CCASM Trip To Smithsonian Environmental Reseach Center

The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) in Edgewater, MD, has multiple archaeological sites on the property - some investigated in the past, some currently being investigated and some waiting to be investigated.  Of SERC's  twenty-four research labs, one is dedicated to Archaeology. 

Jim Gibb who is a Smithsonian Research Associate and in charge of the SERC Archaeology Lab (SEAL) volunteered to give CCASM members a tour of SERC that highlighted the archaeology.  So we put together a trip.  On Tuesday June 6, a beautiful day, eleven CCASM members (Mary, Peggy, Linda, Pat, Carol, Denise, Elsie, Doug, Gary, Joe, and Ned) traveled to SERC.  Actually twelve members were on the tour since Jim is also a member.

All of us in front of Woodlawn

We met Jim at the new Woodlawn History Center.  At one time this housed the archaeology lab.   Jim and volunteers (Citizen Scientists) worked during the pandemic to help create the exhibits that are in the Center today.  Really interesting.  First, there was the history of the house with parts dating to 1735,  1841, or 1970.  Inside were all these displays, many with artifacts recovered from SERC, as well as stories related to the enslaved and free people who had occupied this property.  And we got to up to the second story and into the basement where we saw the "bones" of the building.  Outside Jim pointed out the terraces leading toward the Rhode River and the eroded landscape.

Viewing displays at Entrance
(previous location of archaeology lab)

Looking at 18th Century artifacts
recovered from the property

Jim had arranged to use a Smithsonian van to carry us to the other sites.  The first site was the Java Site that had much of the brickwork still standing, even after a hurricane.  Java dates to the early eighteenth century.  Jim also pointed out where the earlier seventeenth century Sparrow's Rest had been.  (There is no overall picture of Java since the brickwork in those photos took on a moire-like design.)

Learning about the Java Site

In front of one of the Java Chimneys

After viewing Java we piled into the van again and road on a dirt road over the hill toward the Rhode River to view the site of a slave dwelling that SEAL is currently working on.  Then we went back up the hill and traveled on the main road down to the Reed Education Center on the river.  Investigations before the center was built uncovered several shell middens.  We viewed the native fishes and a really pretty Diamondback Terrapin in the Center and then walked down to the dock to enjoy the breeze.  We decided to eat our lunch overlooking the water. 

After lunch we piled back into the van for a trip to the Charles McC. Mathias Laboratory in the Main Campus.  The archaeology lab that had originally been in the Sellman House has been here in the basement for a number of years.  Jim showed us around the lab and talked about the projects that the Citizen Scientists are doing on Wednesdays.  We also got to see some of the iron artifacts from Port Tobacco North that are being processed there.

James Gibb

Iron artifacts (in process)

Checking out the lab

Jim, thanks so much for providing such an informative and interesting tour of the site.  We all really enjoyed it.

Also thanks to Doug, Gary, Joe, and Ned for driving.  And thanks to Pat and Ned for providing additional photos.

In the Field at George Washington Birthplace National Monument

Dr. Julie King has a grant for  investigating a mid-17th century site at the George Washington Birthplace National Monument on Pope's Creek in Virginia.  The site is in danger of loss through erosion.  Dr. King invited CCASM to come and volunteer in the field.   Initially it was just for a half day, but later she indicted her crew were clamoring for us to return.  (Maybe they weren't exactly clamoring, but they did seem to enjoy working with us as we did with them.)

Wednesday October 19 CCASM members Mary, Elsie, Pat, and Carol once again carpooled to George Washington Birthplace National Monument for an opportunity to be in the field for part of a day (9am-2:30pm).  Ned arrived earlier at 7.  We came prepared for a chilly day (56 degree high).  The sun was out, the air was crisp, and it was a great day.  After Ned, Pat, and Carol helped Garrett complete a test unit, everyone worked on a new unit.  The plowzone in this unit contained lots of interesting artifacts in addition to shells (of course).  We found several Pope's Creek pottery sherds including one thick piece that would have been near the base of a large vessel.  There was also early Colonial ceramics, a couple of machine cut nails, fire cracked rocks, various unidentified Native American pottery sherds, ...  Really a nice day.

