Transit project helps children discover history
When Reno, Nev., began construction of its railroad corridor project, it had no idea it was about to make — or at least uncover — history. However, during the course of archaeological and soil testing, the project, called ReTRAC, revealed two water cisterns that constitute some of the city’s earliest infrastructure. That’s when ReTRAC’s leaders called in the kids.
They created Archaeology 101 for the 350 students who were participating in the city Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department’s Summer of Fun, Summer Discovery and Vacation/Station programs. Run in conjunction with the Reno Fire Department Museum and the Comstock Archaeology Center at the University of Nevada, Reno, the program’s goal was to teach participants about the city’s past.
The first thing students learned was that their city was a survivor. Cisterns were built to hold water for battling fires; the city, primarily ramshackle wooden structures and tents in its early days, was destroyed twice by fire in the 1870s.
“A program like this shows the types of devices we had available as firefighters in days gone by,” says Jim Arlin, director of the Reno Fire Department Museum. “Cisterns are antiquated compared to today’s water mains. The bigger mystery for me is: Where was the water source for the cistern?”
“It helps to teach kids about the past,” says program participant 12-year-old Shane Harris about Archaeology 101. “I learned about what life was like before there was electricity and TV.”
The State Historic Preservation Office, which ensures that local officials consider cultural resources in their planning for projects such as ReTRAC, applauds the program. “We encourage public involvement,” says Rebecca Palmer, an historic preservation specialist with the office. “Any time you have the opportunity to explain the history of an area to a community — whether it’s adults or children — [people] benefit.”
Ed Stoner agrees. The project manager for Madcon Consulting Services, the local firm conducting the excavation, Stoner knows that the “dig bug” starts early. “I have been interested [in archaeology] since I was a little kid and read James Michener’s ‘The Source,’ about an archaeological excavation in Israel,” Stoner says. “You never lose interest because you never do the same thing every day.”
For more information on the program, contact ReTRAC public information officer Gail Conners at (775) 326-6315, or visit the ReTRAC Web site at www.retrac.org.
