Umbagog - Headwaters of the Androscoggin River

Shallow Water; Deep History: Archaeological Investigations in the Umbagog Lake Region.

Nathan Scholl, M.A., RPA, Geoarchaeologist.

Umbagog Lake is located on the border of New Hampshire and Maine in a remote region of both states. This lake is the headwaters of the Androscoggin River and was the historical intersection of at least four indigenous trails. Investigations between 2019 and 2022 of the archaeological records around the region of this lake will be discussed, from Pre-Contact to Post-Contact periods with insights into the environmental history of the lake as well.

Nathan Scholl has more than 22 years of experience in archaeology and cultural resource management, including over 15 years as a practicing geoarchaeologist. Mr. Scholl’s geographical expertise is focused on the Northeast, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest of the United States, in addition to the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf. As a geoarchaeologist, he applies techniques of soil and geomorphological analysis, as well as basic geophysical techniques, to archaeological sites for predictive and interpretive purposes. Born and raised in Maine, his family has deep roots in New England, with ancestry tracing back to some of the first European settlers, and he is fascinated by the cultural and environmental history of the region. He currently works as a technical reviewer for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.