Investigating Sites with Charles County Archaeologist

When a historic property in Charles County is to be modified or demolished, the Charles County Historic Preservation Commission reviews the plans.  Esther Read, Charles County Archaeologist, who is also on the commission, checks out if any additional archaeological information is needed.  When there is some archaeological interest in  the property, but there is no legal requirement for the owner to have archaeology done, Esther reaches out to the volunteers at Monday's Lab (most of whom are also CCASM members)  to help with digging a small number of STPs.   

Site near Marshall Hall
A historic circa 1900's house on the Potomac was to be demolished, and there had been no photographs of the house.  Esther along with Cal Carpenter from Charles County Planning did drawings and photographs of the interior of the house documenting the various additions.  Esther also wanted to verify there was no evidence of an earlier site and to investigate if this was one of the fields where William Graham had collected artifacts.  So we were at the site digging STPS before the house was demolished.

Friday September 19 Denise volunteered with Esther and Tim to finish the STPS on the west side before the house was to be demolished next week.  One of the two paved brick areas had revealed a wall.  Using a tile probe it was determined that the brick pad was a 6 by 8 foot square, with the wall running through the middle of it on the short axis. 
Thanks to Esther for the info.

On Monday September 15 Elsie, Denise, Linda, Carol, Ned, and Malinda dug around twelve STPs (I forgot to count) on the north and west sides of the house.  Artifacts included a few nails (some wire and some machine made) as well as staples, an American stoneware vessel base, a blue and white decorated earthenware fragment, a few flakes, and a point reject.  We also found two buried paving brick areas.

On Monday September 8 Linda, Denise, and Ned dug 10 STPS to the south of the house and one STP to the east for a total of eleven STPs.  There was a nice breeze when we were south of the house. but none of the east of the house (so a little hot).  The soil was sandy loam and was really easy to screen.  
 (Thanks to Ned for the September 8 info and photos.)