In Search of the Wizards Home Public Arc
Newsletter of the
Archaeological Society
of New J ersey
9stabl
ished 1
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Newsletter No. 257
In Search of the Wizard’s H ome: Public
Archaeology at the T homas A. E dison Site in
Menlo Park, N ew J ersey By Michael J. Gall
The Archaeological Society of New Jersey (ASNJ)
recently conducted an archaeological study of a parcel in
Menlo Park, E dison Township, Middlesex County that
previously contained the home of famed inventor and
entrepreneur Thomas A. E dison. The study took place on
July 29-30 and September 23-24, 2017, and was completed
as a collaborative effort with the Middlesex County Office
of Culture and Heritage (MCOCH) and the Thomas A.
E dison Center at Menlo Park (TAE CMP). The study was
made possible through permission granted by the State of
New Jersey and E dison Township, and funding provided
by the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
The archaeological study took place as an open house
event with tours given to over 700 public visitors (Figure
1). The study aimed to identify the location of Thomas
E dison’s home which stood from circa 1868 and 1924,
determine if there are intact archaeological deposits
present associated with the E dison family from 1876 to
1903 or later occupants, and identify steps to preserve and
interpret the site.
Thomas E dison resided in his Menlo Park home with
his wife Mary, and three children, Marion, Thomas Jr., and
William. The family was also accompanied by two African
Figure 1: Archaeological excavation and public
observation at the Thomas A. E dison House
Site. Photograph by Allison A. Gall.
October 2017
American domestic servants, Mary’s sister, and Thomas’s
father, brother, and nephew. While residing in Menlo
Park, E dison created and worked at his famous
”Invention Factory” , where he created world-changing
technologies, such as the photograph, a transmitter for
the telephone, the incandescent light, underground
electrical wiring, the electric railroad, and a system of
electrical generation to power. In 1882, much of the
laboratory operation was shut down after new operations
were established in New Y ork City and elsewhere, though
E dison did use the home as a summer residence. There,
his wife Mary died in 1884. V arious caretakers also
occupied the house to prevent squatting by the area’s
homeless community. The LaPenta family resided as
caretakers from 1903 to 1905. By 1903, Charles B. E lliot
took over ownership of the property with his wife E va.
Charles and his wife took up residence in the home in
1905. Charles E lliot was an inventor and rubber
manufacturer, who died in 1915. E va continued to own
the residence and leased it as a tenancy. In 1918, the home
was leased to the Lowman family, who purchased the
parcel in 1922 and later sold it in 1924. During the
Lowman occupation, the kitchen wing to the home was
destroyed by fire. After selling the house to E lectrical
Testing Laboratories in 1924, the home was subsequently
demolished and the dwelling’s cellar remained exposed
until the late 1920s, after which time the top of the
foundation walls were dismantled and the cellar was filled
with imported soil.
The archaeological study took place in a study
area measuring 100 feet square within the larger, stateowned parcel. In total, 25 shovel test pits (STPs) were
plotted on a 25-foot interval grid in the study area, each
measuring 1.5 feet square. Of these, 19 STPs were
excavated, yielding 790 artifacts. The identified site was
registered as the Thomas A. E dison House Site (28-Mi272). Shovel test pit excavation revealed the presence of a
cellar, much of which appeared to have been filled with
re-deposited subsoil gathered from an off-site location.
Intact late nineteenth- or early twentieth-century artifact
deposits were also identified in the northeastern portion
of the site near the kitchen wing. One STP encountered
burnt deposits associated with the home’s kitchen wing.
Continued on page4
PA GE 1
Newsletter No. 257
October 2017
P RESIDENT'S LETTER
2017 ASN J E X E CUT IV E
BOAR D
President Ilene Grossman-Bailey
ilenebailey36@gmail.com
1st V P – E d./ PR / E SAF R epresentative
David Mudge
arkydave@aol.com
2nd V P – Membership Lauren Lembo
laurenlembo@hotmail.com
3rd V P – Programs Darryl Daum
ddaum3@gmail.com
T reasurer Michael J. Gall
mjgall79@yahoo.com
R ecording Secretary Carolyn Cresson
carolyncresson@gmail.com
N ewsletter E d./ Corr. Sec’ty Jesse Walker
asnjnewsletter@gmail.com
Bulletin E ditor Richard F. V eit
rveit@monmouth.edu
Webmaster/ Social Media Tabitha Hilliard
tchilliard@gmail.com
Members-At-L arge
Jack Cresson (2016-2019)
Jim Lee (2016-2019)
K imberly K eene (2015-2018)
Sevrie Corson (2015-2018)
Matthew Tomaso (2017-2020)
Sean McHugh (2017-2020)
Chapter representative
Guy Di Giugno - Gloucester County
guydigi13@yahoo.com
ASN J R E SE AR CH GR AN T S (UP T O $700)
2019 DE AD L IN E IS J UN E 30, 2018
Potential applicants should contact Jack Cresson,
knapperjack@gmail.com or
Fellow ASNJ members, colleagues, and friends,
Thanks to all of those who volunteered at our archaeological
weekend at T homas E dison's house in Menlo Park, E dison, NJ on
September, 23 and 24, part of our ongoing work with the Middlesex
County Office of Culture and Heritage (MCOCH). T his dig was
spearheaded by ASNJ Treasurer Michael Gall in coordination with
the MCOCH and Mark Nonestied. With the help of Middlesex
County and the nearby E dison Museum, over 700 people toured the
dig site over the 2 days. A summing of the dig and its results are on
page 1. We may be hosting an artifact washing day in the near
future to wash the artifacts from the E dison dig to aid in producing
an artifact catalog, interpretations about the dig results and the
production of a report written by Michael Gall. Information will be
posted.
We are exploring dig opportunities for the Spring and
Summer weekends. Please let us know if you have any suggestions
or thoughts about that. ASNJ members can participate in these digs.
I want to take the opportunity to thank T ony McNichol of
the Pinelands Commission for his work in organizing our upcoming
joint symposium/ October meeting with the Pinelands Commission
on October 21 (see page7). The line-up is impressive, breakfast and
lunch will be provided free of charge, and we hope you will come to
the symposium. Please RSV P if possible.
For ongoing ASNJ news and information, make sure to sign
up for our list serve mailing list for notices and information postings
between newsletters. T o join the ASNJ e-mail list send an email to
ASNJ-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
or
go
to
http:/ / www.asnj.org/ p/ listserv.html for hot links. We also post
news on Facebook, twitter (@digasnj), and the website
(www.asnj.org). Feel free to post and let us know your (archaeology)
news and news items as well!
Please note that at our annual meeting on January 20, 2018 at
the New Jersey State Museum, elections for officers will be held –
all officer positions and two member at large positions are up for
grabs. Please let me or another board member know if you would
like to run. We need your enthusiasm and ideas – most positions are
not very time consuming but very necessary! Our January meeting
will also include an award ceremony for ASNJ members who have
contributed extensively to the ASNJ. Award winners are listed in the
bulletin. If you have any nominees for awards please contact me,
Greg Lattanzi, or Rich V eit.