Tuesday October 18 Ned again volunteered on the site for the whole day.  The weather had turned colder and there were 10-15 mph wind gusts as well a sustained wind coming off the Potomac.  Since the weather kept changing, it was good to wear lots of layers.  Today we found mostly shell, a few nails, possible fire-cracked rocks, flakes, a scraper, two pieces of lead shot, and a fair amount of ceramics.  Two park service men came by at lunchtime doing GPS measurements of the shoreline to document current and future erosion.  Here is Julie's crew (Megan, Travis, Caitlin, Garrett, Aidin)

Thanks to Ned for the photo.

Friday October 14 Ned again volunteered on the site for half a day.  Due to heavy Friday afternoon traffic on the Nice-Middleton Bridge (the old one), the crew only works half a day on Fridays.   

Wednesday October 12 Ned traveled to the site arriving at 6:45 (too early for the rest of us).  The STPs were long finished, and the crew had already started laying out units.  Megan laid out two new test units first thing.  Aidin and Ned were able to complete the unit farthest down the peninsula.  That unit had some shell, a few possible ceramics, three nails, and a very small fragment of pipe initialed WE which was either William Evans of Bristol (1660-1682) or William Evans II (1667-1682). The pipe fragment was their artifact of the day.  Garrett finished up the sidewalls of a unit they were calling the Devil Unit. They had several of these hard-subsoil units that took too long to complete.   Travis spent the day documenting the 4-unit combo where they detected a feature or two that might be indigenous. Also Ned was able to cross the new Nice-Middleton Bridge on the way home.

Wednesday September 21 CCASM members Mary, Elsie, Pat, Ned, and Carol carpooled to George Washington Birthplace National Monument on Pope's Creek in Virginia for an opportunity to be in the field for part of a day (9am-2:30pm).  The weather was perfect, and we even got to wear our new CCASM t-shirts. 

We worked with Julie's crew--Megan, Travis, Garrett, Aidin, and  Caitlin for 5.5 hours sifting dirt from four different test units  We recovered both Native American artifacts such as pottery sherds and pipe fragments as well as historic artifacts including colonial ceramics and nails.  

 

If you think the screens look somewhat tilted, they weren't on level ground.  
Also here's the rest of Julie's Crew.

Afterwards we listened to a video at the Visitor's Center and walked around the grounds looking at the various buildings.  Overall a really nice day.

Many thanks to Mary for driving.

CCASM Trip with Dr. Julia King

What better way to spend a beautiful spring day than to take a trip with Dr. Julia King.  On Saturday April 30, 2022 CCASM members Elsie, Mary, Pat, and Carol accompanied Julia King on a trip to three sites in the Northern Neck of Virginia.  Julie and her crew had done archaeological excavations at two of the sites - Leedstown and Fones Cliff.  Julie shared what the excavations had told about the sites while also telling some of the history.  Both sites are on the Rappahannock River, but Leedstown where you can launch a small boat has been occupied for over a thousand years, while at Fones Cliff fewer diagnostic American Indian artifacts were found.  The Rappahannock Tribe was there way before John Smith mapped the river. Artifacts indicating early colonial occupations were also found at both sites with a town and a church being at Leedstown.  All this as we walked the land. 

Mary, Elsie, Pat, and Julie
on the Leedstown shore

Brick floor with herringbone pattern
along with other eroding handmade bricks

Looking out over the Rappahannock from Fones Cliffs

After a really nice lunch at the Prince Street Cafe in Tappahannock, VA, we traveled to Menokin National Historic Landmark.  This site includes a small museum., a Remembrance Structure, and the ruins of Menokin-the home of Francis Lighthouse Lee, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.  The house is being restored in a unique manner.  Have you heard of the Glass House Project ?  Well, that is Menokin.  Parts of the missing exterior of the original will be replaced with architectural glass. Also inside the structure, glass will provide a catwalk and a transparent floor.  They have a way to go, but it is an interesting site.

Sam McKelvey answering our questions
about Menokin  (Carol, Elsie, Mary, Julie)

Menokin-Work In Progress

CCASM would like to thank Julie King for offering to do this.  It was really a great day.  Also we would like to thank Mary for driving.  Her SUV allowed us to ride together and continue our conversations as she drove to sites.
 
(Photos by Carol and Pat)

CCASM Trip To Gresham Estate

London Town offered several Archaeological Tours of the Gresham Estate in Edgewater, MD, and several of us thought why not put together a CCASM trip.  It had been a while since we have had a chance to do this.

