Academic Affairs. Dean, College Of Liberal Arts And Sciences. Department Of Anthropology (University Of Maine) Records

Alaric Faulkner was born January 12, 1945, in Peterborough, N.H. After graduating from Milton Academy in 1963 and from Harvard University in 1967. He received a doctorate in anthropology from Washington State University in 1972. From 1970 to 1978, he taught anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

Faulkner came to the University of Maine in 1978 as the University's first Historical Archaeologist. The role was created to promote historical archeological research and scholarship in Maine, train students in field work and analysis for eventual careers in the field, and assist in the stewardship of historical archaeological sites within Maine and the region. Up until 1984, half of the costs of Faulkner’s position was born by the Maine Historic Preservation Commission. From 1984 onwards Faulkner’s costs were paid by the University of Maine. Faulkner would eventually be awarded tenure and would retire with emeritus status in 2008. Faulkner died in 2011 at the age of 66.

The material in this record group document numerous archaeological surveys and excavations carried out by Faulkner, colleagues, and students in particular at Fort St. George and St. George River, Witherle Woods (Castine), St. Castin (Castine) Habitation, Fort Hill (Veazie), Damariscove Island (Boothbay), and Fort Pentagoet (Castine). Faulkner and colleagues also mapped the Canada Road. Faulkner published widely on his work including "The French at Pentagoet, 1635-1674: An Archaeological Portrait of the Acadian Frontier." which he co-authored with his wife and long-term collaborator Gretchen Fearon Faulkner, Director of the University of Maine's Hudson Museum. The following are historical contexts for Faulkner's major surveys (those with their own record series):

Canada Road Survey, this survey began in 1993 and was carried out by Faulkner and Barry Rodrigue with support by the Maine Historic Preservation Commission and involved identifying and inventorying new archaeological sites to better understand the 19th century frontier region between Maine and Quebec.

St. George River, there were four surveys carried out here by Faulkner from 1997-2000. The focus of the 2000 survey was the English resettlement which began in earnest in 1720. As part of the 1998-1999 surveys the Richard Foxwell House was excavated by the University of Maine and the Maine Historic Preservation Commission. The House is along the St. George River ME 111-03 and was a 17th century trading house owned by Richard Foxwell, a trader from Dorchester, Massachusetts. In 2001, Faulkner carried out a survey of Fort St. George with funding support from the Maine Historic Preservation Commission. Fort St. George was the principle installation of the Popham Colony.

Witherle Woods (Castine) survey, these surveys were carried out by Faulkner for the Town of Castine from 2001-2005 with the aim of studying archaeological remains to identify the locations of the defensive features from the 17th through 19th centuries and determine whether any surface indications remained.

St. Castin Habitation survey, from 1984-1996 Faulkner and others surveyed the habitation of St. Castin on the Bagaduce River looking for locations of the settlements there from the late 17th century Acadian and Etchemin Indian village in Castine.

Fort Hill in Veazie study, from 1987-1988 Faulkner led a University of Maine field study in Veazie to investigate suspected prehistoric and historic archaeological resources on a proposed site of a wastewater treatment facility including at Fort Hill along the shore of the Penobscot River.

Fort Pentogoet in Castine survey, Faulkner led surveys of an early Acadian site from 1980-1985 to determine how much of the fort still remained. The 1982, 1983, and 1984 surveys were primarily funded by an $85,000 grant from the National Endowment of the Humanities and also smaller amounts from the Maine Historic Preservation Commission who had also supported the 1980 and 1981 surveys.

Damariscove Island survey, from 1979-1980 Faulkner surveyed the Island with financial support from the Maine Historic Preservation Commission and the Nature Conservancy. The purpose of the survey was to locate and identify historical sites and included extensive research on marine resources and the history of the Island in particular the Poole Family.

The survey on Arrowsic Island of sites used by Clark and Lake Company in the 17th century was carried out by Faulkner and students in 1981-1983. The University of Maine also housed artifacts recovered by Harold Brown of Bath Marine Museum.