We are sending out a huge three year (2013-2014-2015)
bulletin in the coming months thanks to the heroic efforts of
Bulletin E ditor Rich V eit! Please renew so you can be sure to get it
and other publications with no interruptions. Please let Membership
Chair Lauren Lembo know about any address changes. T hanks for
renewing your membership for 2018! See you soon.
Ilene Grossman-Bailey, President
40 E . 2nd Street, Moorestown, NJ 08057 for full
details including the grant guidelines &
requirements
A Publication of the Archaeological Society of New J ersey E stablished 1931 ISSN 095–6337I
PA GE 2
Newsletter No. 257
Apply for the Sean Bratton Memorial R esearch
F und (D eadline extended until E nd of
December 2017)
The Sean Bratton Memorial Research Fund
celebrates the life and contributions of Sean Bratton,
an outstanding field archaeologist and mentor, who
enjoyed hearing about regional research and applying
insights from new research to his own work. T he
fund will provide up to two (2) yearly research
grants/ scholarships to students or working
professional archaeologists who are conducting
original archaeological research on New Jersey
topics. Assuming sufficient funds are available and if
there are appropriate applications, one grant will be
awarded for research based in prehistoric
archaeology and one grant will be awarded for
research based in historic archaeology. Applicants
should be ASNJ members in good standing on the
student or individual level. E ach grant will consist of
$400.00 to support original research, publication of
the results of research in the ASNJ bulletin,
presentation to the ASNJ within a year of the award,
and presentation to a regional conference as
applicable. The grants will be awarded on a
competitive basis by the grant committee set up for
this research fund.
The grant will be awarded annually at the
society’s October meeting and formally presented in
January and will be announced in the newsletter and
social media. The grant committee will solicit
applications from undergraduate and graduate
students and young professionals employed in the
region. The application will include a brief cover
letter summarizing the proposed research, a CV , and
at least one letter of recommendation from a
professor, supervisor, or associate. Grant
applications will be due via email to
ilenebailey36@gmail.com by end of December 2017
and will be awarded by March 2018 to allow the
grantee to submit abstracts to regional conferences.
Grantees will present their research to a meeting
of the ASNJ by the following January or when
scheduled by the program chair.
T R E ASUR E R ’S R E PORT 9/ 28/ 2017
PNC Bank Checking Account: $9,889.64
ING Savings Account: $44,086.03
Account Michael Gall, Treasurer
PA GE 3
October 2017
ASN J Bulletin Update
E dits are in and production is underway on the
2012-2015 (V ols. 68-70) edition of the Bulletin. This is
a special edition, guest edited by R. Michael Stewart
and Bryce Obermeyer, that focuses on the archaeology
of the Abbott Farm National Historic Landmark. It
includes articles by Stewart and Obermeyer, as well as
Greg Lattanzi, Robert Grumet, and Andrew Martin. It
weighs in at 220 pages and will be the largest Bulletin in
recent memory. We hope to have out by the holidays.
The Abbott Farm volume will be followed by a
general issue, also sizeable, with articles on topics
ranging from Paleo-Indian projectile points to 17thcentury town planning. Authors include Jack Cresson,
Drew Stanzeski, Chris Hummer, Matthew Boulanger,
Greg Lattanzi, Marshall Becker, and Michael Gall.
Next on the docket is a volume focused on the Archaic
triangle points noted by R. Michael Stewart and others.
It will be a major contribution. We are also looking at
publishing Dick Regensburg’s Savich Farm
monograph. We are always looking for good copy for
future Bulletins so please consider submitting an article
for consideration. Please send articles as Word
documents with accompanying image files to Richard
V eit rveit@monmouth.edu; Dept. of History and
Anthropology, Monmouth University, West Long
Branch, NJ 07764-1898; Phone: 732-263-5699
2017 Temple University Field School at the Snyder Paleoindian
Complex, NJ By Jennifer Rankin
With the assistance of volunteers, members of ASNJ
and Chapter 14 of the Society of Pennsylvania
Archaeology, and AE COM, Temple University held
their Archaeology Field School at the Snyder
Paleoindian Complex in Carpentersville, NJ. The 6week field school ran from Monday to Friday and
provided training in archaeological and geological field
methods and an in-depth look into the prehistory of
the Delaware V alley. Students stayed at the nearby
Mountainview Campground in Milford, NJ, graciously
hosted by Tim and Magda Crouse and Family. E ach
Friday, students visited other archaeological sites and
local toolstone quarries. Trips included the ShawneeMinisink and Sibum sites in the Delaware Water Gap
with Don K line and Dr. Michael Stewart and to
V irginia to explore the Flint Run Paleoindian Complex
with Dr. K urt Carr. On the weekends several of the
students volunteered at other sites, including at the
Templeton Site in Connecticut with Dr. Z ac Singer.
Students got a chance to visit to AE COM in
Burlington, NJ. A special thanks goes out to all those
involved and to Lucy Harrington, Gabi Perry,
Stephanie and the Snyder Family, Chris Cotty and the
Delaware River Railroad E xcursions.
Newsletter No. 257
Continued fromPage1
On September 23rd, Robert Wiencek of E PI
conducted a ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey of
the eastern portion of the site and identified anomalies
associated with the footprint of the former home. The
GPR and STP data was used to guide the placement of
one (1) two-foot square STP and two (2) four-foot
square excavation units (E Us), resulting in the
identification of the front and side foundation walls to
the kitchen wing (Figures 2-3). While all foundation
walls associated with the E dison home were not
identified, GPR and archaeological data suggest the
home measured roughly 32 feet deep by 37 feet long
with a northern kitchen wing measuring 16 feet wide by
23 feet long. The kitchen contained a shallow crawl
space extending a maximum of three feet below grade
and the main house rested over a cellar that likely
extended five feet or more below grade.
October 2017
artifacts consist of quartz shatter, a jasper flake, and a
chert biface that may have functioned as a cutting
implement. Archaeologically recovered artifacts will be
washed and analyzed. The technical report for the
archaeological study will be completed by early 2018. All
recovered artifacts will be transferred to the MCOCH at
the completion of the project.
This archaeological study was made possible
through the generous assistance of numerous individuals.
Special thanks is given to the Middlesex County Board of
Chosen Freeholders Ronald Rios, Charles Tomaro,
K enneth Armwood, Charles K enny, Leslie K oppel,
Shanti Narra, and Blanquita V alenti; E dison Township
Mayor Thomas Lankey; the State of New Jersey;
MCOCH Historic Sites and History Services Division
Head Mark Nonestied and MCOCH staff; TAE CMP
Director K athleen Carlucci and TAE CMP staff; Paul
Israel, Director of the Thomas A. E dison Papers; Walter
Stochel, Jr. of the Metuchen-E dison Historical Society;
Monmouth University students Lauren Rossi, Casey
Hannah, and Nikole Ghirardi; public volunteers George
Skic, Ryan Carlucci, Patrick Carlucci, and Sean Carlucci;
and ASNJ volunteers: Ilene Grossman-Bailey, E d Bailey,
Richard V eit, Douglas V eit, Allison Gall, Tessa Gall,
Tabitha Hilliard, Lauren Lembo, Jaron Bernard, Jesse
Walker, Sevrie Corson, K imberly K eene, K en Defillipo,
Christopher Brown, Meagan Ratini, Joel Dworski, Sabrina
Madjeski, K imberly Bustamante, Brian Sniatkowski,
Andrea Barauskas, Maria Milazzo, Paula Cannella, Lee
Meyers, Debbie Salerno, K yle Wyeroski, Marilyn
Scherfen, K imberly Herthel, and Daniel Ricigliano.
Members of the public who visited the site are thanked
for their curiosity and interest in the project.
Figure 2: Plan view of the E dison home’s kitchen wing
foundation. Photograph courtesy of Allison A. Gall.
Deposits inside the kitchen include brick, window glass,
nails, burnt ceramic and vessel glass, marble mantle and
decorative fireplace surround fragments, lamp glass,
hard rubber buttons, and straight pins. A dense deposit
of broken bottle glass dating from the late nineteenth or
early twentieth century was also identified near the front
wall of the kitchen, suggesting that while the home was
occupied, residents or squatters discarded alcohol and
other bottles below the kitchen wing’s front porch.
Artifacts found in intact and re-deposited subsoil at the
site also reveal the remains of an ephemeral prehistoric
Native American occupation. Recovered prehistoric
Figure 3: Tessa Gall assisting with unit excavation.
Photograph courtesy of Christopher Brown.
PA GE 4
Newsletter No. 257
October 2017
Searching for an E lusive R evolutionary War F ort: Monmouth University’s Summer 2017 F ield School
Richard V eit, Adam Heinrich, and Sean McHugh
Monmouth University’s summer 2017 field school was a cooperative project between Monmouth University’s
Department of History and Anthropology, Rutgers University Newark’s Department of E arth and E nvironmental
Sciences, and the National Park Service. It was directed by Richard V eit, Ph.D., Adam Heinrich, Ph.D., and Sean
McHugh M.A, all of Monmouth University. We were working with Lee Slater Ph.D. of Rutgers Newark, assisted by
Pantelis Soupsis of the Technical E ducational Institute of Crete. Monmouth University staff for the field school
included Professor Jennifer Swerida, and alumni and students, including: Safa Akhtar, Stephanie Codling, Casey
Hannah, E ric Lauenstein, E van Mydlowski, and K risten Norbut. Ten Monmouth University undergraduate students
and 8 graduate students participated in the project. We were assisted by numerous ASNJ volunteers including Steve
Santucci, Sevrie Corson, Darryl Daum, Chris and Rebecca Brown, Jason Wickersty and others. Fieldwork occurred in
May and June of 2017the circa 1840 construction of the southeast wing, and confirmed that a buried occupation layer
dating from the 18th and early 19th centuries survived over much of the site at a depth of 18 inches to two feet below
grade.
The project focused on Fort Hill and associated camps in the Jockey Hollow area of Morristown National
Historical Park and was designed to determine the extent and integrity of the archaeological deposits on Fort Hill,
while testing the value of remote sensing techniques, most notably induced polarization, a form of resistivity.
Fort Hill is the site of a relatively unknown Revolutionary War fortification constructed in 1780 on the orders of
General Anthony Wayne. It has been described as ”the least known and least visited historic site in Morristown
National Historical Park” (Olsen nd). The winter of 1780 saw a portion of the Continental Army encamped at
Morristown. These troops included the Pennsylvania Line, including Hand’s Brigade, which hutted on Fort Hill and
included two Pennsylvanian and two Canadian regiments. In December 1780, Wayne described his plans for the site
as follows, ”I traced out a kind of Citadel consisting of three small redoubts“ the whole joined by a stockade” (Olsen
nd). Shortly thereafter construction began, with approximately 100 men assigned to work on the site. Local civilians
were also employed hauling logs. A contemporary description noted, ”the works go on so briskly that I hope in a few
days we shall be able to bid the enemy defiance. Our works on Mount K emble consist of two small redoubts and a
blockhouse that will contain about forty men“ the six pieces of artillery are to be stationed there” (Olsen nd).
However, construction appears to have stopped when the Pennsylvania Line mutinied on January 1, 1781. It is not
clear that any further work occurred on the fort. Indeed, the site was largely forgotten until the Reverend Joseph
Tuttle visited the site in the 1850s. He described it as follows, ”At the E ast and Northeast on the top of Fort Hill are
some remains not like those we had previously examined. They evidently were not the ruins of breast works, but
seem to have been designed to prepare level places, for the free movements of artillery; and a close inspection shows
that cannon stationed at those two points, on the hill top would sweep the entire face of the hill, in case of an attack.
This undoubtedly was the design. In the immediate vicinity, are the remains of quite a number of hut chimneys,
probably occupied by a detachment of artillerymen” (Tuttle in Olsen, ND).
At the beginning of the project, the site was heavily overgrown and obscured by large fallen trees. After extensive
clearing, a ten-meter grid was laid out across the approximately two-acre site. Geophysical surveying was carried out
across the site, and shovel tests were excavated on the grid points. Sadly, no artifacts were recovered from the shovel
testing. Four one-meter-square excavation units were dug in order to investigate features identified during the
geomagnetic survey. No cultural remains were noted. The entire site was then metal detected with trained teams of
detectorists working on each block. Only a handful of artifacts were recovered from the metal detecting, they
included United States coins from the 1960s and early 1970s, possibly lost by individuals visiting the site during the
Bicentennial, and a large iron chain link, that is not temporally diagnostic but could be associated with the
construction of the fortifications on the hill. Although subsurface archaeological work was not especially revealing,
two rough stone gun platforms were visible and were carefully mapped and photographed. A third, possible gun
platform was also noted. It too was mapped and photographed. Photogrammetry was done on the gun
emplacements.
At this point the survey switched to the huts sites noted by Reverent Tuttle on the slopes of Fort Hill. These are
believed to be associated with either the Connecticut Line, which camped on the hill’s slopes in 1779-1780 or the
Continued on page6
PA GE 5
Newsletter No. 257
October 2017
An illustration of Fort Hill from the 1850s. Note the similarity between the historic image and the cleared site today.
Continued frompage5
Pennsylvania Line which camped there in 1780-1781. It is
also possible that they were constructed by the Connecticut
troops and reused by the Pennsylvanians. During our treks
up the hill numerous stone clusters were visible, likely
representing the chimneys from collapsed huts. One team
of students was dispatched to map in the stone clusters
using a Trimble GPS. Hut remains were found present
around almost the entire hill. A roughly 200-foot-long by
50-foot-wide area, running west to east along the side of
the hillside was cleared of brush and a metal detector
survey was carried out in this area. This area contained
three stone chimney piles. Roughly 120 historic artifacts,
almost all dating from the Revolutionary War era, were
recovered. These included numerous hand-wrought nails,
hardware fragments, musket balls, two pieces of iron
grapeshot, and a twist handled fork. Artifacts were
concentrated between and in-front of the huts. A single hut
was selected for excavation. The entire perimeter of the hut
was excavated as was most of the hut’s interior. Only a
handful of artifacts were recovered, including several handwrought nails, and a small fragment of redware. The hut
measured roughly 12 by 16 feet and had a corner fireplace
in the NW corner. Some previous excavation had
happened nearby and it is not clear if this site was dug by
Duncan Campbell and colleagues in the early 1960s.
