US Forest Service Deparpment of Agriculture
The University of Montana
If you would like to know more information about any of the projects or information on this website please feel free to contact us via email. In addition, if you know of any Chinese sites or historical references regarding Chinese in Montana, please direct your queries to Chris Merritt or Dr. Kelly Dixon.
Biography: Received his Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from the University of Montana in 2004, and his Master’s of Science degree in Industrial Archaeology from Michigan Technological University in 2006. Merritt is working on a Ph.D. in Cultural Heritage Studies from the University of Montana’s Anthropology department, specifically focusing on the Chinese heritage of Montana. Work experience ranges from the United States Forest Service in Utah and Nevada as an archaeological technician during 2004 and 2005, to being the current webmaster for the Society for Historical Archaeology. Merritt has a deep interest in the archaeology of the historic period of North America, with specific emphasis on the landscape of the American West from the mid-19th Century until today. Email: christopher.merritt@umontana.edu
Biography: Dr. Dixon received her Ph.D. from the University of Nevada-Reno, and has been teaching at the University of Montana as an Assistant Professor since the fall of 2003. Her dissertation focused on the analysis of archaeological collections and documentary resources from a series of saloons in Virginia City, Nevada dating to the mid-19th century. Currently, Dr. Dixon is working on a couple of books focused on her collaborative work on the Donner Party Site located outside Truckee, California. Her research interests are on the under documented people of the American West, including African-Americans and the Chinese. Email: kelly.dixon@mso.umt.edu
Biography: Milo has been the Forest Archaeologist on the Lolo since the early 1980s. He received his Master’s degree from the University of Montana, with a thesis focused on the Lolo Trail. McLeod started out with the Forest Service in the mid 1970s, and was on the original discovery team of the mysterious terraced gardens. McLeod has a long history of protecting, restoring, and interpreting cultural resources in Western Montana and has traveled the globe pursuing interesting archeological opportunities. Email: cmcleod@fs.fed.us
Biography: Brent was part of the 2007 field school that investigated the mysterious terraced gardens site. He comes to Montana from West Virginia, where he became interested in understanding mining landscapes and the harsh effects that industry has on the natural world. Brent has a strong background in soils and sedimentology, and has also worked on several archaeological projects including preliminary investigations of the Big Timber, Montana Chinatown.
Biography: Katie is receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology, with emphasis in forensics and archaeology, and was a member of the 2007 field school at the terraced garden site. She is currently a junior at the University of Montana, and is thinking strongly about pursuing an advanced degree in archaeology, or an aligned field. Her long-term goals are hopefully to teach archaeology and/or forensics at the college level.
Biography: Joshua comes to Montana from the University of Wisconsin, where he is currently a junior getting a degree in Archaeology. He has extensive training in irrigation and water management, which has spurred his interest on how landscaping affects human experience, and vice-versa. Joshua is planning on continuing to get an advanced degree, and may focus on Scandinavian sites of Vikings in North America or abroad.
Biography: Kassy joined the 2007 project at the terraced gardens as a Passport in Time volunteer through the United States Forest Service, and is a life-long resident of Plains, Montana. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology, with emphasis in archaeology and forensics, from the University of Montana in 2006. Kassy has worked with Chris Merritt on analyzing the materials from the Cedar Creek Chinese excavations, and documented artifacts from a Chinese laundry excavation in Marysville, Montana. She is now pursuing a nursing career, but keeps her archaeological hands dirty as a hobby.
Biography: Leta just received her Bachelor’s in Anthropology from the University of Montana during 2007. She joined the 2007 project at the terrace site as a paid field technician, and helped survey the area looking for other cultural remains that might relate to the site’s use. Leta was also instrumental in developing the look and feel of this website, and she is quite the artist as can be seen in the final product. She is now going after her Master’s in Anthropology from Boston University, and will be studying ancient Mayans.
Biography: Don received a double Bachelor’s from the University of Montana in Anthropology and Wildlife Biology, and is now entering the Master’s program in Cultural Heritage studies. Don is currently working on his thesis at the Fort Owen Historical Park archaeological collections through Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks. Fort Owen is one of the earliest Euroamerican settlements in Montana, and dates back to the 1840s. Don has worked on the 2006 and 2007 projects at the terrace site as a volunteer, and lent his expertise in wildlife and ecology to help the team reconstruct the historic and current environmental conditions of the area.
Biography: Justin is an incoming Master’s Student to the Anthropology Department, and is currently an employee of the Lolo National Forest working with Milo McLeod in the Heritage department. He assisted in the setup for the terraced gardens project, and has a strong interest in the site and its investigation. In addition, Justin’s thesis is dealing with the Chinese archaeological component of a city block in Big Timber, Montana.
Graphics, Design, by Leta S. Re; Layout by Spectral Fusion Lindsey Weber and Brooke Davidson . Copyright The University of Montana, 2006.