Beginning in July, an archaeological excavation is scheduled to take place at the northeast bastion of the Revolutionary War-era fort at Fort Laurens State Memorial.
The research is being done in preparation for the eventual reconstruction of the fort.
Jarrod Burks of Ohio Valley Archaeology, who completed a survey of the site two years ago, said archaeologists will be looking for remains of the stockade and the 6-foot-wide ditch that ran along the outside walls of Fort Laurens.
While areas inside the fort have been excavated in the past, this portion of the ditch has never been touched by archaeologists before.
Soldiers stationed at the fort during the late 1770s lived inside the walls, but Burks said some of the day-to-day items they used may have ended up in the ditch. “We’re hoping they were really messy,” he said.
Archaeologists could potentially find kitchen refuse, such as animal bones, parts of uniforms and artifacts related to weapons.
The dig will take 15 days — four days before the July 4th weekend and 10 days after the holiday weekend.
Read More: Digging up Fort Laurens
