San Juan Basin Archaeological Society to host talk about Aztec Ruins

The Journal

San Juan Basin Archaeological Society will host a talk called “Methodology and Documentation of Historic Names at Aztec Ruins” by Fred Blackburn at 7 p.m. Wednesday on Zoom.

Blackburn’s current project is Aztec Ruins Inscription Documentation, a two- to three-year-long research program to fill a gap between 1880 and 1915 to reconnect local families to their history in Aztec Ruins National Monument. A large portion of this project is interviewing people who have a community connection to Aztec Ruins.

Blackburn was one of the first two rangers in the Grand Gulch Ranger program in 1974 and assisted in the establishment of the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center. He also helped establish the White Mesa Institute.

Blackburn, a fourth generation Coloradan, was born in Telluride and graduated from Fort Lewis College in 1971, with a bachelor’s degree in biology.

A brief business meeting will be held before the talk.

For login information, visit www.sjbas.org and click on the Zoom meeting link.