JANUARY 6, 2016
Foothills Community Center - MindQuest Speakers Series presents guest speaker Erik Berg January 19
The MindQuest Lecture Series of the Foothills Community Foundation is pleased to announce Erik Berg as a speaker, during its 27th season, presenting the Lindbergh’s 1929 Aerial SW Survey. Erik Berg is an award winning historian and special interest writer of the early 20th Century Southwest. He has a special interest in the impact of science and technology. Erik was born in Flagstaff and currently lives in the Phoenix area today. His research on world renowned aviator Charles Lindbergh and his wife Anne is extraordinary.
When we think of Charles Lindbergh, we often associate him with the Spirit of St. Louis and flying across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927 as an aviator and world celebrity. Not everyone is aware of Charles and Anne Lindbergh’s involvement with archaeology in 1929. The Lindberghs joined highly regarded and renowned southwest archaeologist Alfred Kidder on an aerial photographic survey of significant southwestern prehistoric sites. This unprecedented adventure from an open air cockpit biplane was the first major use of aviation in archaeology and included the sites and geologic features around Chaco Canyon, the Grand Canyon, Canyon de Chelly, and elements throughout the general four corners area. The Lindberghs’ 1929 Southwest Aerial Survey features some of Lindbergh’s historic photographs and describes this pioneering collaboration of aviation and archaeology. The Lindberghs Arizona adventure ties prehistoric and Stone Age relics to the history of aviation leading to the Space Age evolving later in the century. Erik’s insight into the Lindbergh’s personal life enhances the overall perspective of his presentation.
Erik attended the University of Arizona with a minor in Anthropology and accomplished field work at both the Marana platform mound (Hohokam) under Paul Fish and at Tubac Presidio (Spanish Colonial) under Jack Williams. He contributed to several books and his work appeared in the Journal of Arizona History, Arizona Highways, and Sedona Magazine. He is also a past president of the Grand Canyon Historical Society. Erik is an Intel Corporation software engineer appreciating the technical trends and challenges of yesterday impacting our science and technology of today.
The Foothills Community Foundation, 34250 North 60th Street, Building B, Scottsdale, AZ 85266 is a 501C community supported foundation. Contact information for FCF MindQuest Speakers Series are 480-488-1090, [email protected], and www.azfcf.org. They are located near the YMCA and Black Mountain Campus area of Paradise Valley Community College just two stoplights east of the Carefree Highway and Cave Creek Road intersection. MindQuest single event adult tickets are $20.00 and students $5.00. There are complimentary light refreshments. Enjoy MindQuest Speakers celebrating its 27th season.
