Dovetail Cultural Resource Group

Sharing some valuable information regarding DHR's African American Cemetery & Graves Fund. Per DHR, this fund "provides grants to support the maintenance and care of cemeteries established on or before December 31, 1947, specifically for the interment of African Americans. The graves of any individuals born prior to 1900 (regardless of date of death) AND the graves of any individuals born after January 1, 1900, and interred prior to 1948 are considered eligible". The 2024-25 grant cycle is underway, extending through May 31, 2025. Read on to learn more. https://lnkd.in/dsHjgjns #DovetailCulturalResourceGroup #meadandhunt #archaeology #preservation #understandinghistory #dhr #africanamericancemeteryandgravesfund

Interesting local video interview with Dave Muraca of the George Washington Foundation. In this video, Dave discusses the excavation of the 1728 kitchen of the Washington House. https://lnkd.in/egMtbWgQ #DovetailCulturalResourceGroup #meadandhunt #archaeology #preservation #understandinghistory #ferryfarm #washingtonhouse #kitchen #excavation

The city of Manassas is rich with history. Our team at Dovetail has been honored to be a part of a dig near Manassas Industrial School/Jennie Dean Memorial site on Wellington Road. Our own Dr. Colleen Betti gave a talk about the dig and shared some archaeologists' secrets during a special program yesterday. Check out this great post with photos from the dig, and a wonderful video from the first dig there in 1988. It's always special to be a part of local-area projects. https://lnkd.in/e8yTBaBe #DovetailCulturalResourceGroup #meadandhunt #archaeology #preservation #understandinghistory #cityofmanassasvirginiaparkscultureandrecreation #jenniedeanmemorialsite #wellingtonroad #manassasindustrialschool #manassasmuseum

Preservation in place is the name of the game after the discovery of ancient canoes in Lake Mendota, southern Wisconsin. Dating indicates that the canoes are over 4,500 years old. The Wisconsin Historical Society is working alongside Native Nations to document and research the incredible find using modern, non-invasive technology. This article details what has been discovered so far, and what researchers hope to learn from the revelation going forward. https://lnkd.in/eCTP2ZrJ #DovetailCulturalResourceGroup #meadandhunt #archaeology #preservation #understandinghistory #lakemendota #wisconsin #ancientcanoes #wisconsinhistoricalsociety #groundpenetratingradar

The humble horseshoe, a symbol of good luck across numerous cultures, through several centuries. This month on the blog, Lee Priddy discusses the horseshoe as a common-place battlefield artifact find. Priddy details the clues that these items give us into the daily life of the horses and mules who wore them, and the soldiers who owned them. It offers an oft-forgotten perspective of the impacts of the Civil War – that of the animals who were put to work for the military. Did these shoes, in fact, work as an effective symbol of good luck? Read on to find out! https://lnkd.in/esqTjB6j #DovetailCulturalResourceGroup #meadandhunt #archaeology #preservation #understandinghistory #civilwar #horseshoes #goodlucksymbol #horsesinthecivilwar

The remains of Cahokia, fondly dubbed the first great city of North America, is located near modern-day St. Louis, Missouri. Constructed around the ninth century AD, it is thought to have covered six square miles and been home to twenty to forty thousand Mississippian culture residents. Cahokia was built as an earthen platform mound city. It is believed that of the original 120 mound structures, possibly up to 80 have been preserved. Sadly, much of their memory was lost during this decline, and some of the mounds were destroyed by 17th century settlers. The Cahokia Mounds State Historical Site was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site over 40 years ago. Read on to learn what recent excavations have revealed about this mysterious lost culture. https://lnkd.in/daZzTxH5 #DovetailCulturalResourceGroup #meadandhunt #archaeology #preservation #understandinghistory #architecture #cahokia #stlouis #mississippianculture #earthenmoundcity #cahokiamounds #cahokiamoundsstatehistoricalsite #unescoworldheritagesite

On June 2nd, the Blue Rock Heritage Center hosted an open house, inviting locals to bring in their artifacts or finds of interest. Local archaeologist, Debbie Saylor, was on hand to examine and discuss these finds. Saylor, now a 70-year-old archaeologist with seven medical degrees and a long career in lab science, found herself so intrigued by archaeology two decades ago, that she returned to school to get her bachelor’s degree in the subject. She is now working on her master’s to become a forensic archaeologist. Debbie currently serves as the curator of the Indian Steps Museum in York County. During the open house, Debbie observed and discussed many finds, such as a rare undrilled banner stone brought by local enthusiast Dash Kensington. Dash has been combing the Susquehanna River since he was 10 years old. Read on to learn more about this and many other amazing finds and how you can sign up to volunteer to assist Saylor and the Lower Susquehanna Archaeology Society with a dig at the Blue Rock Heritage Center. https://lnkd.in/eDAp82Qg #dovetailculturalresourcegroup #meadandhunt #archaeology #preservation #understandinghistory #susquehannariver #indianstepsmuseum #lowersusquehannaarchaeologysociety #bluerockheritagecenter #localfinds

The Oregon Trail, the tale of a time gone by. No, folks, we’re not talking about the video game (one of the oldest there is, historic in its own right). We’re here to discuss the Oregon Trail, carved in the mid 1800s as the general route of one of the largest migrations in American history. It’s estimated to have hosted more than 400,000 westward travelers during that time. Like the game suggests, these pioneers faced harsh conditions, including diseases like dysentery and cholera. As the Trail evolved, wagons wore ruts into the ground, which provided a notable pathway for those coming after. Most interestingly, evidence of some of these tracks are still in existence today. Read more about it in this fascinating article, which helpfully details some of the locations where you can still find these ruts from the original Trail today. https://lnkd.in/eJiUjE2K #dovetailculturalresourcegroup #meadandhunt #archaeology #preservation #understandinghistory #architecture #oregontrail #americanhistory #migration

Dovetail/Mead & Hunt are thrilled to be partnering with the Virginia Outdoor Foundation (VOF) on architectural studies in Prince William County, Virginia! Staff recently had the opportunity to explore an incredible house with many secrets on the Preserve at Bull Run Mountain. As part of their preservation and interpretive plans, the VOF brought on the team to do a thorough architectural analysis of this hidden gem. Together with dendrochronology done by Michael Worthington, we are hoping to be able to tell the tale of this wonderful historic building and be part of its next chapter. Thanks to the VOF for letting us come play and explore! #DovetailCulturalResourceGroup #meadandhunt #archaeology #preservation #understandinghistory #architecture #virginiaoutdoorfoundation #princewilliamcounty #dendrochronology

Building on Dovetail’s Cameron Boutin’s recent post about inclement weather during the Civil War, this week we explore a different element: immigrants in the Civil War. In the article, author Jenny Ashcroft writes that, astonishingly, “approximately one in four soldiers who enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War were immigrants to the United States”. These immigrants undoubtedly played a pivotal role in the Union victory. Read on to learn more about where these immigrants came from and some of their fascinating stories. https://lnkd.in/eyJhmxGR #DovetailCulturalResourceGroup #meadandhunt #archaeology #preservation #understandinghistory #americancivilwar #immigrants #unionarmy #unionvictory