Mark Anderson is to present on the Philip and Anna Parrish Kirchner Log House, a historic building located north of Peterson.

The Kirchners moved from the Albany, New York area to southwest Clay County in 1867, and built this log house the same year. It is located on part of the property that his older brother A.J. "Gust" Kirchner claimed in 1856. They were among the first Caucasian settlers in the county. The Kirchners lived here until they built a two-story frame house nearby in 1882. The property remained in the family until at least the 1990s, and housed a display of family artifacts. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.

Mark Anderson is the archaeologist at the Sanford Museum. Mark worked for the Office of the State Archaeologist at the University of Iowa for over thirty years and after retiring from that position moved to Storm Lake, IA. Mark works with the Sanford museum’s gradiometer and will be available to do contract work for individuals or groups that need that technology.  He leads the Northwest Chapter of Iowa Archaeology Society meetings as well as editing the Chapter’s newsletters.

Mark Anderson

Excavations at the Kirchner Cabin summer of 2024