Digital Archaeology of the History of Flight and Cinema at Weedon Island

Did you know that there used to be an airport and movie studio on Weedon Island? The airport on Weedon Island connected Florida to Hollywood and enabled speculators to easily move from real estate to film production. Using historic and current images created by 3D LiDar, aerial overviews, historical film, and satellites, we will discover the fascinating stories surrounding the history of flight and cinema at Weedon Island in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

After the presentation, if weather allows, there will be a hike to the archaeological sites of the airport terminal and the hidden hanger. This hike is limited to 15 participants so advance registration is required. Please register for this hike by selecting your required number of “Hike Pass” tickets in addition to your “Presentation Pass” tickets.

This program will be presented by Richard Ott with the Florida Public Archaeology Network. The presentation portion of this program will take place inside the auditorium of the Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center. This presentation is recommended for adults and youth ages 10 and up.

Richard Ott, M.A., is a Registered Professional Archaeologist with experience in all phases of archaeological fieldwork, including expertise with near-surface geophysical surveys. Richard has experience with various site types, including prehistoric, historic domestic, military, and funerary sites. Richard has worked on projects for numerous state and federal agencies, including the US Air Force, NASA, and the National Park Service. Current research interests are Florida and southeastern precontact, historical, and African American archaeology in the context of digital public archaeology. Additionally, Richard is experienced with using ground penetrating radar, geographic information systems, and mapping equipment for archaeological study.

Pinellas County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in this class you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. Prior to ten (10) working days before the class, please submit your request to accommodations@pinellascounty.org and cc weedonisland@pinellas.gov. In your request, please be sure to include the date and title of the program you need accommodations for, indicate that the Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center is the program host, and include what specific accommodations you will need.