Afternoon Program

This paper discusses the results of bioarchaeological and forensic investigations of the remains of Mississippi and Tennessee volunteer soldiers who fell and were buried on the battlefield at the Battle of Monterrey, September 21, 1846, in the Mexican American War. These remains represent the only systematic investigation of US battle casualties from this war, and lend insight into the progression of the battle, and the types of trauma that can be expected in mid-19th century war dead.

The Middle Tennessee Stone Walls Advocacy and Preservation Group formed in early 2025 to advance coordinated research, documentation, and preservation of historic dry-laid stacked stone infrastructure. The group includes archaeologists, historians, a professional stone mason, and representatives from state and local preservation agencies. This presentation reports on the group’s first year of work, including student-led efforts at MTSU to establish a statewide inventory and create a public-facing repository for reporting known stone wall locations. These initial activities support future goals of developing documentation standards, advancing ecological study, encouraging public engagement, and informing long-term preservation planning statewide. 

During the Civil War, thousands of formerly enslaved Tennesseans fled to Union lines, seeking refuge within U.S. contraband camps. In these spaces, individuals navigated both a literal and legal transition into freedom. Despite their historical significance, standard narratives and modern development frequently erase these intentionally ephemeral spaces from the physical landscape. This presentation outlines the multi-layered methodology used to locate the Clarksville, TN contraband camp on the modern campus of Austin Peay State University. Synthesizing complex land-division tracts, nineteenth-century court records, and Union veteran pension files allows for the reconstruction of the camp's boundaries and the identification of threatened cultural resources, including potential Freedmen burial grounds. Ultimately, this research advocates for the preservation of these landscapes of freedom as integral components of the broader Civil War era, directly challenging and reshaping the dominant historical meta-narrative of Civil War Tennessee.

Every museum tells a story, but those stories don’t stay the same forever. As Pinson Mounds State Archaeological Park began updating portions of its long-standing timeline exhibit to support the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s NAGPRA and Duty of Care responsibilities, we found ourselves asking an important question: How do we continue giving visitors a meaningful experience while our museum is changing? Instead of seeing this transition as something we simply had to get through, it became an opportunity to work together. By partnering with the Tennessee Division of Archaeology and consulting with Tribal Nations, we developed a temporary exhibit featuring Swift Creek pottery from Pinson Mounds that gave visitors a new story to explore while also reflecting our shared commitment to stewardship. From a park manager’s perspective, this presentation shares what has been learned through that process – the value of trusting our partners, listening to different perspectives, and remembering that good interpretation is never finished. As new research continues at Pinson Mounds and relationships with Tribal Nations continue to grow, our responsibility isn’t just to preserve the past – it’s to keep finding thoughtful ways to share its stories with everyone who comes through our doors.

Fluorite, a yellow to purple translucent mineral, is typically associated with the production of small items of personal adornment during the Mississippian period. Mushroom shaped lip or ear plugs are the most common although at least one example of statuary is known. Deposits near the confluence of the Cumberland and Ohio rivers are the most likely source of fluorite.  Access to the mineral may also have been available in karst environments in Middle Tennessee.  This paper will examine pre Mississippian examples of fluorite utilization.