Archaeology News

Three recent articles of interest:

1. Pittsburgh, Pa.- Workers at Point State Park, where the Allegeheny and Monongahela rivers join to form the Ohio River, have found what they believe to be part of the drainage system of the old French Fort Duquesne.

There is a $35 million renovation being done to the park as Pittsburgh continues its efforts of beautification. Unfortunately, the drainage system will be covered over with earth.

This fort played a role during the French and Indian War when it was destroyed and later, British Fort Pitt built on top of it. Both forts were wooden stockade ones.

In a couple weeks, renovation will continue elsewhere in the park and they think they might find remnants of the wooden stockade. I would hope they leave this open or even reconstruct it.

2. Starhill, Louisiana- US-61 is going to be widened and archaeologists are excavating along the path of it. They have uncovered the ruins of a sugar mill at a former plantation. They estimate it was constructed sometime between 1849 and 1851. A full documented report was made as the site will be destroyed. Sorry to lose a bit of history here, but that's the cost of progress. At least the report was made.

3. Vicksburg, Mississippi- The Vicksburg National Military Park was vandalized this past week at a cost of over $10,000. About one hundred large holes were dug by persons searching for Civil War relics. These were evidently considerably bigger than what you'd normally find with someone using just a shovel. The worst thing they vandals did was dig out the back of the Texas Monument.

I hate to hear this. These people were probably just looking to get rich on E-Bay.

--RoadDog