Exploratory archaeology this weekend at Mt. Airy’s Lovett Library. Volunteers wanted.

 Another search for history will take place at Lovett Library Saturday – this time with the help of volunteers. Interested? You can help.

Preservationist Eugene Hough of Heritage Guild Works will be leading a small archaeological dig at the Library, and anyone 11 or older can help out.

The Free Library and Mount Airy USA have plans for the library grounds that include a reading garden and amphitheater and street scape improvements. The idea is to give more people more reasons to come to the library.

The Friends of Lovett Memorial say the library yard might contain historic artifacts, since so much history happened nearby – Germantown Avenue was once a Native American trail; the Battle of Germantown Avenue happened in the area, and a local militia once practiced on the library grounds.  The friends wanted to see if any artifacts might have been left behind before the improvements began, and last month brought in Hough,  who used ground-penetrating radar to see if there were any anomalies that could potentially indicate historic objects or features.

Hough. of Heritage Guild Works, will be leading the dig Saturday. Hough’s earlier radar work revealed numerous locations where radar is hitting something and bouncing back, indicating some sort of object. He also discovered a shaft feature that might or might not be a grave. The friends decided this warranted further exploration, and so, with the library board’s blessing, two trenches will be dug. Each will be four feet wide, four feet long, and two feet deep.

The soil will be removed by layers and sifted to find any artifacts. Any found objects will be bagged and labeled, information will be recorded, and all activity will be photographed.

The Friends wanted to make this a community experience, said David T. Moore, a local historian and a past Friends president.  For Saturday’s event, the Friends are reaching out especially to kids between the ages of 11 and 14, but interested adults and older kids “will also likely be put to work” if they come by, Moore said. Younger children are welcome to watch.

Orientation begins Saturday at 9 a.m. at the library, 6945 Germantown Avenue.  Lunch will be provided. The students’ work will be supervised by Moore and other adults. Depending on turnout, there may be a second session in the afternoon.

Depending on what is found t his weekend, a more extensive dig may be done in the future, if funding is secured.
The soil will be removed by layers and sifted to find any artifacts. Any found objects will be bagged and labeled, information will be recorded, and all activity will be photographed.