People, Place, and Time Lecture Series
Organizer: Dungeness River Nature Center
Organizer Email: info@DungenessRiverCenter.org
Organizer Phone: 360-681-4076
Organizer Website: https://DungenessRiverCenter.org/
Step into the deep history of the North Olympic Peninsula with local historian David Brownell. This series explores the people, places, and stories that have shaped this landscape for thousands of years. Attend one or all!
$5 suggested donation per lecture
Please RSVP ahead of time if possible!
Register here
Friday, May 22 | 6pm at Rainshadow Hall
“Since Time Immemorial”: A Revised History of the Northeast Olympic Peninsula
A high-level overview of the cultural history of the NOP, presented through the broader framework of human presence in North America. The “Clovis first” theory has fallen out of favor as an increasing mountain of evidence shows that humans have been in North America for at least 20,000-30,000 years. This presentation examines some of the new evidence, and how these findings change (or don’t!) our understanding of human history on the NOP.
Friday, June 19 | 6pm at Rainshadow Hall
Archaeological History of the Sequim Prairie
This project ties together climatology, geology, archaeology and ethnography to provide a holistic understanding of human occupation of the Sequim-Dungeness Valley since the end of the last ice age approximately 14,000 years ago. It explores the data and conclusions of archaeological excavations at the Manis Mastodon and Sequim Bypass sites, amongst others.
Friday, August 14 | 7pm outside the Cedar Hat Classroom
A Glimpse of Sxʷčkʷíyəŋ, a S’Klallam village at Washington Harbor
History of Sxʷčkʷíyəŋ, a 600+ year old S’Klallam village from which Sequim derives its name. This presentation examines ethnographic accounts, archaeological discoveries, archival documents and other materials to understand the pre- and post-contact history of the S’Klallam ancestors who lived at this site for centuries.
Presenter Bio
David Brownell earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Hanover College, Ind., and a master’s in public history, with a specialization in archiving and records management from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, in 2011. He worked for the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Tribal Historic Preservation Officer as Research Coordinator from 2011-2015.
David began working for the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe as a Cultural Resources Specialist in 2015 and was designated as Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Historic Preservation Officer in 2018. In 2021 he was hired as Executive Director of the North Olympic History Center, formerly the Clallam County Historical Society, and also serves on the board of the Jefferson County Historical Society.