Ever wonder how archaeologists are able to discover information about the past by digging into the ground? Here is your chance to discover the secrets of archaeologist Catherine Bird at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12.

Her presentation, "Long's 1823 Expedition through Elgin, An 1840 General Land Office Plat, and a Late Prehistoric Site in Sleepy Hollow," focuses on the local natural history and archaeology right outside our door.

In 1823, while leading an expedition that passed through Dundee Township, Stephen H. Long described "mounds" that looked like collapsed earth lodges. Those mounds were later noted on a plat dating back to 1840. Archaeologists have since discovered a circa-1400 A.D. habitation site there. What was Native American life like in our backyard before Columbus?

Join this adult lecture intertwining local history and archaeology. Bird is affiliated with Midwest Archaeological Research Services, with interests and expertise in culture contact situations, archival research, and 19th-century rural economy.

The program will be at the Elgin Public Museum, 225 Grand Blvd., in Elgin's Lords Park. General admission is $5 per person or $2 per member. Seating is limited, so call (847) 741-6655 to reserve your space.