Monmouth University’s summer 2017 field school
yielded considerable new information about Fort Hill and
the associated camps. The fort itself is represented by two
clear gun platforms and a third possible gun platform.
However, likely due to the site’s brief, occupation, roughly
three weeks, only one artifact was recovered. Indeed, it
seems likely that the fort was never finished.
The extent of huts in and around Fort Hill was
impressive. Although numerous collapsed chimneys
were documented, much more work could be done
documenting these sites. Metal detecting proved
valuable as a way to gather information about the
encampments and revealed an interesting assemblage
of Revolutionary-War era artifacts. E xcavation of a
single hut revealed very few artifacts. However, it did
show how this particular hut was constructed.
Moreover, the project highlighted the effectiveness of
metal detecting as a way of documenting camps;
something that is already well-documented for
battlefield sites. Reference: Olsen, E ric ND
An
Unfinished History of an Unfinished Fort: Fort Hill.
On file at Morristown National Historical Park.
In memory of Kurt R ichard Kalb
March 23, 1945 - March 7, 2017: K urt was born in
Wilmington, DE and moved in 1946 to the family farm
in Landenberg, PA, where he grew up. He went to work
for the State of New Jersey, where he joined DOT as an
archeologist and worked his way to being a ”Principal
E nvironmental Specialist (Archeology)” before moving
to Land Use & DE P where he retired as ”Supervising
E nvironmental Specialist” in August 2008. K urt is
missed by friends and colleagues
K urt K alb &
Deborah
Rinker Fimbel
PA GE 6
Newsletter No. 257
October 2017
A rchaeological Society of New J ersey and the Pinelands C ommission
2017 Pinelands A rchaeology and A nthropology Symposium
T errence D. Moore C onference R oom
R ichard J . Sullivan C enter for E nvironmental Policy and E ducation
15C Springfield R oad, Pemberton, New J ersey, 08068
Saturday, October 21st, 2017 10:00 A M-4:00 PM
9:30 A M-10:00 A M
10:00 A M-11:30 A M
11:30 A M-11:40 A M
11:40 A M-12:00 PM
Breakfast and Sign In
A SNJ Board Meeting- A SNJ members - the public is welcome
K eynote Speaker- R. A lan Mounier
“A F orgotten T own on a F orgotten R oad: T he A rchaeology of Pine Barrens Heritage at the
Storied C edar Bridge T avern”- Richard V eit
12:00 PM-12:20 PM
“Heritage C reation in the Pine Barrens: E xploring C ultural R esources through Interviews
on Participation A nd Meaning”- Holly Baldwin
12:20 PM- 12:40 PM
“28-C M-80: A Possible E arly, E phemeral Historic Settlement Site in W oodbine Borough”
-R. A lan Mounier
12:40 PM-1:00 PM
Discussion for Morning Session
1:00 PM-1:45 PM
L UNC H/L ive Music on the Porch by “North Branch Barn”.
1:50 PM- 2:25 PM
“C rossing the Pinelands: R evisiting T ransmission C orridor Surveys and Predictive Modeling
in Southern New J ersey”- Matt T omaso
2:25 PM- 2:55 PM
“Prehistoric Settlement in the NJ Pinelands: A R eassessment”-Pat Hansell and T ony Ranere
2:55 PM- 3:15 PM
“L ittle E ase Headwaters Surface Geology and A rchaeology Project, Preliminary F indings: A
T hree Dimensional V iew of a C oastal Plain L andscape and its C ultural Use Patterns… A
F resh L ook at Old Stuff”- J oseph A rsenault
3:15 PM- 3:35 PM
“Dune L andforms and T wo E nigmatic Prehistoric A rchaic Manifestations on the New
J ersey C oastal Plains”- J ack Cresson
3:35 PM-4:00 PM
Discussion for A fternoon Session
T here is ample free parking and breakfast and lunch are included. T he symposium is free of charge. Please RSV P if possible
so there is a count for the refreshments. Walk Ins are also welcome. If you have questions or to RSV P please contact the
symposium organizer: T ony.McNichol@njpines.state.nj.us
Archaeologies of African American L ife in the
Upper Mid-Atlantic University of Alabama Press,
2017. 288 pp., 41 B/ W figs., 4 tables, bibliog., index.
$69.95 cloth.
E ditors Michael J. Gall and Richard F. V eit are
pleased to announce the release of their co-edited book
Archaeologies of African American Life in the Upper
Mid-Atlantic, published through the University of
Alabama Press. This volume presents 14 articles by 18
authors, and collectively examines the archaeology of
African American life and cultures in the Upper MidAtlantic region, using sites dating from the 18th through
20th centuries. Sites in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, and New Y ork are all examined, highlighting the
potential for historical archaeology to illuminate the
often overlooked contributions and experiences of the
region’s African Americans, settlers both free and
enslaved. Particular focus is made on the Delaware
V alley and the interaction between African Americans
and Quaker and Methodist communities.
Membership R eport 9-28-2017
The ASNJ has 264 current members. Memberships include
29 Families, 14 Institutions, 17 Students, 118 Individuals,
14 Sustaining, 52 Life Members, 1 Corporate and 19
Organizations. L auren L embo- V.P. Membership
Gloucester County Chapter of ASNJ Meeting Wed. 1/ 11/ 2017 7pm, Ilene Grossman-Bailey Presents "Archaeology at
the Woodbury Country Club" at West Deptford Public Library, 420 Crown Point Road, Thorofare, NJ.
PA GE 7
Newsletter No. 257
October 2017
A RCHA EOL OGICA L SOCIET Y OF NEW J ERSEY
Membership A pplication
A ctive................................. $25.00 Institutional........................$30.00 Family.................................$30.00
Student*...............................$20.00 Sustaining............................$35.00 Corporate..........................$100.00
L ife...................................$1000.00
*Student Membership requires a photocopy of a valid Student ID.
Dues received after October 1st will be applied to the next calendar year
I wish to receive the A SNJ newsletter via:
____ Email
____ Print
Make checks payable to: Archaeological Society of New J ersey and return to:
A SNJ c/o Michael Gall, 119 South Main Street, Medford, NJ 08055
Name:___________________________________________________________
A ddress:_______________________________________________________ _
City:____________________________State:________________Zip:_________
E-Mail address: ___________________________________________________
T elephone Number(s): (
)_
-_____________________________________
A rchaeological Society of New J ersey
New J ersey State Museum
Bureau of A rchaeology & Ethnography
205 West State Street
PO Box 530
Trenton, NJ 08625-0530
First Class Mail
ASNJ Newsletter Issue No. 257 October 2017
PA GE 8
Archaeological Society
of New J ersey
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Newsletter No. 257
In Search of the Wizard’s H ome: Public
Archaeology at the T homas A. E dison Site in
Menlo Park, N ew J ersey By Michael J. Gall
The Archaeological Society of New Jersey (ASNJ)
recently conducted an archaeological study of a parcel in
Menlo Park, E dison Township, Middlesex County that
previously contained the home of famed inventor and
entrepreneur Thomas A. E dison. The study took place on
July 29-30 and September 23-24, 2017, and was completed
as a collaborative effort with the Middlesex County Office
of Culture and Heritage (MCOCH) and the Thomas A.
