Latest News
UDC to Host “Flowing Histories” Archaeology Talk at June 4 Meeting
Photo: Geophysical Specialist Sam Bourcy from Hartgen Archeological Associates, studying the subsurface environment during his Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River project.
NARROWSBURG – The Upper Delaware Council (UDC) will host a public presentation, “Flowing Histories: Tracing Water, Structures, and Hidden Landscapes in the Upper Delaware”, on Thursday, June 4, at 6:30 p.m., at the UDC’s Narrowsburg, NY office and by Zoom.
Geophysical Specialist Sam Bourcy from Hartgen Archeological Associates, Inc. will present the virtual program.
The National Park Service contracted with Hartgen to conduct an archeological background review and geophysical survey of two park unit properties within the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River: Minisink Ford (Town of Highland) and Cowen Farm (Town of Lumberland).
Both properties were evaluated through research, environmental review, historical map analysis, and assessment of archaeological sensitivity. At Cowen Farm, ground-penetrating radar and magnetic gradiometer methods were used to examine the property’s subsurface environment.
Results at Cowen Farm identified a complex historic and modern subsurface landscape, including utility-related disturbances, deeply buried surfaces, a possible canal-era turning basin, and a previously unidentified anomaly interpreted as a potential historic mill complex associated with a former pre-canal watercourse.
The presentation will discuss the histories and backgrounds of both sites, and will go into more detail regarding the Cowen Farm geophysical survey findings.
Sam Bourcy holds bachelor’s degrees in Archaeological Studies and Anthropology from SUNY Potsdam (2013) and a Master of Public Archaeology from Binghamton University (2018). He is currently a PhD candidate in Anthropology at Binghamton University and a member of the Register of Professional Archaeologists.
Bourcy began his archaeological career with the Fort Drum Cultural Resources Program in upstate New York. It was there that he was introduced to geophysical methods, an experience that shaped the direction of his later academic and professional work.
In 2022, he joined Hartgen Archeological Associates based in Rensselaer, NY which has specialized in cultural resource management services since 1973. Bourcy has led the development of Hartgen’s geophysical capabilities. His geophysical survey experience extends across the eastern United States, from the U.S.-Canada border to the Georgia and South Carolina coasts.
The UDC’s monthly business meeting to follow will include reports from the Delaware River Basin Commission, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, National Park Service, and UDC Executive Director; discussion of old and new business; and public comments.
All UDC meetings held at 211 Bridge St. in Narrowsburg, NY are open to the public.
To request the Zoom link, please contact UDC Administrative Support Stephanie Driscoll at stephanie@upperdelawarecouncil.org or (845) 252-3022.
Check www.upperdelawarecouncil.org or UDC social media for any meeting updates.