Beaufort History Museum, in partnership with the Beaufort County Library, will present a lecture on the Yamasee Indians and Altamaha Town by noted authority and archaeologist Dr. Eric Poplin. The lecture is scheduled for 2:00 PM on Tuesday, September 11 at the Beaufort Branch Library, located at 311 Scott Street.
The Yamasee Indians, a multiethnic conglomeration of Native Americans, lived along the lower coastal plain of South Carolina between 1683 and 1715. Altamaha Town, the capital of their settlements, was occupied as early as 1685 until it was abandoned during the Yamasee War. More than 60,000 artifacts were recovered from the site. Poplin will discuss the history of the tribe and life in the village during his presentation.
Poplin, who earned his PhD at the University of Calgary, is Senior Archaeologist/Vice President with Brockington and Associates, a large southeastern US Cultural Resources Management firm with offices in Atlanta and Savannah, GA and Charleston, SC. He has conducted archaeological investigations throughout coastal South Carolina for the last 28 years including some at Altamaha Town, Huspa Town and Pocotaligo Town in Beaufort District.
Admission to the lecture is free. A donation of $5 is suggested and reservations are required. To sign up visit the BHM website at www.beauforthistorymuseum.com. Please print out the ticket and bring to the event. Registration opens August 28. (Lectures sell out. Those with tickets will be admitted first.) Funds collected will be used to support ongoing Museum programs and the ongoing renovation of the Exhibit Hall currently underway. Phase I of the renovation was recently unveiled and Phase II is slated for completion late in 2019.
The Beaufort County Library System is a free and accessible center of ideas, information, and resources that foster learning, community, and literacy. The Library provides open and guided access to a wide variety of media and programs to inform, inspire, and empower people in their pursuit of lifelong learning, personal enrichment, and cultural understanding.
Beaufort History Museum, located in the historic Arsenal on Craven Street, has evolved to focus specifically on the history of the Beaufort District. It strives to manage and display artifacts and documents held by the City of Beaufort, telling the compelling stories of this area from the early 16th Century until modern times. The Museum’s hours of operation are 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Monday – Saturday. Information on other events, volunteer opportunities and membership may be found on the website.
