Playing Around: 20th Century Die-Cast Toys Excavated at Ferry Farm

A lot of people don’t realize how many 20th century artifacts we excavate at George Washington’s Ferry Farm.  Up until the 1990s, families lived and farmed on the property, leaving tens of thousands of artifacts behind.  Some of our favorite modern artifacts are the toys we recover, whether marbles, plastic army and cowboy figurines, doll … Continue reading Playing Around: 20th Century Die-Cast Toys Excavated at Ferry Farm

“I wonder if this was mine?”: Robert Bailey’s Ferry Farm

We have a unique situation here at the Ferry Farm Archaeology Lab.  One of our volunteers, who has spent hundreds of hours washing, sorting and labeling excavated artifacts, is oddly enough, also partially responsible for creating some of those artifacts in the first place! Robert Bailey, his father Ray, mother Peggy and older brother Ray … Continue reading “I wonder if this was mine?”: Robert Bailey’s Ferry Farm

Ten Cool But Rarely-Exhibited Artifacts Found at Ferry Farm

When you enter a museum you’re surrounded by cool stuff.  Be it paintings, fossils, or ancient artifacts, they’re all special items that you’d be hard pressed to find elsewhere.  But what if I told you that the cool objects you see on display in a museum are a mere fraction of what most museums actually … Continue reading Ten Cool But Rarely-Exhibited Artifacts Found at Ferry Farm

What Is This Artifact?

Archaeologists are occasionally confronted with ‘mystery artifacts’ that either cannot be identified or have been altered to serve a purpose other than what was originally intended.  Recently, in our small finds collection, we identified an artifact transformed in just such a way.  Someone intentionally chipped away the edges of this 18th century leaded glass base … Continue reading What Is This Artifact?