Archaeology in Patterson Park: Final Saturday

Today I made what will probably be my last visit to the fieldwork at Patterson Park, which wraps up on Tuesday. Up at the north end, Jason, Ryun and volunteers were finishing up this trench, which did encounter the fortification ditch and produced a Civil War Union belt buckle among other artifacts.

Meanwhile at the south end, Emily and another group of volunteers were digging a unit on top of this hill, which we think was another bastion. We traced the ditch this far, and then it seems to wrap around the hill before heading off toward the harbor.

On top of the hill the fill was deep and full of late nineteenth-century artifacts, and I left before they reached the bottom.

I spent my morning filling in this trench, which you may remember from last week. So let's see, 2 feet by 15 feet by about 2.5 feet equals about 2 1/2 cubic yards, and a cubic yard of dirt weighs 2,000 to 3,000 pounds, so that was about three tons of dirt I shoveled back into the hole (2800 kg). (Our agreement with the city forbids us from using any machinery.)

I was interrupted half a dozen times by people who wandered over from the flea market in progress nearby.

Lots of flea market people selling flea market stuff, plus these two women who looked like characters from a reality tv show.

It was another great day, and I am sorry it will be over so soon. And if you're looking for a cool apartment right across the street from the park, this old church is for sale.