105th ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE
NEW YORK STATE ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION
April 12 – 14, 2024
Hosted by
William M. Beauchamp and Thousand Islands Chapters
The William M. Beauchamp and Thousand Islands Chapters are proud to host the 105th Annual Meeting of the New York State Archaeological Association and the annual Spring meeting of the New York Archaeological Council April 12-14, 2024. NYAC will meet Friday April 12.
The NYSAA annual business meeting will be Friday evening, with paper presentations Saturday and Sunday morning. The annual banquet, awards ceremony and special guest speaker will be held Saturday evening. All events will be at the Best Western Hotel, 26 E 1st St., just a short distance from historic Fort Ontario and the Safe Haven Holocaust Museum.
105th Annual Meeting of the NYSAA Call for Papers & Registration (264.9 KiB)
2024 NYSAA Conference Program and Abstracts (281.1 KiB)
NYSAA Call for Papers 2024 (99.6 KiB)
Accommodations
The conference will be at the Best Western Waterfront Hotel and Conference Center, 26 E. 1st St., in beautiful downtown Oswego, New York. We’ve secured a room rate of $124/night that includes buffet breakfast. Make reservations by calling the hotel direct at 315-342-4040. Please be sure to mention the conference to get the conference room rate. Rooms are available till filled. Be advised that you may be staying at the next-door Quality Inn & Suites if overflow is needed.
Tours
There will be a 1 pm Friday guided tour available of historic Fort Ontario State Historic Site. We will car-pool from the hotel (or you can walk- it’s not far). Cost for the tour is $2.00 per person payable in cash at the time of the tour. The near-by Safe Haven Museum will also be open for tours all weekend long. Cost for the Safe Haven Museum is $3.00 per person.
Meals
We have onsite group meal options available for Friday dinner and Saturday lunch. The cost of the meal includes the tax and gratuity charge. Please see the registration form for details. Meal reservations must be received by April 1, 2024. There will be no meal sales at the door. There are also plentiful choices for dining a short drive from the hotel.
Annual Banquet
The Saturday evening banquet dinner will be a buffet-style meal. Please see the reservation form for the menu. The price also includes tax and gratuity charge. Banquet tickets may be available at the door pending availability, but best to reserve your seat in advance.
Keynote Speaker
George A. Bray, III Historian of the French and Indian War, author, collector, lecturer, researcher and reenactor.
Doomed British Forts of Oswego
This talk will focus on the construction, design, and destruction of the British forts located at present-day Oswego, New York during the French and Indian War. These forts were a threat to the French Forts Niagara (Youngstown, NY) and Frontenac (Kingston, Ontario, Canada) and endangered their Indian fur trade. The British, under Massachusetts Governor and Major General William Shirley began fortifying Oswego during the years 1755 – 1756. French Governor Vaudreuil ordered the newly arrived French Commander-in-Chief the Marquis de Montcalm to lead an expedition against the three forts in 1756 bringing about their demise in August, from which the English were unable to recover until 1759.
George Bray is retired from the U.S. Army where he served for over 21 years as an Intelligence Analyst and Counterintelligence Agent. He has always been interested in history, beginning a serious study of the French and Indian War as a teenager. During the American Revolution Bicentennial, he began to reenact the French and Indian War portraying an officer of Rogers’ Rangers, which he still pursues to this day. For the past 43 years, he has been the event commander at the annual French and Indian War encampment held at Fort Niagara, Youngstown, NY on the Fourth of July weekend.
He has also served as the event commander of French and Indian War events at Fort Stanwix, Rome, NY and other locations. He was also one of the members of the New York State French and Indian War 250th Anniversary Commemorative Commission which has been responsible for the sponsorship of several 250th French and Indian War events and the digitization of the Sir William Johnson Papers.
He is a published author whose articles have appeared in several newsletters and publications, including the Military Collector and Historian (the journal of the Company of Military Historians), Muzzleloader (a publication for black powder shooters), and the Journal of the Forces of Montcalm and Wolfe (a publication for French and Indian War reenactors). He has also assisted in and been featured in several television documentaries for such producers as the Learning Channel and BBC.
He is a Fellow of the Company of Military Historians and a member of the Old Fort Niagara Association. An avid collector, George’s collection includes original prints, books, documents, weapons, and other items of the French and Indian War period.
Registration
Conference registration is by mail only. Please complete the registration form and mail with your check payable to the William Beauchamp Chapter, NYSAA. Registration is due postmarked by April 1, 2024 to ensure your registration reaches us in time. If your registration has not reached us by the time of the conference, you will be responsible for paying at check-in. Reimbursement will be made once your dual registration is received. We will have walk-in registration on Friday and Saturday only.
105th Annual Meeting of the NYSAA Call for Papers & Registration (264.9 KiB)
Call for Papers
The conference will only be as good as we make it. Papers and posters are welcome highlighting any aspect of archaeology in New York State and contiguous regions. Abstracts of 150-250 words can be sent to Dr. Tim Abel at tabel@twcny.rr.com. So that we can post a complete program in a timely manner, please get your abstracts in by March 15, 2024. Paper/Poster Rules:
- Papers are 20 minutes in length.
- Posters can be of any size up to 48”x60”. Please provide a backing board and your choice of mounting (pins, clips, etc.). We will have easels or wall boards available.
- One paper or poster per presenter, although individuals may coauthor multiple papers/posters.
- Presenters must be members of the NYSAA (On co-authored papers/posters, the lead author must be a NYSAA member).
- A digital projector will be available for presentation. Please advise us of any alternative requirements.
- All presenters must register for the conference by April 1, 2024.
NYSAA Call for Papers 2024 (99.6 KiB)
Other Area Attractions
Richardson-Bates House Museum
135 East 3rd Street, Oswego, NY. Open Friday and Saturday 1-5pm. Donations accepted.
H. Lee White Maritime Museum
1 W 1st St, Oswego, NY. Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday 1-5pm. Donations accepted.
Fort Brewerton and Oliver Stevens Blockhouse Museum
9 US Route 11, Brewerton, NY. Grounds open, museum open on Sunday afternoon for tours. Donations accepted.