E dison Center at Menlo Park (TAE CMP). The study was
made possible through permission granted by the State of
New Jersey and E dison Township, and funding provided
by the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
The archaeological study took place as an open house
event with tours given to over 700 public visitors (Figure
1). The study aimed to identify the location of Thomas
E dison’s home which stood from circa 1868 and 1924,
determine if there are intact archaeological deposits
present associated with the E dison family from 1876 to
1903 or later occupants, and identify steps to preserve and
interpret the site.
Thomas E dison resided in his Menlo Park home with
his wife Mary, and three children, Marion, Thomas Jr., and
William. The family was also accompanied by two African
Figure 1: Archaeological excavation and public
observation at the Thomas A. E dison House
Site. Photograph by Allison A. Gall.
October 2017
American domestic servants, Mary’s sister, and Thomas’s
father, brother, and nephew. While residing in Menlo
Park, E dison created and worked at his famous
”Invention Factory” , where he created world-changing
technologies, such as the photograph, a transmitter for
the telephone, the incandescent light, underground
electrical wiring, the electric railroad, and a system of
electrical generation to power. In 1882, much of the
laboratory operation was shut down after new operations
were established in New Y ork City and elsewhere, though
E dison did use the home as a summer residence. There,
his wife Mary died in 1884. V arious caretakers also
occupied the house to prevent squatting by the area’s
homeless community. The LaPenta family resided as
caretakers from 1903 to 1905. By 1903, Charles B. E lliot
took over ownership of the property with his wife E va.
Charles and his wife took up residence in the home in
1905. Charles E lliot was an inventor and rubber
manufacturer, who died in 1915. E va continued to own
the residence and leased it as a tenancy. In 1918, the home
was leased to the Lowman family, who purchased the
parcel in 1922 and later sold it in 1924. During the
Lowman occupation, the kitchen wing to the home was
destroyed by fire. After selling the house to E lectrical
Testing Laboratories in 1924, the home was subsequently
demolished and the dwelling’s cellar remained exposed
until the late 1920s, after which time the top of the
foundation walls were dismantled and the cellar was filled
with imported soil.
The archaeological study took place in a study
area measuring 100 feet square within the larger, stateowned parcel. In total, 25 shovel test pits (STPs) were
plotted on a 25-foot interval grid in the study area, each
measuring 1.5 feet square. Of these, 19 STPs were
excavated, yielding 790 artifacts. The identified site was
registered as the Thomas A. E dison House Site (28-Mi272). Shovel test pit excavation revealed the presence of a
cellar, much of which appeared to have been filled with
re-deposited subsoil gathered from an off-site location.
Intact late nineteenth- or early twentieth-century artifact
deposits were also identified in the northeastern portion
of the site near the kitchen wing. One STP encountered
burnt deposits associated with the home’s kitchen wing.
Continued on page4
PA GE 1
Newsletter No. 257
October 2017
P RESIDENT'S LETTER
2017 ASN J E X E CUT IV E
BOAR D
President Ilene Grossman-Bailey
ilenebailey36@gmail.com
1st V P – E d./ PR / E SAF R epresentative
David Mudge
arkydave@aol.com
2nd V P – Membership Lauren Lembo
laurenlembo@hotmail.com
3rd V P – Programs Darryl Daum
ddaum3@gmail.com
T reasurer Michael J. Gall
mjgall79@yahoo.com
R ecording Secretary Carolyn Cresson
carolyncresson@gmail.com
N ewsletter E d./ Corr. Sec’ty Jesse Walker
asnjnewsletter@gmail.com
Bulletin E ditor Richard F. V eit
rveit@monmouth.edu
Webmaster/ Social Media Tabitha Hilliard
tchilliard@gmail.com
Members-At-L arge
Jack Cresson (2016-2019)
Jim Lee (2016-2019)
K imberly K eene (2015-2018)
Sevrie Corson (2015-2018)
Matthew Tomaso (2017-2020)
Sean McHugh (2017-2020)
Chapter representative
Guy Di Giugno - Gloucester County
guydigi13@yahoo.com
ASN J R E SE AR CH GR AN T S (UP T O $700)
2019 DE AD L IN E IS J UN E 30, 2018
Potential applicants should contact Jack Cresson,
knapperjack@gmail.com or
Fellow ASNJ members, colleagues, and friends,
Thanks to all of those who volunteered at our archaeological
weekend at T homas E dison's house in Menlo Park, E dison, NJ on
September, 23 and 24, part of our ongoing work with the Middlesex
County Office of Culture and Heritage (MCOCH). T his dig was
spearheaded by ASNJ Treasurer Michael Gall in coordination with
the MCOCH and Mark Nonestied. With the help of Middlesex
County and the nearby E dison Museum, over 700 people toured the
dig site over the 2 days. A summing of the dig and its results are on
page 1. We may be hosting an artifact washing day in the near
future to wash the artifacts from the E dison dig to aid in producing
an artifact catalog, interpretations about the dig results and the
production of a report written by Michael Gall. Information will be
posted.
We are exploring dig opportunities for the Spring and
Summer weekends. Please let us know if you have any suggestions
or thoughts about that. ASNJ members can participate in these digs.
I want to take the opportunity to thank T ony McNichol of
the Pinelands Commission for his work in organizing our upcoming
joint symposium/ October meeting with the Pinelands Commission
on October 21 (see page7). The line-up is impressive, breakfast and
lunch will be provided free of charge, and we hope you will come to
the symposium. Please RSV P if possible.
For ongoing ASNJ news and information, make sure to sign
up for our list serve mailing list for notices and information postings
between newsletters. T o join the ASNJ e-mail list send an email to
ASNJ-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
or
go
to
http:/ / www.asnj.org/ p/ listserv.html for hot links. We also post
news on Facebook, twitter (@digasnj), and the website
(www.asnj.org). Feel free to post and let us know your (archaeology)
news and news items as well!
Please note that at our annual meeting on January 20, 2018 at
the New Jersey State Museum, elections for officers will be held –
all officer positions and two member at large positions are up for
grabs. Please let me or another board member know if you would
like to run. We need your enthusiasm and ideas – most positions are
not very time consuming but very necessary! Our January meeting
will also include an award ceremony for ASNJ members who have
contributed extensively to the ASNJ. Award winners are listed in the
bulletin. If you have any nominees for awards please contact me,
Greg Lattanzi, or Rich V eit.
