Oct 17
Rice Cty Historical Society, Jeffers Petroglyphs & Lower Sioux Agency
Midterm break provides opportunities for rest and relaxation, as well as some activities that you might not be able to fit into your normal schedule. Students interested in archaeology, Minnesota history, or indigenous studies (or whatever else) are invited to join the Archaeology Program for a sponsored day trip to some of the most important archaeological and historical sites and museum collections in Minnesota. We'll start at the Rice County Historical Society, in Faribault, which has one of the best collections of Native American artifacts in the entire state, which sheds significant light on the history of the area prior to European contact, going back over 10,000 years. Our next stop will be Jeffers Petroglyphs, home to some 5,000 examples of rock art, which go back to about 7,000 years ago. This is one of the most important (and spectacular) sites in Minnesota for understanding the early inhabitants of this region. Our final stop will be the Lower Sioux Agency, where we will learn about Dakota culture and history, and the fraught interactions with the Minnesota and US governments that culminated in the US-Dakota war of 1862. This relates directly to the Why Treaties Matter Exhibition currently on at the Weitz Center. Transportation, site fees, and lunch will be provided. We will leave campus at 9:30 in the morning and return in the early evening (detailed schedule to follow). If you are interested in attending or possibly attending, please RSVP using this form.