A Personal Look At Civil War Soldiers As Told Through Artifacts Ferry Farm is most well-known as the Boyhood home of George Washington. While our primary emphasis of interpretation and research has focused on young George and his family’s life on this farm, Ferry Farm has many other stories to tell. The American Civil War … Continue reading “We encampt here on the banks of the Rappahannock. Oh, it is beautiful country.”
artifact analysis
It’s That Time of Year Again: 2025 Dig Preview
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! There’ll be dirt out for screening, ceramics for cleaning, and lots of good cheer…. Okay, sorry, that might be a little too far. But it is a super exciting part of the year here at Ferry Farm, George Washington’s Boyhood Home. We have officially started this summer’s … Continue reading It’s That Time of Year Again: 2025 Dig Preview
Lovely Linoleum and Other Historic Floor Coverings – Two Hot Takes
Linum ("Flax") and oleum ("oil") - Fashionable and Affordable As a Historic Preservation student at the University of Mary Washington, I’ve grown to appreciate almost all aspects of materiality. Over the past four years, my education has taught me to look closely at the built environment around me. Two years ago, I stumbled across a … Continue reading Lovely Linoleum and Other Historic Floor Coverings – Two Hot Takes
One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s TPQ: Modern Materials in Archaeological Excavations
Archaeology is trash. There, I said it. Before you call Mr. Jones and have me thrown in a pit of snakes, let me explain. Generally speaking, archaeology focuses on understanding the past through the items that people left behind, i.e., their trash. Most of the things we find are left around because they were broken … Continue reading One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s TPQ: Modern Materials in Archaeological Excavations
Above Ground Archaeology – Cool Finds Revealed During Restoration
While the house at Historic Kenmore has been faithfully restored to its circa 1775 appearance, the road to that final result was a pretty dirty one. As in plaster dust, paint fumes, and all manner of dirt and debris. Back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the first forays into the research for and … Continue reading Above Ground Archaeology – Cool Finds Revealed During Restoration
Archaeology Is Not For The Faint Of Heart – But We Love It Anyway
A lot of people have told me that they want or wanted to become archaeologists. I always find this flattering. Yours truly was only in my single digits when I declared the same to my family and anyone who would listen. After reading every National Geographic magazine I could get my hands on, ‘excavating’ abandoned … Continue reading Archaeology Is Not For The Faint Of Heart – But We Love It Anyway
That’s A Wrap! Ferry Farm’s Dig Season Recap
October just happens to be Virginia Archaeology Month, and what better way to celebrate than to recap this summer’s excavation at George Washington’s Boyhood Home at Ferry Farm. You might remember from our dig preview, that this year’s dig (FF-44) focused on the continued exploration of the 18th-century kitchen site located just northeast of the … Continue reading That’s A Wrap! Ferry Farm’s Dig Season Recap
Behind the Glass at Ferry Farm’s Archaeology Lab
The observer stands behind glass and watches. The one being watched picks up the object with her bare hands turns it carefully to see every angle, then sets it down to record data into her computer. Then she washes her hands, unwraps another object – and eats it! Visitors to George Washington’s Ferry Farm can … Continue reading Behind the Glass at Ferry Farm’s Archaeology Lab
Expanding Ferry Farm: Preparing For The Long Winter In The Cellar House
If you have visited Ferry Farm recently or follow us on social media, you may have noticed the construction of two buildings near the Washington House. These new structures represent those that stood in these spots during George Washington’s time and were constructed using 18th-century methods. Identified through archaeology, their reconstructions allow us to tell … Continue reading Expanding Ferry Farm: Preparing For The Long Winter In The Cellar House
Expanding Ferry Farm: The Quarter
If you have visited Ferry Farm recently or follow us on social media, you may have noticed the construction of two buildings near the Washington House. These new structures represent ones that stood in these spots during George Washington’s time. Identified through archaeology, their reconstructions allow us to better tell the stories of the people … Continue reading Expanding Ferry Farm: The Quarter
Lives & Legacies 