We are sending out a huge three year (2013-2014-2015)
bulletin in the coming months thanks to the heroic efforts of
Bulletin E ditor Rich V eit! Please renew so you can be sure to get it
and other publications with no interruptions. Please let Membership
Chair Lauren Lembo know about any address changes. T hanks for
renewing your membership for 2018! See you soon.
Ilene Grossman-Bailey, President
40 E . 2nd Street, Moorestown, NJ 08057 for full
details including the grant guidelines &
requirements
A Publication of the Archaeological Society of New J ersey E stablished 1931 ISSN 095–6337I
PA GE 2
Newsletter No. 257
Apply for the Sean Bratton Memorial R esearch
F und (D eadline extended until E nd of
December 2017)
The Sean Bratton Memorial Research Fund
celebrates the life and contributions of Sean Bratton,
an outstanding field archaeologist and mentor, who
enjoyed hearing about regional research and applying
insights from new research to his own work. T he
fund will provide up to two (2) yearly research
grants/ scholarships to students or working
professional archaeologists who are conducting
original archaeological research on New Jersey
topics. Assuming sufficient funds are available and if
there are appropriate applications, one grant will be
awarded for research based in prehistoric
archaeology and one grant will be awarded for
research based in historic archaeology. Applicants
should be ASNJ members in good standing on the
student or individual level. E ach grant will consist of
$400.00 to support original research, publication of
the results of research in the ASNJ bulletin,
presentation to the ASNJ within a year of the award,
and presentation to a regional conference as
applicable. The grants will be awarded on a
competitive basis by the grant committee set up for
this research fund.
The grant will be awarded annually at the
society’s October meeting and formally presented in
January and will be announced in the newsletter and
social media. The grant committee will solicit
applications from undergraduate and graduate
students and young professionals employed in the
region. The application will include a brief cover
letter summarizing the proposed research, a CV , and
at least one letter of recommendation from a
professor, supervisor, or associate. Grant
applications will be due via email to
ilenebailey36@gmail.com by end of December 2017
and will be awarded by March 2018 to allow the
grantee to submit abstracts to regional conferences.
Grantees will present their research to a meeting
of the ASNJ by the following January or when
scheduled by the program chair.
T R E ASUR E R ’S R E PORT 9/ 28/ 2017
PNC Bank Checking Account: $9,889.64
ING Savings Account: $44,086.03
Account Michael Gall, Treasurer
PA GE 3
October 2017
ASN J Bulletin Update
E dits are in and production is underway on the
2012-2015 (V ols. 68-70) edition of the Bulletin. This is
a special edition, guest edited by R. Michael Stewart
and Bryce Obermeyer, that focuses on the archaeology
of the Abbott Farm National Historic Landmark. It
includes articles by Stewart and Obermeyer, as well as
Greg Lattanzi, Robert Grumet, and Andrew Martin. It
weighs in at 220 pages and will be the largest Bulletin in
recent memory. We hope to have out by the holidays.
The Abbott Farm volume will be followed by a
general issue, also sizeable, with articles on topics
ranging from Paleo-Indian projectile points to 17thcentury town planning. Authors include Jack Cresson,
Drew Stanzeski, Chris Hummer, Matthew Boulanger,
Greg Lattanzi, Marshall Becker, and Michael Gall.
Next on the docket is a volume focused on the Archaic
triangle points noted by R. Michael Stewart and others.
It will be a major contribution. We are also looking at
publishing Dick Regensburg’s Savich Farm
monograph. We are always looking for good copy for
future Bulletins so please consider submitting an article
for consideration. Please send articles as Word
documents with accompanying image files to Richard
V eit rveit@monmouth.edu; Dept. of History and
Anthropology, Monmouth University, West Long
Branch, NJ 07764-1898; Phone: 732-263-5699
2017 Temple University Field School at the Snyder Paleoindian
Complex, NJ By Jennifer Rankin
With the assistance of volunteers, members of ASNJ
and Chapter 14 of the Society of Pennsylvania
Archaeology, and AE COM, Temple University held
their Archaeology Field School at the Snyder
Paleoindian Complex in Carpentersville, NJ. The 6week field school ran from Monday to Friday and
provided training in archaeological and geological field
methods and an in-depth look into the prehistory of
the Delaware V alley. Students stayed at the nearby
Mountainview Campground in Milford, NJ, graciously
hosted by Tim and Magda Crouse and Family. E ach
Friday, students visited other archaeological sites and
local toolstone quarries. Trips included the ShawneeMinisink and Sibum sites in the Delaware Water Gap
with Don K line and Dr. Michael Stewart and to
V irginia to explore the Flint Run Paleoindian Complex
with Dr. K urt Carr. On the weekends several of the
students volunteered at other sites, including at the
Templeton Site in Connecticut with Dr. Z ac Singer.
Students got a chance to visit to AE COM in
Burlington, NJ. A special thanks goes out to all those
involved and to Lucy Harrington, Gabi Perry,
Stephanie and the Snyder Family, Chris Cotty and the
Delaware River Railroad E xcursions.
Newsletter No. 257
Continued fromPage1
On September 23rd, Robert Wiencek of E PI
conducted a ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey of
the eastern portion of the site and identified anomalies
associated with the footprint of the former home. The
GPR and STP data was used to guide the placement of
one (1) two-foot square STP and two (2) four-foot
square excavation units (E Us), resulting in the
identification of the front and side foundation walls to
the kitchen wing (Figures 2-3). While all foundation
walls associated with the E dison home were not
identified, GPR and archaeological data suggest the
home measured roughly 32 feet deep by 37 feet long
with a northern kitchen wing measuring 16 feet wide by
23 feet long. The kitchen contained a shallow crawl
space extending a maximum of three feet below grade
and the main house rested over a cellar that likely
extended five feet or more below grade.
October 2017
artifacts consist of quartz shatter, a jasper flake, and a
chert biface that may have functioned as a cutting
implement. Archaeologically recovered artifacts will be
washed and analyzed. The technical report for the
archaeological study will be completed by early 2018. All
recovered artifacts will be transferred to the MCOCH at
the completion of the project.
This archaeological study was made possible
through the generous assistance of numerous individuals.
Special thanks is given to the Middlesex County Board of
Chosen Freeholders Ronald Rios, Charles Tomaro,
K enneth Armwood, Charles K enny, Leslie K oppel,
Shanti Narra, and Blanquita V alenti; E dison Township
Mayor Thomas Lankey; the State of New Jersey;
MCOCH Historic Sites and History Services Division
Head Mark Nonestied and MCOCH staff; TAE CMP
Director K athleen Carlucci and TAE CMP staff; Paul
Israel, Director of the Thomas A. E dison Papers; Walter
Stochel, Jr. of the Metuchen-E dison Historical Society;
Monmouth University students Lauren Rossi, Casey
Hannah, and Nikole Ghirardi; public volunteers George
Skic, Ryan Carlucci, Patrick Carlucci, and Sean Carlucci;
and ASNJ volunteers: Ilene Grossman-Bailey, E d Bailey,
Richard V eit, Douglas V eit, Allison Gall, Tessa Gall,
Tabitha Hilliard, Lauren Lembo, Jaron Bernard, Jesse
Walker, Sevrie Corson, K imberly K eene, K en Defillipo,
Christopher Brown, Meagan Ratini, Joel Dworski, Sabrina
Madjeski, K imberly Bustamante, Brian Sniatkowski,
Andrea Barauskas, Maria Milazzo, Paula Cannella, Lee
Meyers, Debbie Salerno, K yle Wyeroski, Marilyn
Scherfen, K imberly Herthel, and Daniel Ricigliano.
