Doug Wilson will take visitors on a walking tour of the Spruce Mill at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site to learn about how World War I changed the aviation and timber industries in the Pacific Northwest. This Pearson Field Centennial event will explore how archaeology has revealed the remains of the largest spruce mill in history and how spruce was an essential ingredient for making aircraft to support the war effort. The tour is about an hour and will include the fort and Spruce Mill trail areas. Wear sturdy shoes and bring a bottle of water.
Doug Wilson has been an archaeologist most of his life. He received his Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Arizona, and since then has been tramping across the western United States exploring ancient and more recent places. He is a regional archaeologist for the National Park Service Preservation Partnerships Program and an Adjunct Associate Professor at Portland State University. His recent book, Historical Archaeology of the Pacific Northwest, was published by the University Press of Florida.
