College Man

"...the most important single landmark in the history of interior Alaskan archaelogy" stated archaeologist Frederick Hadleigh-West when discussing the "Campus site" located on the University of Alaska at Fairbanks.

Now marked by a Coastal Indian totem pole--much to the chagrin of most archeologists--the Campus site is one of the few sites known to be occupied by ancient man in central Alaska. Just where he came from or when is uncertain. The similarity of worked tools and points found on the Campus site to Asian artifacts suggests that he came from somewhere west of Irkutsk (Lake Baikal). He probably crossed the Berlng land bridge just before it last disappeared, perhaps 10,000 or 11,000 years ago.

Several other archaeological sites have been found in the Interior. They were inhabited by what is referred to as the Denali culture. This seems like a reasonable name, but there is a more fitting one for the scraggly-haired fellow who sat on the brow of College Hill those many years ago. His proper name should be College Man.