Local archaeologist shares insights surrounding the Donner Pass at the 2020 Conference on Historical and Underwater Archaeology
RENO, Nev. – Broadbent & Associates’ Project Archaeologist Stuart Rathbone recently presented at The Society for Historical Archaeology’s 2020 Conference on Historical and Underwater Archaeology. Rathbone’s presentation, titled “’Over the Hill’ A stratified approach to the archaeology of the Donner Pass Route through the Sierra Nevada” outlined the history of the route and uncovered the archaeological and architectural resources that have been identified along Donner Pass.
“It is exciting to have had one of our esteemed archaeologists present at a national conference,” said Matt Herrick, Principal Hydrogeologist and Division Manager of Broadbent & Associates’ Reno location. “Stuart has spent ample time studying the Donner Pass, its history and the impact that it has had on the northern Nevada that we all know today. We are honored to have him as a part of our cultural resource management team.”
The Donner Pass through the Sierra Nevada has successfully featured emigrant trails, a military survey route, a wagon road, the transcontinental railroad, the transcontinental telegraph, US-40, and I-80. Rathbone’s presentation presented these historic landmarks in addition to a series of settlements that were established along the route, which profoundly affected the nature of the settlements on all sides of the mountains. The presentation also showcased the schematic diagram that Stuart developed, presenting the chronological sequence of activity along the routeway in an easily digestible form.
Rathbone graduated from Bournemouth University in the United Kingdom and has worked primarily in Ireland and the Western United States, joining the Broadbent team in 2017. Over the course of his career, Rathbone has published on a wide range of topics including prehistoric buildings and settlement patterns.
About Broadbent & Associates
Broadbent & Associates is a full-service environmental, water resource and civil engineering firm. With a staff of approximately 100 employees, Broadbent & Associates has eight offices in five states and serves clients in the United States and beyond. Their mission is to build long-term client relationships by providing sound scientific solutions to comprehensive resource management challenges. For more information on Broadbent & Associates, visit https://www.broadbentinc.com.