By Cameron C Hartnell
I moved to the USA in 2003 having specialized and worked in Industrial Preservation in Australia. As an Australian / American citizen, I was keen to explore my other homeland, in particular its spectacular industrial history. I enrolled in Michigan Tech's PhD program in Industrial Archaeology this year and feel privileged to have been in the team digging the West Point Foundry Blast Furnace this summer.
The focus of archaeological work this summer has taken a major shift. This was the first week that we had a smaller team to work with: our efforts needed to be focused and realistic. Leaving a few people from each team at both the Blast Furnace and the East Bank House sites, we began preparing Vinegar Hill for excavation.
While preliminary investigations had been performed at Vinegar Hill, it was believed that there were more sites of historic interest to find. Three house foundations were raked back and photographed. Two privies were also cleared of leaves and branches. During the raking process, a number of depressions were found and cleaned for viewing. Some, it was decided, were potential historic sites, others not. The general mapping survey of the valley was completed by surveying the eastern bank and dams. This will allow us to produce a fairly accurate contoured map of the area within which we can locate areas of work and interest.
Work at the Blast Furnace consisted of completing the final stages of the excavation of the Tail Race. Excavation reached below the water level to what may be a stone lined floor, as was found last year on the northern side of the Blast Furnace. The crew photographed the feature and drew profiles.
The final excavation unit at the East Bank House, just north of the house foundations, was completed. A midden containing many artifacts was found in one corner of an excavation unit. Below this was a curious clay lined right-angled section of wall continuing into the east and south unit walls. This area was filled with large stones almost without soil. Some thought this might have been a privy, cistern, or related to a gas line also in the unit but not enough evidence has been found to make firm conclusions. The unit was then photographed and profiles were drawn.
Finishing the week we are now ready for the whole team to begin more intensive archaeological work in Vinegar Hill.
