videos posted on the department website homepage. Winners also will be announced in a news release and have the opportunity to air their videos on the Phoenix 11 cable television channel.

Contest guidelines:

■Videos should be 2:30 or shorter

■Videos can be either moving video or video presentation of still images

■Winning videos should build a comprehensible narrative through the use of natural sound (interviews or clips of participants explaining things), voiceover narration or on-screen graphics.

■All videos must mention either a Phoenix city park or preserve area or community/recreation center location and, if applicable, the program including the terms: City of Phoenix

■To enter your video, post your video to YouTube and e-mail a link to your video to david.urbinato@phoenix.gov, subject line: YouTube Contest.

■Submissions will be reviewed and a winner will be chosen for each month of the year.

■Winners will be able to have their story aired on Phoenix 11* and will get a link to their video added to the Parks and Recreation Department homepage, which gets up to 15,000 site visitors per month.

■Winners also will get their video announced in a news release submitted to all area news media.

* To air on Phoenix 11, you'll need to provide the original video file. Providing the file is NOT a requirement to participate, it’s merely an option if you'd like your winning video on cable television.

These contest details are posted online on the Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department website at http://phoenix.gov/recreation/rec/youtube.html.

34th Annual Pueblo Grande Museum Indian Market, December 11 & 12, 2010

2010-12-10T08:29:00.000-08:00

The 34th Annual Pueblo Grande Museum Indian Market returns to its original site, the Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park, after thirteen years at other city parks. The dates are Saturday and Sunday, December 11 and 12, 2010. More than 200 Native American artists participate in this major cultural event. This is a great event for both the family and fine art collector with art prices ranging from $10 to $5,000.

Five-time World Champion Hoop Dancer, Derrick Suwaima Davis (Hopi/Choctaw), will perform each day. The daily entertainment schedule includes traditional and contemporary musicians, singers and dancers and features violinist Arvel Bird (Paiute) who studied classical music at ASU. Derrick Suwaima Davis will perform once each day. When asked why he only uses five hoops when many other dancers use as many as twenty he answered, “In the Southwest typically we dance with a fewer number and a faster rhythm. I use five hoops, as they represent an aspect of my Hopi beliefs and to signify that one should try to do the best he can with the least amount possible.” Derrick serves as the Artistic Director of the Native Trails that starts its season at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts. When not traveling to “Alaska, or Japan, or someplace new” he contemplates his next championship challenge. Maybe we will see a SIX-time World Champion. Go Derrick!

The public will have an opportunity to see demonstrations on making of arrows and stone tools, sample native foods, and explore a military exhibit from WWI through the Afghanistan war. This exhibit will also provide information on Native American recipients of the U. S. Congressional Medal of Honor.

Visitors are encouraged to use the METRO Light Rail that stops within easy walking distance of the event site. Light Rail riders who present a valid transit pass at admission will be entered into a free drawing that includes a weekend stay for two at the Moenkopi Legacy Inn with visit to a Hopi artist studio or a Navajoland weekend package consisting of guest lodging at home of award-winning artist, Ted Draper, Jr., who will provide a personalized mini-pastel workshop and tour of the famous Canyon de Chelly.

Admission fee is $5 per person and children under 12 are free. Admission fee includes free admission to the museum during the annual Indian Market weekend. Pueblo Grande Museum address is 4619 E. Washington Street, Phoenix, AZ 85034. Public parking is on the north side of Washington Street. The event takes place rain or shine. For more information, call 602-495-0901 or on-line at http://www.pgindianmarket.com/.

Every Job Has Its Own Language

2010-12-06T12:51:00.000-08:00

Helping with environmental monitoring back in the Collections Laboratory.

Every job has its own language, its own skill sets, tools, techniques, trials, and joys. Interning at Pueblo Grande opened my eyes to many things about museums that I had never imagined . . . and I have a pretty active imagination. Lindsey sent me back to the meat locker, or the constantly cold, temperature controlled Collections Lab - - to re-bag dirt. Well, you never know when it will need to be analyzed. Laura had me photograph tinsy-tiny beads and a pot so big that you would bring the water to it rather than use the pot to haul water. Holly taught me that you don’t use just any kind of glue to stick things together. Chemistry does matter. Some glues don’t stick to certain materials, others discolor the material, and some never let go of the material, even skin. That was the painful lesson experience taught. I found out you can measure an oddly shaped object on an Osteometric Board.

