On Wednesday, the 25th of February, Dr. Dennis Blanton of James Madison University and two of his students came to begin the process of preparing for the excavations that were scheduled to begin the following Saturday. We all were concerned about the weather and despite the cold and ice, Dr. Blanton and his crew made there way back to Stephens City on the 28th to begin the work of carefully excavating the subsurfaces in the carefully mapped squares behind the stone side of the structure. They stayed overnight at a local hotel and resumed work on the following morning of the 1st of March. During that first weekend they recovered many artifacts and exposed an architectural feature that appears to be a stone pier that formerly supported the shed addition that was once attached to the rear of the stone side of the structure. (See image below.) Dr. Blanton and his crew are planing at least two more weekend excavation trips in the month of March. We will keep you posted!