So on June 23 Pat, Linda, Julie, Elsie, and Carol traveled to Edgwater for the tour.   But first we stopped at Chad's BBQ for lunch and were joined by Jim Gibb who brought us up-to-date with what he was doing.

Pat, Julie, Carol, Elsie, Linda at Gresham Estate

The Gresham Estate dates back to the late 17th century.  Owners have included everyone from actual pirate William Cotter to Commodore Isaac Mayo (for whom the Mayo Peninsula is named) and more.  The site was acquired by Anne Arundel County in 2017.  Diana, the Director of Public Programs at London Town, guided the tour and entertained us with the history of the site and of the house.

It was a beautiful day to be outside, and there was time to wander around the grounds and through the house.  Of course, we noticed all the flags marking STPs that had been dug or were to be dug.   Archaeologist Steve Lenik from St Mary's College told us what they had learned so far from the STPs.  St Mary's College of Maryland will be holding a field session here in the fall, and the STPs were to help determine where to put units. 

Listening to the Archaeologist

Thanks to Linda and Pat for driving. 

It turns out we were a little late in putting this trip together, and two CCASM members, Carole and Polly, took the tour on one of the earlier dates.  Hopefully we can do a different tour this fall.

Serenity Farm Burial Ground and Potluck Supper

Lots of Food

CCASM's third Potluck Supper was held Sunday May 19 at the Harvest House on Serenity Farm.  It's always fun to have an excuse to get together and to eat.  And there was a variety of food - all quite delicious.  Despite the hot weather Sunday there was a nice breeze on the porch of Harvest House.

Meeting on the Porch

After we finished eating, the annual CCASM business meeting was held.  At the end of the meeting one member, Evelyn Wenzel, and one former member, Barbara Kane, were recognized for their contributions to CCASM.

Serenity Farm Burial Ground

The meeting was followed by a walk up the hill to see the Serenity Farm Burial Ground where twenty-three African Americans were buried between 1780 and 1810.  At the January CCASM meeting Franklin Robinson had told us about the Burial Ground and the archaeology done at the site.  Franklin was happy to announce that the film “Remembered by the Wind: The Slave Graves of Serenity Farm" has recently been released.

CCASM would like to thank Franklin Robinson, the owner of Serenity Farm, for allowing CCASM to have their meeting at Harvest House as well as for the opportunity to visit the Burial Grounds.
 

Attendance: 10

Historic St Mary's City Archaeology Lab and Curation Facility Field Trip

Saturday August 25 nine CCASM members traveled to Historic St Mary's City for a special tour of HSMC's Archaeology Laboratory and Curation Facility.  This is where artifacts from Maryland's first colonial capital are cared for and housed.  The Lab is only open to the public once a year during Tidewater Archaeology Weekend.  However, Silas Hurry, Curator of Collections and Archaeological Laboratory Director, gave a special invitation to CCASM members to have a guided tour of this new state of the art facility.

We started in the room where artifacts would be received into the building and followed the artifact's path through this three-story "building".  Along the way we saw numerous artifacts and heard a lot about what went into creating this facility.  Really interesting.
 

Where artifacts are catalogued

Silas Hurry

On the balcony

After a seafood lunch several of us visited the St John's Site Museum that preserves the foundation of the home that stood here throughout the 17th-century (https://hsmcdigshistory.org/pdf/St-Johns.pdf).   This was move-in day at St Mary's College and many of the roads were one-way.  So Aaron gave us a special escort to the Museum.

At St. John's Site Museum

St John's Site within Museum

CCASM would like to give Silas a special thanks for the tour as well as for facilitating our visit to the St. John's Site Museum.

Port Tobacco River Conservancy and May Potluck Supper

CCASM's second Potluck Supper was held at Burch House in Historic Port Tobacco Village on Saturday, May 12.  It's always fun to have an excuse to get together and to eat.  And there was a variety of food - all quite delicious.

Tina Wilson and Julie Simpson

Tina Wilson talked about a number of projects being undertaken by the Port Tobacco River Conservancy (PTRC).  Several of the projects deal with the new Charles County Port Tobacco River Park.  And Julie Simpson brought us up to date on the progress of their grant to make the Port Tobacco Jail House Lot more visible.  (CCASM is a partner on this grant.)

After the meeting we walked over to look at the Jail House Lot.  As part of the grant, the invasive plants were removed, and you can actually see the lay of the land.  The sign is still being developed.

