CHAPS hosts presentation on Highway 1A and Highway 22 excavation findings
Article from The Cochrane Eagle
Daniel Gonzalez | May 18
“And I like the fact that we got to fill in some informational gaps about the site. The early ranching site in the 1880s was explored, but no one really looked at what they were doing after that period in any serious way,” Pickering said. “And that gave us an opportunity to do that, which I thought was very exciting.”
With many Cochranites living, walking, and even driving on unseen history, a recent presentation hosted by the Cochrane Historical and Archival Preservation Society (CHAPS) unveiled some of the findings that were dug up at the Cochrane Ranche archaeological dig site, showcasing tiny glimpses into the daily life of Cochranites in years gone by.
Senior project archaeologist, Sean Pickering from Bison Historical Services LTD., was invited as a guest speaker for the event, which was put on by CHAPS and hosted at the Frank Mills Memorial Hall. Pickering’s presentation centred around a dig site where the upcoming interchange between Highway 1A and Highway 22 is being constructed.
Pickering said he and his crew conducted an archaeological survey and archaeological excavation at the Cochrane Ranche site from 2018 to 2020.
“And this was to get as much historical information out of this site before the site was impacted by the developer,” he said.
CHAPS and Pickering first started planning these presentations in 2019, but due to restrictions related to COVID-19, they were previously unable to host them.
Pickering believes it is his duty to share his archaeological findings with the community whenever he has the chance, especially when they come from a site like the Cochrane Ranche. He noted it a well-known local historical site, one of the first places protected by the government, and always receives many visitors.
“In this case, it’s particularly really important to give that back to the community and let people know what we found,” Pickering said. “And the thing about that site that was really funny was, we were so visible, everyone saw us as they were driving through that intersection, so a lot of people would come down to that site.”
With many Cochranites interested in learning more about the deep history beneath their feet, Pickering said it was great to see all the locals who wanted to learn more about the town’s past come to his talk last Saturday.
“And I like the fact that we got to fill in some informational gaps about the site. The early ranching site in the 1880s was explored, but no one really looked at what they were doing after that period in any serious way,” Pickering said. “And that gave us an opportunity to do that, which I thought was very exciting.”
In terms of artifacts that Pickering was able to showcase to attendees on Saturday, a highlight was the selection of children’s toys.
“These date from post-World War II, to the 1960s,” Pickering explained. “Children are often very hard to see in the archaeological record, so it is really neat to work at a site where children [and families] are so visible.
“And the personal artifacts are what speak to me, so toys, combs, the watch pieces, a Cub Scout pin, pocket knives – these are things that tell stories about individual lives.”
Although finding things like nails, glass, bricks, and other objects from a dig site might not tell a particularly enthralling story, he said having the chance to examine past objects and present them to others is what makes his job great.
“The best thing about digging at sites like this is that we can come back and tell the stories of the people that lived, worked, and played at the site.” Pickering said.
