Steve Butz

The Shays’ Settlement Project is the first formal archaeological study of the ruins of a fortified 18th century settlement located in the mountains of Southern Vermont. The settlement was founded by Captain Daniel Shays and his fellow refugees who fled Massachusetts following the uprising he commanded there in 1787. This lost piece of American history lay hidden and untouched for over 200 years until its discovery in April 2013.

This lecture weaves together the tale of the present day archaeological investigation and the history of Daniel Shays’ Vermont settlement. The discovery of the settlement has revealed a lost piece of American history, and is one of the most significant archaeological sites in Vermont today.

Steve Butz (shayssettlement.org, stephenbutz.com, facebook.com/TheShaysSettlementProject/ ) The Shays’ Settlement Project is led by Steve Butz, an educator and writer who is currently working on his PhD in archaeology at the University of Albany. Steve gained his undergraduate and graduate degrees at Cornell University and has also created a public education project about the settlement, which includes a summer archaeology field school at the site where students learn techniques in archaeological fieldwork, surveying, mapmaking, and digital imaging by taking part in the scientific study of the settlement.