Historical Archaeology, 2003, 37(3):93–110. Permission to reprint required. 4HE฀(ECTOR฀"ACKBONE฀฀!฀ 1UIESCENT฀,ANDSCAPE฀OF฀#ONmICT ABSTRACT The Hector Backbone, a ridge running north-south between New York’s Seneca and Cayuga Lakes, appears at first glance to be a peaceful stretch of woodland and pasture protected as part of the Finger Lakes National Forest. Upon closer inspection, the Backbone can be seen as a microcosm of American conflict. The area was settled only after the indigenous Iroquoian people were violently removed. This ethnic cleansing was followed by the imposition of an orderly grid. The landscape was carved into farmsteads that, following a brief period of prosperity, fell victim to conflict inherent in the capitalist system. Unable to compete with factory farming techniques and the increased commodification of agrarian products, local producers fell into ruin. This paper analyzes how these conflicts can be read in this seemingly pastoral landscape. When driving along New York State Highway 79 between Ithaca and Watkins Glen, passing through the southern tier of the bucolic Finger Lakes region, the beauty of the rural landscape is evident. The highway passes a number of artfully renovated 19th-century houses, peacefully nestled in the hollows and on ridges character- istic of the undulating landscape of the region. Passing through the tired village of Mecklenburg and approaching Watkins Glen, then crossing over a landform known as Buck Hill, a long, beautiful north-south ridge known as the Hector Backbone comes into view. After a right turn onto Mark Smith Road and merging onto Burnt Hill Road, a side trip into the 16,000-acre Finger Lakes National Forest will eventually reveal a humble, wooden kiosk marking the location of the Sylvester Dunham homesite abandoned since the 1930s. An inquiring visitor might step out and gaze into the massive stone-lined cellar and (curious about the inhabitants of this now-remote spot) hike along the dirt and gravel track known as Burnt Hill Road. Stands of centuries-old maples line the sides of the road, and perhaps the presence of a few archaeologists excavat- ing around other abandoned homesites could be noticed. With piqued curiosity, a visit to the Hector District Ranger Station might be in order. Following the roads through the National Forest to the Ranger Station, the regularity of the dirt roads is immediately noticeable. Every mile, there is a four-corner intersection; the roads run perfectly north-south and east-west along cardinal directions. Every now and then the forest opens into pasture–revealing the outlines of abandoned houses and the presence of long- neglected family cemeteries in these open fields. The roads are named after families no longer in residence: Shannon Corners Road, Terybery Road, Kenyon Road. Upon reaching the Finger Lakes National Forest headquarters, the staff at the Ranger Station can explain that this was once a farming district in which more than 100 families once lived and worked. How and why did these farmsteads rise and fall? Why did people try to farm on the steep slopes of the Hector Backbone and how did they fail? What might become evident is that this now beautifully forested area has in the past been a landscape of conflict (Figures 1 and 2).