The conference will be held in conjunction with the Eastern Historical Geography Association (EHGA) meeting, at the downtown Sheraton Hotel on the banks of the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge. The hosts for this event will be Professors Craig E. Colten and Jay D. Edwards of the Department of Geography & Anthropology at Louisiana State University.

The theme for the 2005 conference is: “Changing Landscapes of the Lower Mississippi River Valley.” There will be two field trips. Anthropologist Jay Edwards will lead one that will focus on French and Arcadian vernacular architecture, and geographer Craig Colten will lead the other one that will focus on human transformation of the environment of the lower Mississippi River.

The conference committee is currently soliciting proposals for papers, special sessions, and panel discussions relating to the conference theme. However, papers on all material culture topics of interest to the Society are welcome. The abstract deadline will be: Monday, August 15, 2005.