This year’s Iowa Archeological Society annual spring meeting will take place in Fort Dodge at the Matt Cosgrove River’s Edge Discovery Center on April 18, 2026 from 8am-2pm.
Registration
You do not have to be an IAS member to register for the meeting, but we encourage you to join.
- Online: Pay in advance here or click SHOP NOW below. Choose the number of registrations and click ADD TO CART. Then VIEW CART. Add the names of the registrants to the ADDITIONAL INFORMATION field at the bottom of the page. Note: there are some mandatory membership information fields at checkout; these allow us to keep up to date with paper and electronic mailings. They apply to membership sales and renewals, but they unfortunately cannot be turned off for a registration sale.
- By mail: Watch for a mailer, coming soon.
- In person: Register Saturday morning of the conference. Cash, check accepted.
2026 Spring Meeting Registration
A one-time registration fee of $10 for the IAS Spring Meeting
Weekend Details
Meeting: Saturday, April 18, 2026; registration opens at 8:00 am
Place: Matt Cosgrove River’s Edge Discovery Center, 20 North 1st St., Fort Dodge, IA
Cost: $10 per person. Register in advance online or via mail or pay via cash/check at the door.
Saturday Lunch: On your own. See area restaurants below.
Nearby Hotels: See area hotels below.
Field Trip: Following the meeting, members are invited to join a walking tour of Fort Dodge Archaeology led by OSA Archaeologist Bill Whittaker. Be sure to bring along appropriate seasonal apparel and comfortable footwear for short walks.
Agenda
| 8:00-9:00 am | On-site registration and refreshments |
| 9:00-9:15 am | Call to order |
| 9:15-10:15 am | Presentations |
| 10:15-10:30 am | Break |
| 10:30-11:30 am | Business Meeting |
| 11:30-noon | Keyes-Orrs Award presentation |
| noon-1:00 pm | Lunch (on your own; packed lunch encouraged) |
| 1:00-2:00 pm | Presentations |
| 2:00 pm | Adjourn and clean up |
| 2:00-5:00 pm | Field trip (weather permitting) |
Presentations
| Presenter(s) | Title |
|---|---|
| Mark Anderson and Deann Haden | Barnology 101®: Homesteading to Farmsteading |
| Eleisha Barnett | CSI Leiser’s Supper Club: From Family Destination to Criminal Hot Spot |
| Bill Green | This is the Route of My Forefathers: The 1837 Iowa Map (virtual) |
| Elizabeth Reetz | Preliminary Results of the IAS Membership Needs Analysis |
| Sandy Stevens | Geophysical Investigations of the Blacksmith Shop at the Historic Fairport Fishery Station (13MC219) Muscatine County, Iowa |
| Richard Miller | An Update on the Analysis of the Paul Rowe Collection |
Business Meeting
- Call to Order
- Reading and Approval of Minutes from the Fall meeting (no minutes)
- Treasurer’s Report (Alan H.)
- Election of Officers & Directors
- For two-year terms extending from 2026 to 2028
- President
- Vice President
- For three-year terms extending from 2026 to 2029
- Membership Secretary/Treasurer (Mike Betsinger volunteers a term)
- Secretary
- Journal Editor
- Digital/Newsletter Editor
- Director 1 (Steve DeVore, volunteers a 2nd term)
- Director 2
- Director 3
5. Bylaws Committee report and vote
6. Grants Committee report (Alan)
7. Old business: Reports of Phishing targeting IAS members continues to be a problem; IAS Board Member’s Briefing Manual update
8. Keyes-Orr Award (Kelly S.)
9. New business: Insurance coverage; Digital Newsletter transition and organizational needs analysis
Current Board Positions
*Terms expiring Spring 2026
Executive Board (7)
- *President, Dan Higginbottom, 2024-2026
- *Vice President, Kelly Schott, 2024-2026
- *Treasurer/Membership Secretary, Alan Hawkins, 2023-2026
- *Secretary, Dottie Kelley, 2023-2026
- *Journal Editor, Angela Collins, 2023-2026
- *Newsletter Editor, Lowell Blikre, 2023-2026 (Not to be renewed in 2026)
- *Digital Editor, Elizabeth Reetz, 2023-2026
Directors (12)
- *Jerry Baker, 2023-2026
- *Dale Clark, 2023-2026
- *Brennan Dolan, 2023-2026
- *Steve DeVore, 2023-2026
- Eleisha Barnett, 2024-2027
- Gale Barels, 2024-2027
- Don Raker, 2024-2027
- Keith Young, 2024-2027
- Cherie Haury-Artz, 2025-2028
- Mark Mertes, 2025-2028
- Gina Jorgenson, 2025-2028
- Lara Noldner, 2025-2028
Ex Officio
- John Doershuk, State Archaeologist
- Branden Scott, SHPO
Restaurants and Accommodations
Lunch during the meeting is on your own and the park provides the perfect setting for dining al fresco. Members are encouraged to bring along a packed lunch since there are no restaurants or food vendors in the immediate vicinity.
Fort Dodge Dining
- Mineral City Mill & Grill: 2621 5th Ave S.
- Casablanca Steak House: 140 S. 25th St.
- Gaga & Hoo Korean Restaurant: 368 Country Club Road
- Rides Bar and Grill: 723 S 31st St.
- Sneakers Eatery & Pub: 1317 Central Ave.
- Subway: 2323 5th Ave S.
- ShinyTop Brewing: 520 Central Ave.
Fort Dodge Hotels
- Baymont by Wyndham-Fort Dodge: 2938 5th Ave. S; (515)*******00
- Best Western Harmony Inn: 3259 5th Ave. S; (515)*******59
- Days Inn by Wyndham: 3040 5th Ave S., (515)*******27
- Crossroad Hotel & Event Center: 1518 3rd Ave NW; (515)*******77
- Sleep Inn Suites: 110 Leah Ln.; (515)*******93
- AmericInn by Wyndham: 100 Kenyon Road W; (515)*******00
- Budget Travelers Inn: 300 1st Ave S; (515)*******91
Local Places of Interest
- Fort Museum and Frontier Village; 1 Museum Road, (515)*******31
- Open for weekend tours beginning April 2nd
- Blanden Art Museum; 920 3rd Avenue South, (515)*******16
- Hours: Wed-Sat: 12:00-5:00pm
- Oleson Park Music Pavilion/Karl King Bandshell; 1400 Oleson Park Ave.
- Built in 1938; Listed in the National Register of Historic Places 2003
- Fort Dodge Grain Silo Mural; 727 Hawkeye Ave
- Publicly accessible art exhibit