Some Walk Together Updates
Duplex Quarter Exhibit I was particularly delighted to have a number of Emma Hall’s family in attendance, and to share with them some of our plans for interpreting the duplex quarter that she grew up in. We are currently in the process of addressing a number of concerns that the Maryland Historical Trust had regarding […]
Making A Home: Window Glass and the Transition from Slavery to Freedom
One of the questions that I’m asking in the research about the lives of African Americans during and after slavery is how they used, modified, and manipulated different spaces on and off the plantation. An important area for this investigation are the buildings that the enslaved and tenant families lived in. We know that a […]
Looking at Space: Identifying Activity Areas with GIS
One of the major components of understanding the lives of slaves and tenant farmers at St. Mary’s Manor is understanding how they used space before and after Emancipation. This is something that we have examined on multiple scales, such as how their homes were organized on the plantation, or how they traversed the landscape outside […]
Landscapes of Slavery and Freedom at the Wye House Plantation
Archaeologists and historians throughout the United States conduct research about the transition from slavery to freedom. Occasionally, we will be featuring guest posts from these researchers to demonstrate ways that these transitions occurred throughout the country. This post was written by Beth Pruitt, a graduate student at the University of Maryland. She works with Archaeology in […]
The Initials in the Lintel
It is not often that archaeologists are able to examine writing in the material record. Most of the time we are dealing with broken plates and bottles. Very rarely do we have an instance where we excavate an object that has been written on by hand. When we do, it is even more rare that […]
The Society for Historical Archaeology Conference
In addition to sharing their research with public audiences and site visitors, researchers at Historic St. Mary’s City also make important contributions to their professional communities. In addition to contributing articles to journals and chapters for edited book volumes, giving presentations at professional conferences is one of the ways that researchers make these contributions. These […]
Understanding an African American Community in Gloucester County, Virginia
Archaeologists and historians throughout the United States conduct research about the transition from slavery to freedom. Occasionally, we will be featuring a guest post from these researchers to demonstrate the ways that this transition was experienced by African Americans throughout the country. This post is written by David Brown and Thane Harpol, co-directors of the Fairfield […]
An African American Family Escaping North During the Civil War
This photo is part of the Library of Congress collection, and appears on their Flickr page. When used with a special viewer, the image would have appeared in 3D. The picture itself was taken shortly after the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation, and shows a former slave family passing into Union lines. Throughout the war, […]
Maryland Slaves in the Civil War: How it Happened in St. Mary’s County
Evidence suggests that the Union Army had a presence at St. Mary’s Manor. Brome’s Wharf was destroyed, along with many other landing spots along the Potomac River, to cut back on illicit trading with Virginia, located across the river. Additionally, archaeological evidence, such as a tent peg, buttons, and musket parts, suggest that Brome’s land […]
Looking for Comparisons: Shirley Plantation Duplex Quarters in Virginia
One of the difficulties in working with archaeological material is that our data set is inherently incomplete. While looking at what people from the past have left behind does give us a glimpse into their lives that we may not otherwise get, it also means that we are not getting the full picture. In addition […]