The collection, discarded material from under a wooden viaduct, includes numerous complete glass bottles, ceramics, leather shoes and a tobacco pipe bowl and stem. Archaeology Department students and staff fully cataloged and rehoused the collection facilitating access for research and education. In April 2010, this collection was featured at the Burke's Member's Behind-The-Scenes event to exemplify what can be learned from these artifacts that is not recorded elsewhere, including information about children and ethnic minorities.
As part of this project, and in anticipation of a large volume of post-contact era archaeology collections that may be found during replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, Seawall and SR 520 bridge, Burke staff developed a curation guideline, available upon request, specific to post-contact era archaeological collections in consultation with specialists at Northwest Archaeological Associates, Inc.
This collection is now available for research, display and education purposes. Please contact Laura Phillips, Archaeology Collections Manager for information regarding obtaining access.
