Fredericksburg is famous for its colonial and Civil War history – but what about before that history? Decades of archaeological excavations at George Washington’s Ferry Farm have revealed millennia of human development and technology from pre-historic Native American Clovis spearpoints to 18th-century wig curlers and beyond. While our main focus rests on young George Washington's … Continue reading Five Cool Ancient Artifacts Found at Ferry Farm [Photos]
artifacts
In Utensils Revealed: The Washingtons’ Forks, Spoons, and Knives [Video]
In this video, curator Meghan Budinger and archaeologist Laura Galke discuss how small things like eating utensils recovered archaeologically reveal big things about the Washington family.
Thievery, Espionage, and Fancy Dishes: Why Porcelain Was a Big Deal for the Washington Family
Porcelain is the king of all ceramics. As resilient as it is beautiful, porcelain has long fascinated many people. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the Chinese began exporting porcelain to Europeans, who coveted the precious dishes to the point that porcelain became more valuable than gold. Europeans obsessed over how it was produced and … Continue reading Thievery, Espionage, and Fancy Dishes: Why Porcelain Was a Big Deal for the Washington Family
Lecture – Drinking with the Washingtons: Archaeological Evidence of Colonial Imbibing at Ferry Farm [Video]
On Tuesday, May 7, 2019, Archaeologist Mara Kaktins, Ceramics & Glass Specialist at The George Washington Foundation, presented a lecture titled “Drinking with the Washingtons: Archaeological Evidence of Colonial Imbibing at Ferry Farm.” Mara explored a wide variety of beverage-related artifacts from teawares to punch bowls and discussed how cups and glasses reflected efforts by … Continue reading Lecture – Drinking with the Washingtons: Archaeological Evidence of Colonial Imbibing at Ferry Farm [Video]
Glass Guns: A Late 19th/Early 20th Century Phenomenon
Recently, archaeologists at George Washington’s Ferry Farm came across an odd glass fragment in our collection. We poured over it, passing it from person to person trying to figure out what it was. Then came the ‘ah-ha’ moment: it was a gun barrel. That’s odd, right? Turns out it isn’t. This story starts in the … Continue reading Glass Guns: A Late 19th/Early 20th Century Phenomenon
Chock Full o’ Minie Balls: A Civil War Mystery
Old, crushed, and rusted food cans in and of themselves aren’t terribly interesting, at least not to me. But when the can contains 150-year-old bullets, it becomes very interesting indeed. Recently, while going through our artifact collection database, I came across an item excavated at George Washington’s Ferry Farm nearly 20 years ago and simply … Continue reading Chock Full o’ Minie Balls: A Civil War Mystery
Some Like it Hot …But Probably Not This Hot: The Archaeology of a (BIG!) Fire
Twenty years ago, archaeologists digging at George Washington’s Ferry Farm unearthed the remains of a mid-eighteenth century kitchen. It was immediately obvious from the state of the artifacts that this kitchen had not simply fallen into to ruin and been abandoned – it had burned down. While this is fairly interesting in and of itself, … Continue reading Some Like it Hot …But Probably Not This Hot: The Archaeology of a (BIG!) Fire
Finding a Boyd’s Battery: An “Electrifying” Ferry Farm Story
"THE BLOOD IS THE LIFE!" ACCOMPLISHED AT LAST! THE EFFICACY OF ELECTRICITY!! Nearly all Diseases Effectually Cured by BOYD’S MINIATURE GALVANIC BATTERY! This is the opening pitch of an 1879 advertising circular for a popular medical medallion called a Boyd’s Battery. The battery was a disc, about 1¼ inch in diameter, meant to hang from … Continue reading Finding a Boyd’s Battery: An “Electrifying” Ferry Farm Story
Tacks-ation without Representation
Let’s do our tacks! I know you’ve been dreading doing your tacks, and putting it off as long as you could, but time is running out. It is time to do our tacks, friends. Whether iron alloy or copper alloy, tacks provide important clues to the presence of upholstered furniture, trunks, and horse tack at … Continue reading Tacks-ation without Representation
Video: Inside the Archaeology Lab – Why Does That Glass Look Funny?
Mara Kaktins, archaeology lab supervisor at George Washington's Ferry Farm, explains the weird patination on some glass artifacts excavated by our archaeologists. For other "Inside the Archaeology Lab" videos, visit the Archaeology at George Washington's Ferry Farm playlist our YouTube channel.
Lives & Legacies 