Eugene J. Boesch, PhD will present a lecture that examines Native American cultures and adaptations in the southeastern New York region from the area’s earliest occupation by humans, at least 13,000 years ago, to the period of initial European exploration.  Entitled,Understanding Past Native American Cultures in the Hudson Valley Through Archaeology, the program will also include a display of artifacts.

Changing climate and environmental settings over that time, particularly the end of the last ice age and the appearance of an essentially modern climate, as well as population movements, resulted in the development of many prehistoric cultures and diverse life ways. Archaeologists refer to these specific timeframes as the Paleo-Indian (11,000 – 6,500 BC), Archaic (6,500 – 1,000 BC), Woodland (1,000 BC – AD 1,500), and Euro-American Contact periods (AD 1,500 – 1,650). Dr. Boesch will also have a question and answer discussion period during the presentation.

The program is of particularly broad interest in Orange County because the Lenape Native Americans lived in the Newburgh – Cornwall area and environs. So, join us for an educational evening in which Dr. Boesch will share his in depth knowledge on the subject. The Orange County Trust Company Great Room in Kaplan Hall, SUNY Orange will be the venue on Wednesday, March 12 at 7pm. Kaplan Hall is located at the corner of Grand and First Streets, Newburgh, NY.

Dr. Boesch is a senior archaeologist in Historic Preservation and Archaeology. He received a PhD in Anthropology from New York University, specializing in Native American cultures and adaptations in the Eastern Woodlands of North America. He has operated a cultural resource firm in the Hudson Valley for over twenty years and has taught at various area colleges and universities. A concern for local historic preservation issues has led him to serve as a member of the Westchester County and Putnam County Historic Preservation Advisory Committees.

This lecture presentation is sponsored by the New York Council for the Humanities, Speakers in the Humanities and is part of the Cultural Affairs lecture series. It is free and open to the public. Questions may be directed to cultural@sunyorange.edu or (845)341-9386/4891. Check out website www.sunyorange.edu/culturalaffairs.