28 Jun What is SEAC??

The Southeast Archeological Center (SEAC) was founded in 1961 by the director of the National Park Service, Conrad. L Wirth. After the unfortunate decision to construct Interstate 16 through the Ocmulgee National Monument, the director put a plan in place to survey, preserve, and cause the least amount of damage possible to the site, ultimately resulting in the creation of SEAC.

Since its origin over 50 years ago, SEAC has assisted 60 out of the 72 parks in the Southeast region with all their archeological finds. Additionally, we are tasked with assisting parks whenever they have any National Historic Landmarks recommendations. We teach them how to nominate their sites and how to stay compliant with federal regulations regarding the preservation of cultural resources.

Within SEAC ,there are several departments, each having their own purpose. I mainly work in Archeological Landscapes, Technical Assistance, Service, and Contracts (ALTASC). This department works for and assists federal and other government agencies, preservation groups, and private land owners through partnerships, agreements, and contracts to identify and protect significant cultural resources in the Southeast.

So far, I have really enjoyed being able to assist other agencies and private land owners with their National Historic Landmark nominations and can’t wait to do more in the next upcoming weeks 🙂

Natalie Matias