Using the O Board to measure

Lindsey can tell you, and show you, and maybe even serve up to taste, the good bugs from the museum-bad bugs. Temperature, humidity, and light levels are all important to the preservation of artifacts. It is also important to know where you put things, so a catalog system is a must. But the most important thing is the people you work with, learn from, share ideas with, and, if you are lucky, turn into friends. Ah, my Collections internship.

Tom Walsh, Collections Intern

Looking for something to do this weekend?

2010-11-29T09:24:00.000-08:00

You might want to visit the 10 year anniversary celebration of the Sonoran Desert National Monument. It will be held on Saturday December 4th from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field. The event is sponsored by the Bureau of Land Management and many other partnering organizations. There will be a “parade of history” depicting some of the historic events of the monument such as the Butterfield Stage route, the Mormon Battalion and the Anza expedition. There will be over 40 exhibitors, entertainment, food vendors, Native American crafts and more! It should be a fun and educational way to learn about one of our nearby national monuments.

Posted By David Morris - Museum Aide, Visitor Services

Taking the Light Rail to the 34th Annual Indian Market has its perks!

2010-11-22T14:46:00.000-08:00

One of the benefits of the Indian Market returning to Pueblo Grande is visitors have the opportunity to ride the METRO Light Rail which stops within easy walking distance of the event site. The Light Rail will be the most convenient way to come to the market.

As an added incentive to ride the METRO Light Rail, attendees who present a valid transit pass at admissions will be entered into a free drawing for one of two great weekend getaway packages. First is a

weekend stay for two on the Hopi reservation at the new Moenkopi Legacy Inn & Suites including a visit to a Hopi artist studio. The other prize is a Navajoland weekend package including guest lodging with award-winning artist, Ted Draper, Jr., who will provide a personalized mini-pastel workshop and tour of the famous Canyon de Chelly.

Indian Market admission fee is $5 per person and children under 12 are free. Admission fee includes free entry to the museum during the annual Indian Market weekend. Pueblo Grande Museum address is 4619 E. Washington Street, Phoenix, AZ 85034. The event takes place rain or shine.

For more information, visit http://www.pgindianmarket.com/

To Todd!

2010-11-09T14:56:00.000-08:00

This is my first blog contribution—not just to this blog, but to any blog. Even though it is my first, this is not going to be so much about me as it is about Dr. Todd Bostwick. Similarly, the name of this blog entry isn’t simply addressed to Todd so much as it is a toast to him. You see, as many of you may know, Dr. Bostwick is retiring after 21 years as City of Phoenix Archaeologist. This alone would certainly be an achievement for anyone, but it is all the things that Todd has accomplished during that time that has set him apart.

Any list of things about Todd would be incomplete in such a brief space, but I will do my best. First and foremost, Todd created the archaeology program in Phoenix as we know it today. Projects involving the City of Phoenix now routinely get assessed for archaeology. Prior to this, only a dozen or so projects were assessed each year. Now, several hundred projects are assessed each year. He also began the different publications series of Pueblo Grande Museum. The first of these were the volumes documenting all of the archaeological work done in and around the platform mound at Pueblo Grande, which up to that point had not been summarized. Todd chairs the annual Archaeoastronomy Conference and oversees production of its resulting reports. He has cultivated relationships with the various communities in and around Phoenix, especially Indian communities such as the Gila River Indian Community and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. Dr. Bostwick is also a history professor at Arizona State University and writes books on the history and prehistory of this area.

I sometimes think that on a good day, I wouldn’t have the time, energy, or the inclination to do half of the things that Todd does in a typical week—and I’m not even on the wrong side of 30 yet! But Todd has had the ability and the drive to do all this and more. I am impressed not only by what he has accomplished, but by the influence he has had on me. He has shown me the importance of standing one’s ground, of remaining unflappable in the most intense of meetings, and of showing respect for all our shared cultural heritage. Todd is going to be missed greatly by everyone in the City of Phoenix and other agencies for his competence, his good response times, and his approachability.

