MiraCosta College Geology Instructor to Speak at San Diego Archaeological Center

Dr. Keith Meldahl, instructor of geology and oceanography at MiraCosta College will present a lecture to the San Diego Archaeological Center as part of their October Second Saturday Lecture Series. Entitled “Hard Road West: History and Geology Along the Gold Rush Trail,” the event is scheduled for Saturday, October 11, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Escondido Center, located at 16666 San Pasqual Valley Road.

In one of the greatest adventures in American history, overland emigrants during the gold rush of 1849 crossed 2,000 miles of arid, rocky wilderness to reach California. Meldahl will take the audience on a tour of the historic California Trail, sharing the experiences of the emigrants (as recorded in their diaries) and exploring how geologic processes shaped the dramatic landscapes of the American West. 

Dr. Meldahl earned his graduate degrees from University of Arizona Department of Geosciences. He taught for seven years at Oberlin College in Ohio before coming to MiraCosta College, where he has taught for 10 years.  Having always been an amateur history buff, Dr. Meldahl took sabbatical during the 2004-2005 academic year, and followed the 2,000-mile overland route of the historic California Trail—the route used by the forty-niners during the California gold rush. He recently completed a book with the same title as the lecture, which will be available for purchase at the end of his lecture.

The San Diego Archaeological Center was created in 1993. Its mission is “to preserve archaeological collections and promote their educational, scientific and cultural use to benefit a diverse public.” 

This lecture is free for center members; suggested donation for non-members is $5. For more information on this lecture contact Annemarie Cox via e-mail at acox@sandiegoarchaeology.org or by phone: (760) 291-0370.