Reunion volunteers man the welcome tent at Gathright in August.

In 1979 and 1980, the Department of Sociology and Anthropology fielded the largest archaeological crew ever assembled in the commonwealth to undertake salvage excavations in Bath County. Before the Army Corps of Engineers could erect Gathright Dam to create Lake Moomaw, federal law mandated an archaeological study of the Jackson River Valley area, which was to be lost underwater.

Directed by archaeologists and JMU professors Clarence Geier and William P. Boyer, the multilevel learning experience also called on professors Elwood Fisher and Norlyn Bodkin from biology and Cullen Sherwood in geology. While the population varied, as many as 70 people lived together in camp at one time, excavating both prehistoric and historic sites. Geier, sociology professor and photographer Greg Versen, and more than half the original crews returned to renew friendships and revive memories Aug. 4-6.

Tent-city 2000, however, proved a bit more upscale than the original -- including state-of-the-art port-a-johns with real sinks and running water. However, Cindy Schroer, recently named Staunton City School Teacher of the Year, actually erected her original tent from 20 summers ago, canvas intact. So did Dee Dee Desarmeaux, now with the Thunderbird Archaeological Association in Woodstock. And most alumni brought albums to share -- some photos revealing more than anticipated. Teens Meredith and Alex Coffey discovered shots of their dad, Marshall, that evoked red-faced laughing explanations.

The tanned, toned bodies and long hair of 20 years ago may have altered a bit, but the "incredible people with so much energy and so excited about life every day" that Ron Meliment of Philadelphia recalls still exhibited those qualities. Ron also remembers their appetites. He and a helper prepared meals daily during the original dig. "A hot breakfast and dinner and field lunch for 80 people working all day, nine to 10 hours," he recalls.

"I'd never cooked before -- was in hotel-restaurant management, not planning to be a chef. It was a learning experience. I'd get up at four in the morning, crack 125 to 250 eggs -- never sure if that would be enough. So I'd throw in potatoes, rice or leftovers from the night before for filler. A hodgepodge started the day -- the greasier the better. In huge skillets, I'd stir 25 to 30 eggs at a time, turn them into the warmer and start again. We'd cook bacon and always had a lot of fruit, juices and coffee. I don't know how I did it. My helper W.E. Wills, now in West Point, Va., couldn't get up that early, so I'd do breakfast, then he'd clean up while I went back to sleep."

The reunion dinner Saturday night proved as upscale as the reunion members' current vehicles and tents. Catered food delivered by two of professor Carole Nash's present students satisfied the still hearty appetites spanning several generations in the families gathered. Nash, the force behind the reunion, credited Sandii Huemann-Kelly's Web page as the great drawing card for such a positive response. Sandii traveled from Iowa with her husband and teen-aged son and also produced a video of memorable footage from the original digs, which was shown at dinner.

Nash emphasized, "The Gathright project was a life-changing experience for many of us, as evidenced by how many went on to receive advanced degrees in archaeology and geology and for those of us who are still working in those fields."

She added, "The Gathright summer field work, in addition to being a seminal experience for us as individuals, was also a major contribution to Virginia archaeology and history. The Gathright research and findings resulted in the publication of a least a dozen faculty/student co-authored scientific reports."

A stack 4-feet high of final reports (garnered from research in both 1979 and 1980) lines the archives at JMU. And Geier says, "What pleased me most was that when the Gathright project was finished, we were able to discuss initial human settlement that has stood the test of time. Twenty years later, our findings are still generally valid for the history and prehistory of the area."

Story by Nancy Bondurant Jones