Members of the public who visited the site are thanked
for their curiosity and interest in the project.
Figure 2: Plan view of the E dison home’s kitchen wing
foundation. Photograph courtesy of Allison A. Gall.
Deposits inside the kitchen include brick, window glass,
nails, burnt ceramic and vessel glass, marble mantle and
decorative fireplace surround fragments, lamp glass,
hard rubber buttons, and straight pins. A dense deposit
of broken bottle glass dating from the late nineteenth or
early twentieth century was also identified near the front
wall of the kitchen, suggesting that while the home was
occupied, residents or squatters discarded alcohol and
other bottles below the kitchen wing’s front porch.
Artifacts found in intact and re-deposited subsoil at the
site also reveal the remains of an ephemeral prehistoric
Native American occupation. Recovered prehistoric
Figure 3: Tessa Gall assisting with unit excavation.
Photograph courtesy of Christopher Brown.
PA GE 4
Newsletter No. 257
October 2017
Searching for an E lusive R evolutionary War F ort: Monmouth University’s Summer 2017 F ield School
Richard V eit, Adam Heinrich, and Sean McHugh
Monmouth University’s summer 2017 field school was a cooperative project between Monmouth University’s
Department of History and Anthropology, Rutgers University Newark’s Department of E arth and E nvironmental
Sciences, and the National Park Service. It was directed by Richard V eit, Ph.D., Adam Heinrich, Ph.D., and Sean
McHugh M.A, all of Monmouth University. We were working with Lee Slater Ph.D. of Rutgers Newark, assisted by
Pantelis Soupsis of the Technical E ducational Institute of Crete. Monmouth University staff for the field school
included Professor Jennifer Swerida, and alumni and students, including: Safa Akhtar, Stephanie Codling, Casey
Hannah, E ric Lauenstein, E van Mydlowski, and K risten Norbut. Ten Monmouth University undergraduate students
and 8 graduate students participated in the project. We were assisted by numerous ASNJ volunteers including Steve
Santucci, Sevrie Corson, Darryl Daum, Chris and Rebecca Brown, Jason Wickersty and others. Fieldwork occurred in
May and June of 2017the circa 1840 construction of the southeast wing, and confirmed that a buried occupation layer
dating from the 18th and early 19th centuries survived over much of the site at a depth of 18 inches to two feet below
grade.
The project focused on Fort Hill and associated camps in the Jockey Hollow area of Morristown National
Historical Park and was designed to determine the extent and integrity of the archaeological deposits on Fort Hill,
while testing the value of remote sensing techniques, most notably induced polarization, a form of resistivity.
Fort Hill is the site of a relatively unknown Revolutionary War fortification constructed in 1780 on the orders of
General Anthony Wayne. It has been described as ”the least known and least visited historic site in Morristown
National Historical Park” (Olsen nd). The winter of 1780 saw a portion of the Continental Army encamped at
Morristown. These troops included the Pennsylvania Line, including Hand’s Brigade, which hutted on Fort Hill and
included two Pennsylvanian and two Canadian regiments. In December 1780, Wayne described his plans for the site
as follows, ”I traced out a kind of Citadel consisting of three small redoubts“ the whole joined by a stockade” (Olsen
nd). Shortly thereafter construction began, with approximately 100 men assigned to work on the site. Local civilians
were also employed hauling logs. A contemporary description noted, ”the works go on so briskly that I hope in a few
days we shall be able to bid the enemy defiance. Our works on Mount K emble consist of two small redoubts and a
blockhouse that will contain about forty men“ the six pieces of artillery are to be stationed there” (Olsen nd).
However, construction appears to have stopped when the Pennsylvania Line mutinied on January 1, 1781. It is not
clear that any further work occurred on the fort. Indeed, the site was largely forgotten until the Reverend Joseph
Tuttle visited the site in the 1850s. He described it as follows, ”At the E ast and Northeast on the top of Fort Hill are
some remains not like those we had previously examined. They evidently were not the ruins of breast works, but
seem to have been designed to prepare level places, for the free movements of artillery; and a close inspection shows
that cannon stationed at those two points, on the hill top would sweep the entire face of the hill, in case of an attack.
This undoubtedly was the design. In the immediate vicinity, are the remains of quite a number of hut chimneys,
probably occupied by a detachment of artillerymen” (Tuttle in Olsen, ND).
At the beginning of the project, the site was heavily overgrown and obscured by large fallen trees. After extensive
clearing, a ten-meter grid was laid out across the approximately two-acre site. Geophysical surveying was carried out
across the site, and shovel tests were excavated on the grid points. Sadly, no artifacts were recovered from the shovel
testing. Four one-meter-square excavation units were dug in order to investigate features identified during the
geomagnetic survey. No cultural remains were noted. The entire site was then metal detected with trained teams of
detectorists working on each block. Only a handful of artifacts were recovered from the metal detecting, they
included United States coins from the 1960s and early 1970s, possibly lost by individuals visiting the site during the
Bicentennial, and a large iron chain link, that is not temporally diagnostic but could be associated with the
construction of the fortifications on the hill. Although subsurface archaeological work was not especially revealing,
two rough stone gun platforms were visible and were carefully mapped and photographed. A third, possible gun
platform was also noted. It too was mapped and photographed. Photogrammetry was done on the gun
emplacements.
At this point the survey switched to the huts sites noted by Reverent Tuttle on the slopes of Fort Hill. These are
believed to be associated with either the Connecticut Line, which camped on the hill’s slopes in 1779-1780 or the
Continued on page6
PA GE 5
Newsletter No. 257
October 2017
An illustration of Fort Hill from the 1850s. Note the similarity between the historic image and the cleared site today.
Continued frompage5
Pennsylvania Line which camped there in 1780-1781. It is
also possible that they were constructed by the Connecticut
troops and reused by the Pennsylvanians. During our treks
up the hill numerous stone clusters were visible, likely
representing the chimneys from collapsed huts. One team
of students was dispatched to map in the stone clusters
using a Trimble GPS. Hut remains were found present
around almost the entire hill. A roughly 200-foot-long by
50-foot-wide area, running west to east along the side of
the hillside was cleared of brush and a metal detector
survey was carried out in this area. This area contained
three stone chimney piles. Roughly 120 historic artifacts,
almost all dating from the Revolutionary War era, were
recovered. These included numerous hand-wrought nails,
hardware fragments, musket balls, two pieces of iron
grapeshot, and a twist handled fork. Artifacts were
concentrated between and in-front of the huts. A single hut
was selected for excavation. The entire perimeter of the hut
was excavated as was most of the hut’s interior. Only a
handful of artifacts were recovered, including several handwrought nails, and a small fragment of redware. The hut
measured roughly 12 by 16 feet and had a corner fireplace
in the NW corner. Some previous excavation had
happened nearby and it is not clear if this site was dug by
Duncan Campbell and colleagues in the early 1960s.
Monmouth University’s summer 2017 field school
yielded considerable new information about Fort Hill and
the associated camps. The fort itself is represented by two
clear gun platforms and a third possible gun platform.
However, likely due to the site’s brief, occupation, roughly
three weeks, only one artifact was recovered. Indeed, it
seems likely that the fort was never finished.
The extent of huts in and around Fort Hill was
impressive. Although numerous collapsed chimneys
were documented, much more work could be done
documenting these sites. Metal detecting proved
valuable as a way to gather information about the
encampments and revealed an interesting assemblage
of Revolutionary-War era artifacts. E xcavation of a
single hut revealed very few artifacts. However, it did
show how this particular hut was constructed.
Moreover, the project highlighted the effectiveness of
metal detecting as a way of documenting camps;
something that is already well-documented for
battlefield sites. Reference: Olsen, E ric ND
An
Unfinished History of an Unfinished Fort: Fort Hill.
On file at Morristown National Historical Park.
In memory of Kurt R ichard Kalb
March 23, 1945 - March 7, 2017: K urt was born in
Wilmington, DE and moved in 1946 to the family farm
in Landenberg, PA, where he grew up. He went to work
for the State of New Jersey, where he joined DOT as an
archeologist and worked his way to being a ”Principal
E nvironmental Specialist (Archeology)” before moving
to Land Use & DE P where he retired as ”Supervising
E nvironmental Specialist” in August 2008. K urt is
missed by friends and colleagues
K urt K alb &
Deborah
Rinker Fimbel
PA GE 6
Newsletter No. 257
October 2017
A rchaeological Society of New J ersey and the Pinelands C ommission
2017 Pinelands A rchaeology and A nthropology Symposium
T errence D. Moore C onference R oom
R ichard J . Sullivan C enter for E nvironmental Policy and E ducation
15C Springfield R oad, Pemberton, New J ersey, 08068
Saturday, October 21st, 2017 10:00 A M-4:00 PM
9:30 A M-10:00 A M
10:00 A M-11:30 A M
11:30 A M-11:40 A M
11:40 A M-12:00 PM
Breakfast and Sign In
A SNJ Board Meeting- A SNJ members - the public is welcome
K eynote Speaker- R. A lan Mounier
“A F orgotten T own on a F orgotten R oad: T he A rchaeology of Pine Barrens Heritage at the
Storied C edar Bridge T avern”- Richard V eit
12:00 PM-12:20 PM
“Heritage C reation in the Pine Barrens: E xploring C ultural R esources through Interviews
on Participation A nd Meaning”- Holly Baldwin
12:20 PM- 12:40 PM
“28-C M-80: A Possible E arly, E phemeral Historic Settlement Site in W oodbine Borough”
-R. A lan Mounier
12:40 PM-1:00 PM
Discussion for Morning Session
1:00 PM-1:45 PM
L UNC H/L ive Music on the Porch by “North Branch Barn”.
1:50 PM- 2:25 PM
“C rossing the Pinelands: R evisiting T ransmission C orridor Surveys and Predictive Modeling
in Southern New J ersey”- Matt T omaso
2:25 PM- 2:55 PM
“Prehistoric Settlement in the NJ Pinelands: A R eassessment”-Pat Hansell and T ony Ranere
2:55 PM- 3:15 PM
“L ittle E ase Headwaters Surface Geology and A rchaeology Project, Preliminary F indings: A
T hree Dimensional V iew of a C oastal Plain L andscape and its C ultural Use Patterns… A
F resh L ook at Old Stuff”- J oseph A rsenault
3:15 PM- 3:35 PM
“Dune L andforms and T wo E nigmatic Prehistoric A rchaic Manifestations on the New
J ersey C oastal Plains”- J ack Cresson
3:35 PM-4:00 PM
Discussion for A fternoon Session
T here is ample free parking and breakfast and lunch are included. T he symposium is free of charge. Please RSV P if possible
so there is a count for the refreshments. Walk Ins are also welcome. If you have questions or to RSV P please contact the
symposium organizer: T ony.McNichol@njpines.state.nj.us
Archaeologies of African American L ife in the
Upper Mid-Atlantic University of Alabama Press,
2017. 288 pp., 41 B/ W figs., 4 tables, bibliog., index.
$69.95 cloth.
E ditors Michael J. Gall and Richard F. V eit are
pleased to announce the release of their co-edited book
Archaeologies of African American Life in the Upper
Mid-Atlantic, published through the University of
Alabama Press. This volume presents 14 articles by 18
authors, and collectively examines the archaeology of
African American life and cultures in the Upper MidAtlantic region, using sites dating from the 18th through
20th centuries. Sites in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, and New Y ork are all examined, highlighting the
potential for historical archaeology to illuminate the
often overlooked contributions and experiences of the
region’s African Americans, settlers both free and
enslaved. Particular focus is made on the Delaware
V alley and the interaction between African Americans
and Quaker and Methodist communities.
Membership R eport 9-28-2017
The ASNJ has 264 current members. Memberships include
29 Families, 14 Institutions, 17 Students, 118 Individuals,
14 Sustaining, 52 Life Members, 1 Corporate and 19
Organizations. L auren L embo- V.P. Membership
Gloucester County Chapter of ASNJ Meeting Wed. 1/ 11/ 2017 7pm, Ilene Grossman-Bailey Presents "Archaeology at
the Woodbury Country Club" at West Deptford Public Library, 420 Crown Point Road, Thorofare, NJ.
PA GE 7
Newsletter No. 257
October 2017
A RCHA EOL OGICA L SOCIET Y OF NEW J ERSEY
Membership A pplication
A ctive................................. $25.00 Institutional........................$30.00 Family.................................$30.00
Student*...............................$20.00 Sustaining............................$35.00 Corporate..........................$100.00
L ife...................................$1000.00
*Student Membership requires a photocopy of a valid Student ID.
Dues received after October 1st will be applied to the next calendar year
I wish to receive the A SNJ newsletter via:
____ Email
____ Print
Make checks payable to: Archaeological Society of New J ersey and return to:
A SNJ c/o Michael Gall, 119 South Main Street, Medford, NJ 08055
Name:___________________________________________________________
A ddress:_______________________________________________________ _
City:____________________________State:________________Zip:_________
E-Mail address: ___________________________________________________
T elephone Number(s): (
)_
-_____________________________________
A rchaeological Society of New J ersey
New J ersey State Museum
Bureau of A rchaeology & Ethnography
205 West State Street
PO Box 530
Trenton, NJ 08625-0530
First Class Mail
ASNJ Newsletter Issue No. 257 October 2017
PA GE 8