Our History

Who We Are

The North Texas Archeological Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of archeological research, the preservation of archeological materials and sites, the interpretation and publication of the data pertaining thereto, and educating the general public about archeology. We are still the same TCAS with over 60 years of experience, but we have a new face and a much larger reach.

We are based out of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan area and service Fannin, Hunt, Kaufman, Freestone, Limestone, Navarro, Ellis, Dallas, Rockwall, Collin, Grayson, Cooke, Denton, Tarrant, Johnson, Montague, Wise, Parker, Hood, Clay, Jack, Palo Pinto, Erath, Wichita, Archer, Young, Stephens, Eastland, Wilbarger, Baylor, Throckmorton, Shackelford, Callahan, Hardeman, Foard, Knox, Haskell, Jones, and Taylor counties.

Originally the Tarrant County Archeological Society (TCAS), the institution has deep roots throughout North Texas. This organization was founded in 1955 through the efforts of Robert E. Forrester and others from the Dallas Archeological Society (DAS). TCAS was committed to promoting archeology and the education of its discipline within the community.

The first monthly announcement of a TCAS meeting was in 1959 and the first newsletter with substantial articles, the Benchmark, was published in November 1975. TCAS went on to host their own archeological projects and publish their own research findings.

Over the following 60 plus years, the society grew into an active organization preserving north central Texas history, attracting many professional and avocational archeologists. In 2009, the DAS disbanded, as did many other county societies in the area over time. These members joined TCAS, further growing its community. Eventually, the society reached territories far outside of the Dallas Fort Worth Metropolitan area, and TCAS strengthened its presence as a cornerstone of cultural preservation in archeology for all of North Texas.

In November 2018, TCAS voted to change the name to North Texas Archeological Society (NTAS), since almost half the members live in the many different counties across North Texas. The first meeting was held and the first publication of a newsletter, the Benchmark, was in January 2019. In January 2020, the NTAS Executive Committee established a new Constitution and By-Laws for the organization.