Ancient Palouse
Join retired Whitman geology and environmental studies professor Bob Carson as we explore the history of the first human settlement in this region.
First, we will visit the Marmes Rockshelter, which despite worldwide news coverage when discovered and excavated, is relatively unknown today. Finding Glacier Peak ash associated with human remains established this cave as the home of the earliest known people in the Western Hemisphere. How did these folks migrate from Asia: by land or by sea? Bob will help us uncover this question.
After, we will travel to Palouse Falls, where Bob will take us back over 15,000 years, before the end of Earth’s largest floods. At that time, the Palouse River flowed west to join the Columbia River watershed in the Pasco Basin. Discharges of cubic miles of water per hour caused the river to overwhelm a drainage divide, heading south to join the Snake River at Lyons Ferry. How did water and sediment rushing south along the new river course cause Palouse Falls to originate and migrate north? You'll also learn how Palouse Falls became Washington State’s official waterfall .
Bob Carson has led numerous field trips in and outside the U.S. and has been an extraordinary Learning on the Land educator. He has published several books including, Where the Great River Bends and Many Waters: Natural History of the Walla Walla Valley and Vicinity.
This event is made possible by the generous support of Wheatland Village.
Photo by Nick Page.
Date and Time
Saturday Sep 9, 2017
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM PDT
Saturday, September 9, 2017
9:00am 5:00pm
Location
Walla Walla Community College Parking Lot
500 North Tausick Way
Walla Walla, WA, 99362United States
Fees/Admission
Adult $40, Children (17 and under) $25
Contact Information
Lauren Platman
Send Email