IAAA News – Tales and Trails: A report from the 2025 Annual Meeting

After three exciting and eventful days from May 2^nd to the 4^th, the 2025 Illinois Association for Advancement of Archaeology (IAAA) Annual Meeting concluded (Figure 1). Hosted by the Central Wabash Archaeology Chapter (CWAC), the well-planned event focused on Illinois and Indiana’s early trails and interactions between First Nations Groups and Euro-Americans. The meeting was supported by the Robinson Tourism Council, CWAC members, the Clark County Historical Society, and the IAAA Annual Meeting Fund. Ultimately, this year’s IAAA Annual Meeting highlighted the tightknit CWAC community, its decade’s worth of archaeological efforts, and its commitment to educational outreach and conservation (Figure 2).

Day one’s first gathering point was around Robinson, IL, where the IAAA Board and Members met at the Crawford County Historical Museum (CCHM). The CCHM is a hidden gem for Illinois archaeology, holding remains of many excavations led by early IAAA pioneers and the CWAC (Figure 3). Not only does the CCHM collection include impressive lithics, ceramics, and a fabulous mammoth tooth, but a real highlight is the museum’s archaeological bone remains. While bone often does not preserve well due to many factors such as acidic soils, the presence of mussel shells (and their calcium carbonate composition) at sites found near to the Wabash River helped bone artifacts’ organic nature resist decay and retrogressive processes. After the museum, IAAA members enjoyed breaking bread together at Monical’s Pizza, catching up, and talking shop about the latest archaeological discoveries in Illinois and throughout the world.

Day two started at Flat Rock Community Center, beginning with the Annual Business Meeting. After a variety of reports and announcements, Carolyn Stephens (CWAC) was honored with the 2025 Exceptional Service to the IAAA Award for her outstanding contributions to not only CWAC and her relentless pursuit of the York Trail, but also the IAAA (Figure 4). Another important activity included the retention vote of the following IAAA positions: Vice President Sara Pfannkuche; Treasurer Dr. Kevin McGowan; Illinois Antiquity Editor Dr. Dale F. Simpson, Jr.; Rediscovery Editor Bill Iseminger; Director Carolyn Stephens; Director Alice Berkson; Director Gary Cope; and Permanent Fund Trustees Doug Jackson and John Knoblett. In addition, the IAAA Permanent Fund committee officially named the winners of this year’s grants:

• The Central Wabash Archaeology Chapter for a LiDAR study of early trails and roadways in southeastern Illinois.
• The Chicago Archaeological Society (Dale F. Simpson Jr.) for a project to digitize Bob Stelton’s filming legacy consisting of many years of archaeological presentations from the Chicago group’s monthly meetings.
• Tyler Ferree of ISAS for a geophysical survey project at the Sleeth site in Fulton County.
• The IAAA State Fair Committee (Anne Wilson-Dooley) for a project to upgrade the IAAA State Fair displays.
• Katie Parker, an independent archaeobotanist, for a study on the use and distribution of plant remains from Cahokia’s Mound 34 area copper workshop.

After a lunch filled with home cooking, a magical dressing and pies, four papers were presented:

• Greg Parrott – Highways and Byways of Crawford County
• Barb Ross – Tales and Trails
• Carolyn Stephens – York Trail and Road and 1830 Lincoln Way
• Bob Maxwell – York Trail: The Benjamin Dolson Story 1825

With a conclusion at the Flat Rock Community Center, IAAA members drove to the “BARN”, a rehabbed building found on CWAC member Cheryll Douglas’ farm. They were greeted with a raging fire, a wiener roast with all the fixings including sassafras tea and rhubarb cookies (Figure 5), and an intimate venue that includes the Tobey Trail and Cemetery (Figure 6). After dinner, University of Iowa Ph.D. Candidate Lucas Howser provided a relevant and timely presentation about the use of LiDAR in archaeology, and how this technology can be used to better understand trails and cabins, a current CWAC focus. The evening ended with an entertaining presentation by French-Indian reenactor Tony Gerard, who portrayed Jean Baptiste Gerard, a 18^th Century trader who reminisced about this life on the frontier of French Illinois – highly recommended (Figure 7)!

For day three, IAAA members were again invited to the BARN for a hearty breakfast. After, Cheryll’s son, Steve, provided context and history about the barn, its construction, and reconstruction at its current location. This was followed up by Barb Ross, who discussed CWAC excavations at Swan Lake and at a nearby cabin on the Douglas Farm. A highlight of day three, initiated by Annual Meeting Chair Stan Stephens, was a chance for all in attendance to introduce themselves and discuss their connections to archaeology. This built a level of rapport for all involved, allowing members to see the varied levels of knowledge, participation, and passion amongst IAAA members from all over the state. After the morning session, IAAA Members had the chance to return to Robinson to review collections at the CCHM or visit a variety of museums found within the city. Other opportunities included to travel to Palestine, IL, to see its Historic Downtown and Fort LaMotte, or to visit Vincennes, IN, to visit Sugar Loaf and Pyramid Mounds and George Rogers Clark National Historic Park.

Overall, the 2025 IAAA Annual Meeting was a HUGE success. Organized and directed by the community- focused CWAC, attended by professionals, avocationalists, and those impassioned by archaeology, and enjoyed by all, this year’s meeting traveled trails and told tales about our state’s early ancestors, helping the IAAA to learn more about the past, in the present, for the future.

See you all in Cahokia for the 2026 IAAA Annual Meeting!

Submitted by: Dale F. Simpson Jr., Editor Illinois AntiquityFigure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

 Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________