Even though he is not going to be the City Archaeologist any longer, he will still most definitely be around. You can still catch him at archaeological conferences, or at an Arizona Archaeological Society or a PGM Auxiliary meeting—I know I will. Todd is quick with information about archaeology or a fun and interesting story from one of his many travels. I hope if you see Todd, you’ll take a little bit of time to thank him. You can pick any number of the things listed above (again, I don’t think I could mention everything) or something you personally know. Regardless of what you choose, I think you will agree that Todd and his accomplishments are worth celebrating; that they are worth lifting a toast to. So, here’s to Todd!

Posted By April Carroll, Contract Associate Archaeologist - Archaeology Office

Roger's Travels to South Korea Continued....

2010-11-04T14:03:00.000-07:00

Here's another little update from Roger about his travels in South Korea. He was also nice enough to answer some of the questions some of you guys had about his experiences.

More Pictures from the Yeoncheon (location) Jeogok-ri (archaeological site) Paleolithic festival:

What else have you been doing?:

After the festival we visited the DMZ between north and south Korea...demilitarized is an ironic oxymoron; there are military units everywhere(I saw South Korean, Australian and US units), check points and defensive positions.

I also toured the Korean National Museum and Insa-dong district (shopping and resturants).

What kind of foods have you tried?:

Almost all my meals were Korean. Typically eaten while sitting cross legged on the floor.

This is a picture of a flatfish dinner at a famous resturant in Insa-dong featuring food from southern Korea.

Tried kimchi?:

Yes, served at every meal, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some spicy, some more like pickled vegetables.

Breakfast:

Lunch at the festival food vendor area:

Tried barley tea yet?:

Yes, once. It was OK.

THANKS ROGER! We're so glad you were able to travel to Asia and share your experiences with us. Thank you for representing Pueblo Grande Museum at the symposium and it'll be good to have you back.

Posted by Renee Aguilar, Museum Aide - Visitor Services

Where in the World is PGM Director Roger Lidman?

2010-11-01T10:06:00.000-07:00

In South Korea of course! Ok, maybe not the obvious answer, but what a great opportunity to build international museum relationships and share ideas! Last month, Roger travelled to Taipei, Taiwan to present information on the operations of the Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park at the Promoting Public Participation in Archaeology: A Symposium for Archaeological Site Preservation and Operation of Archaeological Cultural Parks, sponsored by the Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology. Roger made an impression on some other museum professionals from South Korea and was then invited to speak at 18th Annual Chongokni Paleolithic Festival in Yeon-cheon County, Korea. Way to go Roger! At this last symposium Roger was asked to give a presentation about the history of Pueblo Grande Museum and the public and educational programming at the museum. Pueblo Grande Museum was the only museum and archaeological park from the United States represented at the festival.

Obviously, Roger's been busy sharing his expertise and the awesomeness of Pueblo Grande Museum with his fellow international museum colleagues, but he also found time to give us an update on his latest trip and send us some pictures... enjoy!

"I'm enjoying my vacation at the 18th Yeoncheon Jeongok-ri Paleolithic Festival in South Korea. The weather is beautiful, but cold at night. I've met a flint knapping expert from Japan Nagai Kenji and an ancient technology practitioner from Austria, Sebastian Stein. The festival is the largest in the world. It's in a community near the DMZ [demilitarized zone], between North and South Korea."

Posted by Renee Aguilar, Museum Aide - Visitor Services

I am currently obsessed.

2010-10-20T16:42:00.001-07:00

Those who know me might say “So, this is different how?” Maybe “possessed” is a better description. I have been working on developing an exhibit and I can think of nothing else.

But then again, it’s an exhibit about one of my favorite things, and I can think of only a very few other things I’d rather be thinking about. Of course, there are numerous things that I should be thinking about, but I can’t bear to tear myself away.

The exhibit is going to be about Maricopa pottery, and I have been immersing myself into the collection, and the subject, talking about it, looking at it, considering the pottery from every angle, and I am even more in love than I was before, if that is indeed possible. It’s opening in March of next year, and it’s called “All good clay smells like rain.” To prepare for the exhibit, I’ve been doing a lot of research, both in the library and in the field. As much as I like books, I love the field work even more. And the pottery itself....

I love the shiny pieces (she sees something shiny, she gets distracted); I love the matte-finish pieces. I love the jars, the bowls, the plates, the effigies, the old pieces made by anonymous artists, the newer ones made by creative people I am proud to know personally.

