Photos of Closing Out the Dig on September 26, 2009

We completed our work at the Four Canals site in Montezuma on September 26th. Here are photos of the work that was done on that day. Click on any picture for a larger view.

Choose your weapons, diggers -- we're ready to begin!

David Babson and Paul Baker uncover black plastic protecting Unit #3. This unit contained the wheel found from our August dig. 

Uncovering the wheel still intact in Unit #3

Terry Warner works on detailed sketch and measurements of the wheel found in Unit #3

Mike Riley, Canal Historian discusses the history of the site with Paul Baker and Ed Laraway.

Maureen O'Hora sifts as Pete Kappesser dumps another shovel full of soil  from level 3 in Unit #2

Margaret Sullivan resumes work in Unit #2 while friend, Pete looks on.

Margaret saying, "I can't believe Cheryl talked me into this AGAIN!"

Nancy Bates, our photograher in Unit #2.

Don Watkins resumes the surveying work.

Mr. Toad was not happy we uncovered his napping ground.

David Babson excavates mule/horse shoe found in the sidewall of Unit #1.

Bunny Baker and Bob Melvin cover Unit #1 to close it out.

Josh Lindstrom sifts through soil from Unit #3 while Bob Melvin and Barbara Black look on.

David Babson checks the soil type from  level three of Unit #2.

Mike Riley and Ed Laraway cover up Unit #3 to close it out.

A 2009 Penny was placed in each unit before closing.

Our September 26, 2009 Crew

GREAT JOB EVERYONE!

Left to Right: David Babson, Ed Laraway, Bunny Baker, Stan Longyear, Cheryl Longyear,  Mike Riley,  Pete Kappesser, Paul Baker, Bob Melvin; Front: Margaret Sullivan, Nancy Bates, Don Watkins, Terry Warner

Ed Laraway and Don Watkins carry out the excavated wheel.

Stan Longyear leads the crew out on the towpath trail at the end of the dig.

WISHING GONDOLA JOE A SAFE & HAPPY VOYAGE!

I would like to give attention here to another worthy Erie Canal project. Joe Deverell, a Weedsport native,  has begun a 150 mile trip traveling the Erie Canal on a Venetian Gondola from Buffalo to Baldwinsville. I've never met Joe, but I knew his mother, Val who worked at the Weedsport Library. Val died in 2004 of Lou Gehrig's disease, and the trip is a tribute to her memory, and to help raise money for a treatment and cure of this devastating disease. Learn more about his trip and follow Joe on his journey at his website: Gondola Joe.  

DIG SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED!

It's done! We completed the dig today. It was a beautiful day on the site -- perfect weather to close out the three units. The highlight of the day was successfully excavating the wheel uncovered in Test Unit #3. We had another great turnout of volunteers to complete this part of the project. In a couple of months we will schedule a time to clean and archive the artifact collection for later exhibit. A report will be done and a surveyed map will be overlaid on a historic map of the site.  I'll update the blog with more pictues from today soon. In the meantime, here's an article by Sara Gantz who was on site today from our local newspaper, The Citizen.

http://www.auburnpub.com/articles/2009/09/26/latest_news/10latestnews.txt

There are so many people to thank who made this project successful. This whole idea started as the result of a grant the Montezuma Historical Society received through the Upstate History Alliance to hire a consultant to help with an Interpretative Plan. We met with Linda Norris, an interpretative consultant who suggested we consider doing an archaeology dig. Linda recently highlighted the Montezuma dig along with two other groups to demonstrate what made volunteerism work with these projects. Check out Linda's September 22 entry on her blog at the 

Uncataloged Museum.

WE'RE READY TO GO!

Attention Volunteers: 

If you are checking in here this morning , the sun is shining and we're ready to go. See you at the sight at 10 AM!

9/12/09 DIG CANCELLED

Due to weather conditions not looking favorable today and some volunteers unable to be available, we've decided to reschedule the dig for SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH AT 10 AM.

LATEST UPDATE FOR RESUMING DIG WORK ON 9/12/09

Plans are to resume our work tomorrow morning, September 12th, 10 AM at the Historic Four Canals' site. 

Weather conditions may not be favorable again this weekend. Mr. Babson and I will make a decision by 8:30 AM if we feel it's best to cancel.  I will post another update here tomorrow by 9:00 AM, and also do my best to contact by phone those who I know might be coming should we decide to cancel.

Artifacts Found

Some lively competition began to develop early on between the test unit sites. Everyone wanted their site to find something exciting and unexpected. Site #3 quickly came to a halt as they began to uncover a small spoke wheel. Detailed drawings and measurements were made and recorded. Click on the top two photos for a larger, more detailed view of the wheel.