2025 ASM Field Session -Is Here!

2025 ASM Field Session started Friday May 23.  You can still register at the site.
If you are part of a large group, you need to let them know when you are coming and how many.  

In case of inclement weather - Simply send an email to Zachary.Singer@maryland.gov and you will receive an “Out of Office” reply with the current Field Session status for that day.

The Archaeological Society of Maryland, Inc (ASM) in cooperation with Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) will hold its 2025 Tyler Bastian Field Session at the Teagues Point archeological site (18CH1005), near Hughesville, Maryland, from May 23 - June 2, 2025

The site is a mystery.  It was only assigned a site number in September 2023 after a resident contacted MHT about a site on which he had collected artifacts decades ago.  The pottery sherds, tobacco pipes, glass bottle fragments, and other artifacts point to the seventeenth century.  MHT conducted a GPR survey of the area the resident identified.  So now we need to ground truth and see what we can learn about the site.

For more background on the site as well as more information on the field session - what to bring, and anything else you want to know about the field session, check out  2025 ASM Field Session   

On-line registration is closed but it will be possible to register on site.

Selected info about the field session--
The usual work day begins at 8:30 am (except for the first day when it is 10:30).
Things to bring include drinking water, bug spray, sun screen, hat, rain gear, work gloves, your lunch, and a folding chair for lunch time.  A What to Bring Guide and directions was mailed to registrants.

The Field Session is to introduce lay persons to archeological methods and to teach Maryland's past through hands-on involvement while making meaningful contributions to the study of Maryland archeology.  Survey, excavation, feature definition, and lab work will be taking place on site.

Other things happening

• Lunchtime Lecture (on site)
• Tuesday, May 27
  Sherds for Nerds - discussion on identifying and interpreting colonial ceramics.
  Silas Hurry
  

• Annual Spencer O. Geasey Memorial Lecture  
• Wednesday, May 28 Evening (7pm)
   Topic:     Landscape Archaeology at Maxwell Hall State Park
   Speaker: Esther Doyle Read, Charles County Archaeologist 
  
  Maxwell Hall (House) 
  17388 Teagues Point Rd, Hughesville, MD  Map
  
  
• Lunchtime Lecture (on site)
• Thursday, May 29
  Revisiting Serenity’s Surprise - an overview of recent archaeological investigations of nearby
  colonial sites.
  Aaron Levinthal
  
  
• The annual “feast”
  
  • Saturday, May 31 (4 pm)
    Maxwell Hall (Pavilion)
    17388 Teagues Point Rd, Hughesville, MD  Map
    
    Bring a camp chair and enjoy the usual “backyard BBQ” faire with your fellow volunteers and Field Session staff.  

Cost 
If you attend/pay for 3 days you can attend additional days for free (but you still need to register.)

• ASM Member              $20/day  (maximum $60)
• Non-ASM Member      $25/day  (maximum  $75)
• Student (under 18)          $5/day  (maximum $15)
         
•  2025 Field Session T-Shirt   $25 (need to pre-order)

We will have eleven days to investigate the site, and then the units will be filled in. The artifacts not washed at the field session will be washed, and all artifacts will be catalogued.  A report will be written.  The report or at least an update for the Field Session will be presented at the ASM Fall Meeting that this year is also in Charles County - October 18 at Maryland Veterans Museum.

Lodging:  Lodging Options

Directions to site (abbreviated):
From MD-5 South 

Take the MD-231 exit (Prince Frederick/Hughesville)
At first traffic circle take third exit (into next traffic circle)
At next traffic circle take first exit onto MD-231
Continue on MD-231 for 5.2 miles and turn left on Maxwell Drive
(If you see the Pautuxent River, you have gone too far.)
Go to the end of Maxwell Drive  (There should be signs.)

From MD-4 South

Turn west (at traffic light) onto MD-231
Continue on MD-231 for 7.1 miles and turn left on Maxwell Drive
(Maxwell Drive is just past Serenity Farm)
Go to the end of Maxwell Drive  (There should be signs.)

CCASM is a chapter of ASM.

Maxwell Hall and 2025 CCASM Business Meeting

CCASM held its annual meeting with a Potluck Supper on Saturday May 3 at the Pavilion in Maxwell Hall County Park (in Hughesville, but near Benedict).  As at most potlucks, there was a variety of good food. 

After we finished eating, the annual CCASM Business Meeting was held.  The Business Meeting included reports - President's Report (Carol), Vice-President's Report (Pat), Secretary's Report (copy provided by Linda), and Treasurer's Report (Elsie).   Six members were present.  There were also two guests. 

Mike Callahan

The meeting was followed by Mike Callahan talking about the history of Maxwell Hall.  CCASM members have dug STPs and units, helped with a GPR survey, and conducted some metal detecting around Maxwell Hall County Park.  But it is always good to hear more about the history and to get the perspective of those that volunteer to maintain the House and its story.  Then we walked up the hill to the House and toured it from the upstairs to the basement.   Many of us had been inside at some time, but this time we could have a more leisurely visit with lots of time to look around and also to hear about the ghosts.

Mike Callahan is the President of the Friends of Maxwell Hall.   www.friendsofmh.com/

Listening to Mike talk (in the Pavilion)

Maxwell Hall

Attendance: 9

2025 Port Tobacco Market Day

The rain held off this year and the Society for the Restoration of Port Tobacco's Sixteenth Annual Market Day could be held on May 3 in Historic Port Tobacco Village.  As on all the previous Market Days CCASM had a tent at the event.  There were local craft vendors, the garden club plant sale, a white elephant sale, and tables for various nonprofits.  And what would a market day outside a courthouse be without musicians?  Everything from banjos to the youth orchestra.  

Market Day is always a great day for sharing information (both ways) about archaeology, and lots of people stopped by our tent.

CCASM put out its display highlighting some of the history of Port Tobacco including some of the results from archaeology done around 2008 in the Historic Port Tobacco Village.  A visit to the CCASM tent would not be complete without there being some activity.  This year we had the  "What is It?" activity that highlights different type of indigenous artifacts - fire-cracked rocks, cores, flakes, and indigenous earthenware ceramics.  It's always fun to use the display and the display to talk with people. 

Checking out Display
(and being asked to pose for camera)

 

 

Since the ASM Field Session will be in Charles County this year, we made sure to tell everyone about this unique opportunity.  In case people didn't know what people do a field session, we had a display showing what to expect, and a number of people scanned the QR code.

 

Public Archaeology was occurring at the same time at the Swann Site to the southwest of the Courthouse.  We directed a number of people to the site where CCASM members Denise and Elsie were assisting Esther Doyle Read, the Charles County Archaeologist.

Thanks to Evie, Peggy, and Carol for representing CCASM at this event.