On Wednesday, August 26, Britt W. Wilson will give a presentation on the “desert side” of Serrano Indian history in “Serrano Indians—the desert connections” at the San Bernardino County Museum at 7:30pm. Part of the museum’s guest lectures series, this presentation is free to the public.

 

Wilson has discovered numerous Serrano sites in the desert, and has visited some sites that were recorded 20 to 30 years ago by other archaeologists. “Most of us know the Serrano as the ‘mountaineers,’ which is the Spanish translation of Serrano,” said Wilson, “but they had their beginnings in the Twentynine Palms area–a desert environment. ‘Mara’ was the world they came from, and that name is preserved today in the name ‘Oasis of Mara’ at the Joshua Tree National Park Headquarters in Twentynine Palms.” Wilson will share his photos of Serrano desert sites including villages, pictographs, petroglyphs, rock shelters and other artifacts. 

 

Britt W. Wilson is an archaeological technician who conducts surveys throughout southern California and Nevada. He has a deep interest in native cultures, particularly the Apache, Cahuilla, and Serrano people. Prior to working as an archaeological technician, he was trhe Cultural Resources Coordinator for the Morongo Band of Mission Indians. He is also a volunteer archaeological surveyor for the Bureau of Land Management. He has worked with the BLM, the USFS, Anza Borrego State Park, and others to record over 200 new sites throughout the southern California region including village sites, rock art sites, rock shelters, and milling sites.

 

Wilson has a master’s degree in Public Administration and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He is a member of the San Bernardino County Museum Association, the Society for California Archaeology, and the Coachella Valley Archaeological Society.

 

The San Bernardino County Museum is at the California Street exit from Interstate 10 in Redlands. Parking is free. For more information, visit www.sbcountymuseum.org.

 

The museum is accessible to persons with disabilities. If assistive listening devices or other auxiliary aids are needed in order to participate in museum exhibits or programs, requests should be made through Museum Visitor Services at least three business days prior to your visit. Visitor Services’ telephone number is 909-307-2669 ext. 229 or (TDD) 909-792-1462.