Our blog for Memorial Day 2019 was written as a tribute to
Barry C. Kent, former Senior Curator at The State Museum of Pennsylvania. In
that blog, we identified the history of Memorial Day as a time to honor those
men who had died in the Civil War, but it has since become a day to remember
all those whom we have lost from our lives. It is with a heavy heart that we
share our news of the passing of another former Senior Curator and
archaeologist, Stephen G. Warfel on May 14, 2020. Once again, we have lost a
friend, a colleague and a talented archaeologist far too soon. This blog will
share some of Steve’s significant contributions to archaeology, and his legacy
as an educator and mentor for so many archaeologists.
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| Steven G. Warfel at Franklin & Marshall College |
Steve’s career in archaeology began at Franklin &
Marshall College (F&M) (1967 - 1971) in Lancaster, PA. It began, as with
many of us, at a summer field school. An investigation conducted by the
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) and F&M at the
Strickler site (36La3), Lancaster County exposed him to the fascinating
heritage of the Susquehannock Indians. Under the guidance of Dr. Kent, Steve
discovered a passion for archaeology. In his words- “Archaeology is fascinating
because it involves true detective work and problem-solving. It also provides a
perspective on the past which is not solely dependent on documentary sources.” Steve
continued to work with Barry Kent during the 1970’s on many of the Late
Woodland/ Contact period Susquehannock investigations conducted through this
period. Steve’s graduate training at Brown University concentrated in historical
archaeology and when an opportunity to join Barry at the State Museum arose in
1980, Steve was quick to accept a curatorial position in the Section of
Archaeology.
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| Byrd Leibhart, Susquehannock site,1970 |
His first field project as a curator was part of an ongoing
interest by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) in
French and Indian War period sites. In
addition, a desire at the local level to discover and preserve the fort, led to
an investigation at Fort Loudoun in Franklin County. The excavations under
Steve’s direction led to the uncovering of the entire stockade, interior
building and the discovery of a well
with preserved contents dating it’s use to the period of the fort. These artifacts and the information gleaned
from the investigation led to the first installation of exhibit space focused
on historical archaeology in the gallery of the State Museum.
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| Field crew at Fort Loudoun |
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| Fort Loudoun bucket, 36Fr107 |
Steve’s interest in historical archaeology was an asset to
many of the historical sites operated by the Museum Commission (PHMC) including
French Azilum in Bradford County, Old Economy Village in Allegheny County,
Joseph Priestley House in Northumberland County and his long-term research
interest at Ephrata Cloister in Lancaster County. Steve’s passion for
archaeology and his willingness to share his knowledge with others made him an
ideal educator for students, volunteers and visitors to his excavations. Most
of these projects incorporated a summer field school for college students,
providing them with the training and experience necessary to become an
archaeologist. Steve’s incredible
patience, his meticulous excavation and documentation methods and his
encouragement of individual talents and abilities were essential to these
successful programs.
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| Field School in cellar at Ephrata Cloister, 36La981 |
Archaeology at the JosephPriestley House produced broken fragments of laboratory test tubes
that contained residues directly linking their use to testing Priestley was
conducting relative to his discovery of oxygen before immigrating to
Pennsylvania from England. These fragments were recovered in an area just
outside of the laboratory window and door, indicating discard of the broken
test tubes at the time of use. These tubes are the tangible evidence of the activities
of Priestley and an important contribution to the interpretive story at this
historic site. This is but one example of a site that benefitted from Steve’s
expertise in uncovering the archaeological record and enhancing or correcting
the historic interpretation.
The curatorial duties of the
Section of Archaeology were rapidly increasing due to changes in preservation
laws which required investigations of known or potential archaeological sites
and the curation of these collections. These changes resulted in an influx of archaeological
collections and required an organized approach to the curation process and the
ability to provide research material for scholars. Steve reorganized the entire
assemblage of artifacts by their recorded archaeological site number and began
reviewing and recording collections submitted for curation. When Barry retired
in the mid-1980’s, Steve was appointed to the position of Senior Curator.
Curatorial tasks benefited from
Steve’s organizational talents and he oversaw numerous changes and improvements
to the exhibits in the State Museum including updates to content, lighting and
presentation. Efforts to make the exhibits more engaging included audio
presentations in the Susquehannock case and tactile content for the popular
Schultz diorama. Steve’s thoughtful
approach in discussions concerning changes to the museum was acknowledged as an
important asset by colleagues, he was known for his knowledge of the history
and archaeological heritage of the Commonwealth and the mid-Atlantic region.
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| Student Visitors at Ephrata Cloister |
Public programs expanded under
Steve’s direction and he often provided programs sharing the results of
archaeological investigations and the subsequent research associated with these
projects. Publication of his investigations in journals, books and annual
reports of his work at Ephrata Cloister were important in informing the public
of his findings and increasing their awareness and appreciation for these
sites. Steve’s support of the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology (SPA) was
important at a critical time in that organization. His contributions in
organizing and leading the group through a difficult time both in membership
and financially were crucial to its survival. His creation of the Workshops in Archaeology
program at the museum became a popular event to disseminate information, and
except for a brief hiatus has continued to provide registrants with
comprehensive discussion of various topics in archaeology.
Steve retired in 2007 from the
museum, but certainly not from archaeology. He excavated the French &
Indian War site of Fort Morris in Shippensburg, Cumberland County. Here he was
able to locate evidence of foundations and supplies used by the troops
stationed here and correct conflicting documents as to the site location. He
returned to the site of a Revolutionary War period prison camp in York County.
Camp Security had been previously recorded by Barry Kent and Steve had
participated in early efforts to discover foundations or artifact concentrations
relative to the site, but none had proven successful. Threatened by development
and supported by local citizens to preserve the site, Steve researched archival
records, interviewed local residents and employed new investigative techniques
in his search for physical remains of the camp. Unfortunately, no foundations
were discovered but his methodical approach laid the groundwork for future
investigations at this site and provided an increased appreciation for the site
to countless volunteers and visitors.
Steve had an ability to bring archaeology
to everyone and his passion encouraged others to see the value of our
profession in their communities. He
inspired so many people with his enthusiasm and love of archaeology and the
discovery of the past. Volunteers from his projects, students from his field
schools and colleagues from the Commission all benefited from his expertise
and the ability to share it so passionately with others. He was a mentor for
many of us throughout our careers. We benefited from his expertise and thoughtful
perspective, but beyond that we knew him as a good people person. His laughter,
compassion and understanding of others are qualities to live by and strive to
replicate.
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| Presentation at Workshops in Archaeology Program |
For many of us the COVID-19 pandemic has had a lasting
impact on our lives and has given us a reason to pause and evaluate and
prioritize our needs. What was important to us 3 or 4 months ago may not seem
so significant now. Communities are coming together in new ways to restore
social activities. Steve was a people person- he loved being with people,
talking, laughing, enjoying food and drink in social settings. Evaluating what
is important to me during this pandemic has reminded me of people I value in my
life that are still with me and those I have lost. Steve’s passion for life and
community will be remembered and missed by all for a very long time. His legacy
as a teacher and mentor in the archaeological community will endure as
evidenced in the many archaeologists whom he inspired and loved.
Steve and Barry were excellent mentors and great resources
for archaeology but at their core was the fact that they were good people. They
cared about others and inspired others to care about community and heritage.
Take a moment today to think about your heritage and appreciate the work
conducted by archaeologists in your community in our efforts to preserve the
past for the future.
