Each year the Stephen K.F. and Katherine W. Lee Prize from the Goucher College Master of Arts in Historic Preservation program is awarded to one recipient. This year’s recipient is Yosemite National Park Archeologist Laura Kirn. The Lee Prize is awarded to one recipient for the best paper or project that addresses the preservation of America’s diverse heritage, including cultural and ethnic groups, life-style diversity, and the cultural imprint of other groups of American society.
Laura Kirn was awarded the Lee Prize for her documentation of the historical significance of the Wesley and Alice Wilson House, which is the last remaining building from the Indian Village in Yosemite Valley. The documentation of the historic house attests to the importance of the National Park Service’s ongoing relationship with American Indians. Laura Kirn currently works as the Branch Chief for Anthropology and Archeology in the Division of Resources Management and Science at Yosemite National Park.
