October 2010 Volume 28, Issue 10
Unless otherwise noted, all Chapter meetings are held at the First Presbyterian church at 1016 Cooper St., Glenwood springs, at 7:00 pm on the third Monday of the month.
Since September’s program was cancelled due to a power outage in the vicinity of the church, the program for Oct. will be the 1 hour long video titled “Ancient Arizona”. The powerful influence of the Mogollon, Hohokam, Sinagua, Salado, and the Ancient Puebloan cultures reverberates through the centuries. Explore the dramatic prehistoric past of the southwest at sites such as Betatakin, Canyon de Chelly, Chaco canyon, Mesa Verde, Keet Seel and more. The video is one of the Ancient America series.
Bring your money. The painting “Penasco Blanco Ruin” by artist David Montgomery will be reoffered as this year’s raffle prize. Due to the late start, tickets will be sold through
November, with the drawing on December 7 at the Hisatsinom Chapter meeting. Tickets are
$3 each or 4 for $10. The funds from the raffle are used each year for the Alice Hamilton
Scholarship Fund.
Dr. Susan Collins, who has served as the Colorado State Archaeologist and Deputy State Historic
Preservation Officer in charge of archaeology at History Colorado (formerly the Colorado Historical
Society), retires October 4, 2010, after 22 years of service. She is the longest tenured state archaeologist in the history of the position in Colorado, and in the upper ranks of any State
Archaeologist’s tenure throughout the country.
“Susan Collins has provided unwavering guidance, expertise, education and direction in support of preserving, protecting and documenting Colorado’s most precious archaeological and historic places,” said
Ed Nichols, History Colorado President and CEO, and State Historic Preservation Officer. “She has been an instrumental leader and will be missed.”
Since 1988, in her duties as State Archaeologist with the Office of Archaeology and Historic
Preservation (OAHP), Dr. Collins became well known throughout the archaeology community for her ability to negotiate and build on common ground. She developed strong working relationships with federal and state agencies in Colorado, including the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs, where she was a key figure in consultations with Native American Tribes on issues that range from unmarked

burials to collections to historic designation. Her skill and experience also made her instrumental in the development of the 1990 Colorado statute dealing with Unmarked Human Graves. “Colorado is one of the few states that is a leader with NAGPRA issues because of the process developed by the state, the tribes and the Colorado commission of Indian Affairs,” said Terry Knight, Ute Mountain Ute Tribal
Historic Preservation Office. “She worked with us to get issues resolved. She sometimes was a supporter, she sometimes was a leader, and she was always there.”
During the 1990s and 2000s, she worked hand-in-hand with the National Park Service, historians, descendant tribes and land owners to survey, acquire and designate the Sand Creek Historic Site. In
2006, OAHP was awarded a Partnership Commendation from the Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation for the development of the Memorandum of Agreement to protect and preserve the
Redstone Castle. She was also instrumental in the formation of the Colorado Interagency Archaeological
Education and Anti-Vandalism Task Force, a multi-agency group that works to prevent vandalism of archaeological sites in Colorado.
“Without Susan Collin’s help the land exchange between the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife and the State Land Board could have failed,” said Art Hutchinson, Superintendent of the
Great Sand Dunes National Park and National Preserve. “Susan stepped forward and assisted at an important moment in that process and as a result the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve Act of 2000 was signed to elevate the Great Sand Dunes to national park status.”
Dr. Collins has been a strong advocate for public education and amateur archaeology in Colorado and has worked with the Colorado Archaeological Society (CAS) and her staff to support the Program for Avocational Archaeological Certification (PAAC) program.
“The Colorado Archaeological Society is deeply indebted to Susan Collins for her years of service to Colorado archaeology and for the mentoring she provided to every CAS member,” said Bob Mutaw, board member of Colorado Archaeological Society and History Colorado.
She played an important role in the formation of the State Historical Fund, a program of History
Colorado that awards grants to public and non-profit organizations to preserve Colorado’s architectural and archaeological treasures for public benefit. State Historical Fund grants have helped preserve hundreds of historic schools, town halls, agricultural sites and other important resources in all 64
Colorado counties since 1993.
During her tenure, over $15 million in grants were awarded to nearly 350 archaeological projects.
Some include the Ludlow Tent Colony and Mountaineer site excavations, Crow Canyon Archaeological
Center education programs, the Mesa Verde architectural documentation program, the Great Sand
Dunes survey, plus many more.
Dr. Collins earned her cum laude B.A. from the University of Colorado in 1969 – having attended the University of New Mexico archaeological field school at Taos in 1967 and the University of
Colorado’s Mesa Verde field school in 1968. She earned her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of
Colorado in 1971 and 1975 respectively. Her Ph.D. dissertation concerned Ancient Puebloan settlements in the Santa Fe district of New Mexico with possible connections to the Mesa Verde region – it was entitled Prehistoric Rio Grande Settlement Patterns and the Inference of Demographic Change.
“Susan is every bit a Colorado archaeologist,” said Kevin Black, Assistant State Archaeologist.
“She has directed the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation with vision, foresight and consummate management skills, always with a focus on true leadership and diplomacy.”
On October 1, 2010, Kevin Black will assume the role of Acting State Archaeologist.
Editors Note: Dr. Collins received the C.T. Hurst (Silver Trowel) Award for her many years of service to Colorado archaeology at the 2009 CAS Annual Meeting.

ROARING FORK CAS CHAPTER OFFICERS - 2010
President/Newsletter: Cynthia Vodopich, (970) 524-7981, PO Box 5544, Eagle, CO 81631, mcvodopich@centurytel.net
PAAC Coord: Christine Elliott, (328) 7323, PO Box 375, Eagle, CO, 81631, redrock68@hotmail.com
Secretary: Bob Ludtke (970) 945-8722, 406 Yale Circle, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601, bobl@sopris.net
Treasurer: Emilie Somerville, (970) 384-0185, 5387 County Road 154, #49, Glenwood Spgs, CO
81601, emsbeads@rof.net
Programs: Larry Scarbrough, (970) 524-8166, PO Box 1340, Avon, CO 81620, lscarbrough@holycross.com
Publicity: Joan Troth, (970) 945-0668, 3202 Cooper Court, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601, troth@rof.net
Club Archaeologist: Alice Gustafson, (970) 928-8602, 1903 Colorow Rd, Glenwood Springs, CO
81601
Librarian: