Phoenix historic preservation: Volunteers protect 1,000 archaeological sites

Volunteers celebrate 40 years of protecting historic places in Phoenix

The Arizona Site Stewards program celebrates 40 years of deploying trained volunteers to protect historic locations. FOX 10's Steve Nielsen learns more about the S'edav Va'aki Museum that served as the building blocks for Phoenix.  

PHOENIX - There is a lot of history to preserve in Arizona, but this year also marks a key milestone for a group of volunteers who are truly passionate about saving our past for our future. 

Local perspective:

The S'edav Va'aki Museum in Phoenix is all about preserving the past.

"It was three stories high, about a football field large. We also have canal segments preserved here," said Nicole Armstrong, Executive Director of the museum.

That canal system was the historic building blocks that started the Valley, but it is not just here where history thrives.

"We have over 1,0000 archaeological sites here in Phoenix and that's made up of prehistoric sites as well as historic sites," said Chris Schwartz, city of Phoenix archaeologist.

Big picture view:

During Historic Preservation Month, Chris Schwartz talks about his role as the city of Phoenix archaeologist, which is constantly developing and expanding.

"It's our job here to take a look at the development plans for projects proposed and weigh in on an appropriate form of archeological mitigation might be," Schwartz said.

But preservation takes an army. This is the 40th anniversary of the Arizona Site Stewards program, a trained group of volunteers that go to all the state's historic sites and make sure they're still preserved.

"We do not have resources to have eyes on our land and across the state. These are nonrenewable, cultural resources to understand the history of this place and our impact on this place, and in the future, and if we do not have those places to see, refer to and enjoy, then we lose that history," Armstrong said.

Dig deeper:

Sometimes it's erosion from Mother Nature. Sometimes, it's carelessness.

"When they come across vandalism and looking, they are all set to deploy and require quite a bit of training to get them there," said Kathryn Leonard, State Historic Preservation Officer.

People are working together out of the goodness of their heart to save what made this place our home.

"The more we can enlist people, the public to help Arizonans in this program, the better they will be and preserved these archeological sites will be," Schwartz said.

It has been 40 years of protecting history.

"We can rest easy knowing these sites are protected by volunteers," Schwartz said.