Archaeology of Aviation in the United States Southwest

The history of aviation has been deeply significant to the history of the United States. Aviation itself represents a significant theme in our history, while also playing a key role in other significant themes, from communication and commerce to World War II and space exploration. This article examines the archaeological record around aviation, with a focus on the United States Southwest. I address historic background, types of historic aviation properties archaeologists might encounter, guidelines for evaluating these properties for the National Register of Historic Places, and future directions.