Why do I love it so much? It hasn’t always been this way. I got like this because after a few months of working with the older pieces, I finally “got” it. I got the connection between the pots and the land that has become my home and the adventurous and humorous and fearless potters who made them, women who were living a challenging life in a challenging environment. That’s why.

For example, this beautiful jar, one of my favorites. Tall necked jars are a signature shape for Maricopa potters. This one goes a step farther; the potter added little loop handles, creating a more complex silhouette, almost like a person with their hands on their hips. And look at the design on the neck – a stand of saguaro cacti, complete with root systems.

Posted by Holly Young, Curator of Collections

7th Annual Native Foods and Craft Fair this weekend!!

2010-10-15T10:54:00.000-07:00

Pueblo Grande Museum Staff are working hard to get ready for our 7th Annual Native Foods and Craft Fair on Saturday, October 16, 2010 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The fair will feature Native foods and crafts from various local farmers and artists including American Indian communities such as the Salt River Pima Maricopa and the Gila River Communities.

In addition to fresh produce from local growers, we will have Native American demonstrators and vendors displaying their art. Some of the featured artists will have gourd crafts, leather work, herbal products, and much more! This Fair will also feature Cooking demonstrations by Classic Cooking Academy.

The Native Foods and Craft Fair will also be a treat for kids with a children’s craft area that focuses on agriculturally related and fall themed crafts. Children will be able to pick a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch and decorate it for the upcoming holiday. For those who enjoy a little competition, we will have a watermelon eating contest for both children and adults! There will also be Frybread taco lunch available for purchase between 10 am and 2 pm.

This event is a great way to get out and enjoy the wonderful fall Arizona weather and pick up a few new things or produce from local growers! See you there!

Posted By Renee Aguilar, Museum Aide - Visitor Services

Working with Stabilized Granite

2010-10-11T11:11:00.000-07:00

As the new Foreman here at Pueblo Grande Museum, I have been learning about a lot of things that I had not previously had to deal with. Maintaining the park and grounds of an archaeological site has many unique tasks and challenges. But working here at the site has also provided me the opportunity to expand my knowledge on things such as repairing the trail that goes through the site. The sun, the heat, the rain, animal activity and consistent foot traffic all contribute to the wear and tear of the trail, requiring occasional repairs. We recently just repaired a few spots along the trail where some cracks had gotten a little out of hand and it turns out, there is more to trail repair than just laying down some concrete and calling it a day. For the environment, use and purpose of our trail system, stabilized granite is what we use at Pueblo Grande Museum.

What is Pre-Stabilized Granite you ask?

Pre-Stabilized Granite is 1/4 minus decomposed granite pre-blened with proprietary organic stabilizing compound.

Pre-Stabilized Granite is ideal for repairing the following:

Pathways, driveways, trails, patios, walkways, cart paths, equestrian breezeways, and parking areas.

Installation Recommendations:

1. Prepare sub-grade to line and grade allowing for positive drainage. Sub-grade shall be compacted as specified prior to placement of Pre-Stabilized Granite.

2. Compact base material and sweep away any debrisprior to placement of Pre-Stabilized Granite.

3. Spread Pre-Stabilized Granite over prepared sub-base material to specified depth.

4. After spreading and leveling Pre-Stabilized Granite, thoroughly saturate the entire depth of Pre-Stabilized Granite with water to activate stabilizing compound.

5. After you have saturated the Granite, allow to dry to a compactable consistency and compact with a vibratory compactor or a 3 1/2 ton steel drum roller. (Allow to dry for at least 24 hrs. depending on temp.)

6. Protect from traffic until entire depth of Pre-Stabilized Granite has completely dried.

If you wish not to use the Pre-Stabilized Granite which is pre-treated with the glue substance already mixed together with the granite, you can purchase the Stabilized Granite and the glue substance separately, the glue is called Soil-Loc's. Installation is still the same except for step 4. You would need to mix the Soil Loc (glue) and water together in some kind of spray container depending on your size of area. (The ratio of mixing is 3 parts water 1 part Soil-Loc). After you have mixed the two together you may now saturate the granite and move on to step 5. Steps 4 and 5 should be done 2 to 3 times depending on depth of granite.

