Do you ever wish you had chosen archaeology as a profession?  Or maybe it's a hobby that you enjoy.  If so, you'll want to have this edition of Anthropological Papers No. 38 (2005) from the Center for Desert Archaeology entitled “Down by the River: Archaeological and Historical Studies of the Leon Farmstead" by J. Homer Thiel. 

This issue discusses a 1999 excavation that resulted in the discovery of the home of Francisco Solano Leon and Ramona Elias. They were born in the Tucson Presidio and raised a family of 12 children. The volume provides information on archaeology, Tucson’s history, and the genealogy of this pioneer family.

Homer Thiel is the Senior Project Director, Historical Archaeologist at Desert Archaeology in Tucson. During his career, he has analyzed over 500,000 artifacts and examined thousands of documents. Information gleaned from these sources has revealed the healthcare concerns, diet, ethnically linked purchasing patterns, and mortuary practices of historical residents of southern Arizona. He is vice president of the Tucson Presidio Trust and a life member of the Grand Traverse Area Genealogical Society.