The archaeology and curatorial departments for The George Washington Foundation have long worked together to furnish the reproduced Washington house with historically accurate items that resemble as closely as possible the ones that George and his family would have lived with daily. These pieces are not originals, which means visitors touring the house can handle … Continue reading Seeing The Big Picture: How Excavated Ceramics Informed The George Washington Foundation’s Acquisition of Complete Pieces for Display
artifacts
What’s on your Thanksgiving table?
Thanksgiving is next week, and families and friends across the United States will gather again to celebrate the past year's blessings. Days for giving thanks have been proclaimed throughout history for many reasons – most often to celebrate a bountiful summer or fall harvest, the end of a war, or even the beginning of a … Continue reading What’s on your Thanksgiving table?
Spoooooooooky Teapots?
There’s plenty to be frightened about in the colonial period. But teapots? Not exactly. However, aesthetics change as time passes. We see things through different lenses. As I type this, my substantial black cat with big yellow eyes stares at me, demanding attention. Poe, the big black cat with yellow eyes. Black animals are currently … Continue reading Spoooooooooky Teapots?
2023 Dig Season Recap!
It’s that time again! As we welcome Fall and the beautiful cool weather it brings, let’s take a look back at our Summer 2023 dig season here at Ferry Farm, George Washington’s Boyhood Home. This year’s dig actually involved excavating two separate areas, designated FF-38 and FF-40, within the historic area. Location of the archaeological … Continue reading 2023 Dig Season Recap!
Of Mice and Men: A brief exploration of rodents’ history in America
A pest is a broad term for any organism that spreads disease, causes destruction, or is generally a nuisance. In the 21st century, we still constantly battle pests from squirrels who chew through your internet cables or spiders who set up house in the high corner of the ceiling, watching and judging you to evil … Continue reading Of Mice and Men: A brief exploration of rodents’ history in America
“To Rendezvous at Fredericksburgh”: The Washington-Lewis Family, Fredericksburg, and the World War of 1754-1763: Part I
Editor’s Note: As the two-hundred-sixty-ninth anniversary of the skirmish of Jumonville Glen approaches this Sunday, May 28th, some recent and exciting discoveries have occurred at the battlefield. The National Park Service (NPS) released an announcement this week stating that after a four-week archeological investigation, objects have been found to verify the location of the first … Continue reading “To Rendezvous at Fredericksburgh”: The Washington-Lewis Family, Fredericksburg, and the World War of 1754-1763: Part I
2023 Ferry Farm Dig Preview
Spring is here, which means another season of exciting archaeological work at Ferry Farm is about to begin! Ferry Farm, the boyhood home of George Washington, has been conducting archaeological investigations for over 30 years with the aim of recreating and analyzing the 18th-century farm landscape that shaped George Washington during his formative years as … Continue reading 2023 Ferry Farm Dig Preview
Mending Practice at Ferry Farm’s Archaeology Lab: A Photo Journal
If you visited Ferry Farm on October 21, 2022, you may have heard a loud crash coming from the archaeology lab - don’t worry, it was on purpose! During my fall semester internship at the Ferry Farm Archaeology Department, I had the pleasure of learning how to mend ceramic vessels, and like any skill, practice … Continue reading Mending Practice at Ferry Farm’s Archaeology Lab: A Photo Journal
Horror Artifacts of Ferry Farm: Myth, Disease, Vampires, and Dolls
With Halloween just around the corner, we thought we would take our readers behind the scenes to look at some of the creepiest and macabre artifacts we have uncovered at Ferry Farm. Some may seem like obvious choices, but others have hidden connections and meanings. Be sure to let us know your favorite in the … Continue reading Horror Artifacts of Ferry Farm: Myth, Disease, Vampires, and Dolls
Music from the Past: Jaw Harps and their Players
What is a jaw harp, and what does it tell us? This little instrument likely looks familiar, but you may not know that much about it. That certainly proved the case for me when I decided to research the four we have in our collection. To start, a jaw harp is an extremely simple instrument … Continue reading Music from the Past: Jaw Harps and their Players
Lives & Legacies 