The talk was preceded by the annual CCASM business meeting that included the results of the biennial election of the CCASM officers and Board members-at-large.

Attendance: 8

Thomas Stone and Potluck Supper

Amy Muraca and David Lassman

CCASM's first Pot Luck Supper was held at Thomas Stone National Historic Site on Saturday, May 13, 2017.  There was more than enough food, and it was fun to just get together and share.

Also we learned more about this historic site.  First, Amy Muraca, the Resource Manager for Thomas Stone NHS and George Washington Birthplace National Monument, talked about archaeology relating to Thomas Stone and told us about proposals for future archaeology projects at the site.  Since Amy's background was in historical archaeology, we asked her a number of questions.

Next Park Ranger David Lassman related some more about this site, but spent most of his time talking about a number of other National Park sites along the George Washington Parkway.  There was so much information imparted. 

Since this was the May meeting, there was a brief CCASM meeting with the various officers giving reports on what had happened during the past year.

Haverdeventure

After the meeting David took several of us on a tour inside Haverdeventure, Thomas Stone's plantation home.

All in all we had a really nice time and would like to thank David for helping us set up our event at Thomas Stone.


Attendance: 13

Tour of Shuter's Hill Excavation Site

On Saturday August 11, 2012, CCASM members Barbara Kane, Joshua Eller, Rich Gorski, Phil Angle, Elsie Picyk, and George Picyk toured the Shuter's Hill Excavation Site that is on the grounds of the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, VA.   The tour was led by City Archaeologist Garrett Fesler.

Shuter's Hill is the largest piece of undeveloped land in Alexandria.  It appeared to be about 15-20 acres.  In the 20th Century a golf course was built on part of the property.  That and re-grading associated with the construction of the Masonic Memorial may have impacted some of the archaeological deposits.  Archival research indicates a late 18th Century plantation house and associated structures and two 19th Century houses.  The property also includes the site of two civil war forts.  The site of one fort - Fort Ellsworth - was partially destroyed when a 20th Century apartment building was constructed over part of it.  Also there is some limited evidence of prehistoric occupation -- some points but only one piece of prehistoric pottery.

For the last couple of years Alexandria Archaeology has been excavating an area that includes the 1850’s house that was built partially over the site of the 18th Century laundry.  Work on the Laundry is particularly interesting because in general there have been limited archaeological investigations of laundries.  Ground penetrating radar survey and STP’s conducted in the past have not identified the location of the other 2 houses.

CCASM sponsored the tour.
Thanks to Elsie for this posting and Barbara for the photos.
 
Alexandria Archaeology has been investigating the Shuter's Hill site since 1995.  Click for more information about the site - Shuter's Hill Brochure

Trip to Smithsonian Museum Support Center

Friday August 5 was the CCASM trip to the Smithsonian Museum Support Center in Suitland where we toured a small part of the National Museum of Natural History archaeology collections.  This was the highest rated option on our survey for a week day CCASM trip during the summer.

Carol S, Josh, Phil, and Robin in back
with Elsie and Sheila in front looking at parkas

Jim describing drawer contents

James Krakker, the archaeological collections specialist in the Department of Anthropology, showed us just a small fraction of some of the objects from North America.  He indicated there was the equivalent of an acre of storage for archaeology and ethnology.  Of course, we had to see the collections from Maryland.  Also we saw how artifacts were catalogued in the 1800's, where collections were processed, and how the collections were stored.

It was quite an interesting trip.

Click on NMNH Anthropology Collections to learn more about the collections.

Museum Support Center

The tour was set up by Carol Cowherd who volunteers for Jim Krakker at the MSC.

Trip to Mount Calvert

Saturday July 16 was the CCASM trip to Mount Calvert Historical and Archaeological Park in Upper Marlboro. This was the highest rated option on our survey for a weekend CCASM trip during the summer.

Rich and Belinda

Josh and Mike Lucas

At Mount Calvert they are currently excavating a late 17th- early 18th century site.  But the site was also occupied in Archaic and Early Woodland times. Two of the more interesting artifacts we found were an Archaic LeCroy point and a Rhenish stoneware sherd with the letters "ET•HIB•"

We also took time to visit the museum and to enjoy the view of the Patuxent.  It was a beautiful day.

Mount Calvert Museum

View of Patuxent