Museum Curators
Ed Charles, Curator of Geology
Jeff Erikson, Curator of Aquatic Entomology
Gary Emberger, Curator of Mycology
David Foster, Curator of Botany
David Pettegrew, Curator of Archeology
Erik Lindquist, Curator of Herpetology and Curator of Ornithology
Current Research
Archaeology
- Stouffer Farm Excavation
The Stouffer Farm is located in Franklin Township, Pennsylvania, 7 miles south of Dillsburg, between Route 15 and Route 194. The farm was founded in 1767 by Abraham Stouffer and has subsequently gone through phases of modification and additions. Since 2010, Messiah College Department of History and the Oakes Museum of Natural History have been researching the history of the property and the Stouffer family through archaeological fieldwork, archival research, history courses, and educational programs like the Curator Club of the Oakes Museum. We thank Ms. Diane Phillips, owner of the farm, for collaborating with us in this endeavor, as well as all the many students and children who have spent some time at the Big Dig.
Mycology
- Fungi Growing On Wood
This website is devoted to the identification and appreciation of fungi growing on wood in northeastern North America. Because such fungi are important for many reasons, the information in this website will prove useful to many people. The site uses identification keys, photographs, and descriptions to identify fungi associated with living trees, dead trees, and woody debris. Preference is given to common species that can be confidently identified using features visible to the unaided eye or with a 10x loupe. Many of the described characteristics are illustrated with photographs. When available, links are provided to other online resources.