For more information you may contact Soil-Loc at 1-88-828-7300 or at www.soil-loc.com

Posted by Craig Winiarz, Parks Foreman I

Environmentally Conscious

2010-10-04T10:28:00.000-07:00

Hi, my name’s Laura; I am a Collections Assistant at Pueblo Grande Museum. One of my responsibilities at the museum is environmental monitoring. You might be wondering why a museum would be interested in monitoring its environment? Things around us can influence and affect us in positive and negative ways; museum collections are no different.

The environment around an object, whether it is on exhibit or in storage, is full of potential threats. Light, temperature, relative humidity, pollution and pests are all environmental conditions that can act as agents of deterioration. We can’t completely eliminate these environmental conditions, but keeping track of them is the first step in figuring out ways of minimizing their effects.

How do we monitor the environment? We record our observations; basically we write a lot of notes to ourselves. We also use low-tech and specialized equipment to measure conditions so that we can compare values over time. Light meters, ultraviolet (UV) light meters, and blue wool cards are used to monitor light intensity and exposure. Sticky glue traps are used to monitor pest activity - such as crickets, silverfish, and carpet beetles. Psychrometers, Arten gages, and data loggers are used to keep track of changes in temperature and relative humidity.

Let me tell you a little more about how we use data loggers. Data loggers are small devices that take temperature and relative humidity readings at set intervals in one location over a period of time. We have a number of data loggers that we deploy in exhibits, work, and storage areas. Each month hundreds of readings from these devices are downloaded into a computer and graphs detailing changes in temperature and relative humidity are generated.

What do I do with all that data? I compare the detailed graphs with my observations about events that might influence the results - such as a rainy afternoon, large tour groups in the galleries, or a malfunctioning air conditioning unit. I look for spikes or dramatic changes of any kind; dramatic changes in the environment signal potential opportunities for damage to an item. By minimizing exposure to extreme conditions we can preserve our collections for future generations.

Monitoring the environment in a museum truly does have its ups and downs, but it is an important part of properly caring for a museum collection.

Mound Stabilization

2010-09-30T09:34:00.000-07:00

The reason there is a mound at Pueblo Grande is erosion. Mud from upper story roofs and walls have been eroding away for hundreds of years. Water, wind, and vibrations have been at work to weaken the mound so that, given time, the mound would continue to erode away, lower and lower, until it was merely a bump on the ground. At least they would if efforts were not set in place to preserve the mound as we know it today.

The National Park Service, the City Archaeologist and PGM maintenance staff began stabilization efforts around 1990 to mitigate the effects of vibrations and rainfall. Rock and dirt fill has been placed into the excavated portions of the mounds with the exception of the room at the southwest corner. Dirt has been placed up against the sides of the outer walls, offering support. Mudslinging volunteers come out once a month during the nicer months of the year and re-plaster walls, so erosion damages new mud before it can affect original walls. Trees and shrubs are not allowed on the mound as the roots could cause serious structural damage.

Drains have been installed along the trail on the mound and in specific areas where water was observed to be pooling and causing erosion. The drains were carefully placed in a way that they would not impact the mound itself, but that they would effectively carry water away to where it would not damage the mound structure.

One other cause of erosion and damage is from burrowing creatures such as squirrels or ground squirrels. As much as we love to see these animals while we are out and about, we do need to keep their numbers under control. There are occasions where we will trap these little critters and relocate them to an area where they will not be able to do harm to any archaeology.

We will cover the more about the mudslingers, their support efforts and mound preservation in a later posting. If you would like to be a part of this fun and helpful group, contact the museum for more information on volunteering.

Posted by Dan Gronseth - Park Ranger II

Come Mudsling With Us

2010-09-07T10:41:00.000-07:00

With all the recent wind and rain that came with this summer’s monsoon season, it’s time for our dedicated group of volunteers, the PGM Mudslingers to return for some regular maintenance and repairs of the platform mound. As the Hohokam would have had to do constant upkeep and repairs of the mound over a thousand years ago, so we continue to do so today. The Mudslingers will next be out here at the mound on Saturday, September 11th at 7 am. Master Mudslinger, Jim Britton who organizes the group is always looking for new volunteers. Or if you are just curious to see how this process works, Jim is also excited to share what he knows, so feel free to stop by the museum and ask him some questions. To stay up to date with the mudslinger work schedule or to find out more about various archaeology related projects throughout Arizona, visit the Southwest Archaeology Team website at www.southwestarchaeologyteam.org.

