Landscape Archaeology at Maxwell Hall State Park

Esther Read

At the April 17 CCASM meeting Esther Doyle Read shared some research funded by a Southern Maryland National Heritage Grant given to the Friends of Maxwell Hall in 2023.  The first half of the grant was to do archival and landscape research.  

Esther started with talking about the various owners of the land around Maxwell Hall as well as of the land in the Maxwell Hall Equestrian Park.  She next shared how she used land forms to divide the land to fifteen areas and assigned each area a number to indicate how likely that the area would have been occupied by people in the past.  CCASM members along with others volunteered to walk and to survey these various areas.  Finally she indicated what was found in each area and expanded on what might have been going on at one of the sites recently identified.

Divisions

Overview of land and people involved

 
Esther Doyle Read is the Charles County Archaeologist (Charles County Planning and Growth) and and Adjunct Lecturer at UMBC.

Catching up before the meeting  (lots of smiles)

Thanks to Jim for using his account to set up a Zoom meeting and to Peggy for bringing the hot spot.

Attendance: 11

Note: CCASM members volunteered (in fields and in lab) 211 hrs in 2022 (pre-grant?), 103 hrs in 2023 and 270 hrs in 2024 at Maxwell Hall and Maxwell Hall Equestrian Park.

2025 Discovering Archaeology Day

Saturday April 12 CCASM was at Discovering Archaeology Day at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum in St. Leonard, Maryland.  Archaeologists from across Maryland had tables at the event.  CCASM was one of two ASM chapters at the event.  Since the MAC Lab expansion is still under construction, the event was once again held at the Pavilion next to the Visitor Center. 

CCASM had its HITS display and the Archaeologist Dig for Clues" activity where people could discover what can be learned from trash, especially if you also know the location where it was recovered.  We also had the "What Is It?  (Woodland)" activity.  Of course, we promoted the ASM Field Session that will be in Charles County this year, and a number of people scanned the QR code for the Field Session Registration.

CCASM Display and Activities

What is it?

There were twelve tables/activities relating to archeology.  People also had the opportunity to see the MAC Lab Collections/FAQ Exhibit in the Visitor Center.  It was a really cold, overcast day.  So those that came to the event seemed to be really interested, and there were a number of things for them to see and to do.  Some of the tables had variations on activities we often see while others were a little different.  This Bingo card for the event will give some idea.

One activity on the card that we found particularly interesting was the table that was testing out a new flow chart for being able to distinguish buckles for people from buckles for horses.  

Did I mention it was really cold for a spring day?  So a special thanks to Elsie and Carol, who represented CCASM at the event.  It's always a great event to learn more about archaeology, to get ideas, and to interact with others.  

April is Declared Charles County Archaeology Month (2025)

Once again the Charles County Commissioners proclaimed the month of April as Archaeology Month in Charles County.  This coincides with April being Maryland Archaeology Month.  Carol and Nedr epresented CCASM at the presentation April 9 at the Charles County Government Building.

The proclamation sites the rich history and heritage of Charles County, exemplified by historic buildings, cultural landmarks, natural features, and local rituals.  It also recognizes that the county is enhanced by historic preservation associations, groups, and professionals who donate countless hours and dollars to preserve that history.  It also specifically mentions Charles County Archaeological Society of Maryland, Inc, Maryland Archeological Society, Inc., and the Maryland Historical Trust.

CCASM gave the each of the Commissioners a copy of this year's Maryland Archaeology Month mini-poster and booklet.  This year's theme was "African Diaspora Archeology: A Collaboration with Descendants".    We also mentioned the two upcoming ASM events that will be in Charles County this year - the AnnualASM Field Session and the ASM Annual Fall Meeting.

CCASM thanks the Commissioners for recognizing the importance of archaeology in Charles County.  

2025 ASM Spring Symposium

Saturday April 5th the Archeological Society of Maryland held its 60th Annual Spring Symposium at the Maryland Historical Trust in Crownsville, MD.  

The talks at the Symposium included 

•  The Richard E. Stearns Memorial Lecture
  Overview of Barton Site (18AG3) Excavations and Updates on the Early Archaic and Clovis Occupations
  Robert Wall, Towson University
  
  
• PaleoDigger and Geoarchaeological Investigations of the Deeply Buried Clovis Occupation at the Barton Site (18AG3), Allegany County, MD
  Zachary Singer, Maryland Historical Trust
    
  
• Catholics, Converts, and Commerce: Seventeenth-Century Jesuit Missionaries at Potopaco I
  (18CH112)
  Garrett Ternent, American University and St Mary's College of Maryland
  
  
• The Iris McGillivray Memorial Lecture
  
  Archeological Society of Maryland Spring Symposium Talk 2025
  

  (Experiences as ASM's Native American liaison;  Results of experimental archaeology on Late Woodland Native American Pottery)
  
   Lynne Bulhack
  
  
•  ASM Student Spotlight
  Insights from the Lithics Recovered from the Potopaco I (18CH112) Site
  Daniel Fellman, St Mary's College of Maryland

 2025 program/agenda
 

CCASM  members Ned, Elsie, Carol, Peggy, and Jim (not pictured) attended.