Alexander Joel Smith

Frost Town Archaeology (FTA) is a SUNY Brockport project based at the Cumming Nature Center in South Bristol, New York. It was started in 2017 as a public archaeological project, intended to provide access points for local communities, descendants, and students from SUNY Brockport, which is a regional public college that serves low-income and diverse students. The archaeology of the 19th century logging town speaks to Euro-American environmental destruction, climate change, and heritage production in the local area. In 2020, the pandemic derailed FTA, resulting in cancelled seasons and frozen funding from an economically embattled SUNY Brockport. In 2022, with the support of the ACLS, we will rebuild our programming and create a publicly engaged future for Frost Town Archaeology. Our community partners include the Cumming Nature Center of the Rochester Museum and Science Center, the Bristol Hills Historical Society, and the Naples Historical Society.