For a more detailed look at what the Mudslingers do, here is a short documentary film about their work here at Pueblo Grande Museum.

And if you are interested in finding out more about the history of stabilization on the Pueblo Grande platform mound and the creation of the Mudslingers, visit our Research Library and check out The Hohokam newsletter issue Volume 25, Number 1 that has a wonderful article written by City of Phoenix Archaeologist Todd Bostwick and Master Mudslinger Jim Britton back in 2005.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

“To prevent future rain damage, a non-toxic polyvinyl acetate-acrylic polymer was added in small quantities to the adobe mud at the locations where the water runoff channels had been built. This soil amender, called SoilShield, greatly strengthened the adobe and made it resistant to rainfall without changing the adobe’s appearance. Because the soil amender experiment was highly successful, it was used in a few other areas of the platform mound beginning in 2003. Earthen berms built to channel water runoff had become weakened by rain and by rising dampness, so they were recapped with adobe and soil amender. More recently, one of the rooms in the compound has been stabilized using adobe with soil amender. We are very fortunate to have such a dedicated group of Mudslingers. The Pueblo Grande platform mound and adjacent compound have received their tender care for nearly 11 years.”

For more information about volunteering as a mudslinger contact Jim Britton at jabritton@cox.net or Todd Bostwick at todd.bostwick@phoenix.gov.

Posted By Renee Aguilar, Museum Aide - Visitor Services

Food for Thought

2010-08-31T14:48:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Pueblo Grande Museum blog brought to you by the Pueblo Grande Museum Auxiliary. I’m Roger Lidman, and I have the honor of being the museum’s director. I’d like to invite you to visit the museum for the first time, or as a return visitor. Pueblo Grande Museum has been serving guests since October of 1929 by sharing the story of the first people to live in the Salt River Valley, the Hohokam.

We collect, preserve, research, interpret, and exhibit cultural materials from the site of Pueblo Grande and the Greater Southwest. We strive to enhance our guests’ knowledge of prehistory, history, and the ethnology of inhabitants of the Southwest, and promote a greater understanding of the diversity of cultures past and present. We have a variety of exhibits, including more than one-mile of interpretive trail, reconstructed houses, a demonstration garden, and the archaeological platform mound that was built by the Hohokam around AD 1150.

We also have programs and workshops that explore a variety of topics and subjects. Our special events are a great way to get to know Pueblo Grande Museum while learning more about the prehistoric people who once lived here and how their legacy continues. Please join us for one or all of our annual events, which include our Native Foods and Craft Fair, Veterans Day Gourd Dance and Community Potluck, Navajo Rug and Art Auction, Pueblo Grande Indian Market, and Ancient Technology Day.

Pueblo Grande Museums’ dedication to its mission statement, producing thoughtful and accessible exhibits, and providing a variety of special events for the community has led to recognition by various organizations over the last 80 years. Our hard work has been awarded with the Museum Association of Arizona’s Award of Excellence and led to the distinction of being accredited by the American Association of Museums. But I’ve always felt that some of our best accolades come from our guests. We regularly hear from our guests that they have enjoyed their visit to the museum, and a recent guest from a fourth grade class said it best when he turned to his friend and said, “This place is really cool!”

Thanks for listening to my food for thought, please come in and get a real taste of what we have to offer.

Cheers!

Welcome to Pueblo Grande

2010-04-13T19:46:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Pueblo Grande Museum's new blog! We're excited to launch this blog as a way to get more personal with our visitors and share with you what goes on behind the scenes here at the museum. Have you ever been curious about how we take care of ancient artifacts? How about what goes on when we're installing a new exhibit? Ever wondered what's in our collections that you don't see in the galleries?

Here on the Pueblo Grande Museum blog, we'll be posting intriguing sneak peaks of our collections, insider interviews with staff and volunteers, and updates of exhibits and events. Subscribe to our page, and check out our new Facebook page and follow us on Twitter, too. We'll give you the inside scoop on what's happening at Pueblo Grande.

To kick things off, here is a video with Pueblo Grande's director, Roger Lidman. You'll get to know him and the rest of the staff here in no time!

See you around!

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