The field of industrial archeology (IA) is now about 70 years old and has passed through stages of life, from an exuberant youth filled with discovery – the period when the Charles River Museum of Industry was founded – to its sedate present. Interest in the field seems to be waning, judging from declining membership in IA groups, and even the name of the field confuses people. Those of us who would like to see the field survive and flourish wonder how it can be re-energized, in what direction should it go?

This presentation explains what industrial archeology is. It traces the history of the field, from its beginnings in England in the 1950s and the founding of the U.S. Society for Industrial Archeology in 1971, to the present, and describes some of its contributions, like the early surveys of historic textile mills. It covers its connections to allied history and practice fields, like history of technology and historic preservation. Sara Wermiel concludes by presenting her ideas for what the field might focus on, to have a purpose that can sustain it.