Exhibits

We currently offer two online exhibits. The most recent is our “Site B” Online Archaeology Exhibit, which was funded by the Richard Gwathmey and Caroline T. Gwathmey Memorial Trust and provides an overview of our current excavations as well as numerous images related to the written and archaeological history of this fascinating Jefferson-era site. Our other exhibit entitled “Three Landscape Areas, Three Periods, Three Perspectives” was funded by Verizon, and highlights the changes that have taken place in Poplar Forest’s core landscape.

Onsite exhibits include a window display that allows visitors to watch archaeologists at work in the lab. Our glass fronted laboratory also currently contains an exhibit on the process of cross-mending artifacts. This particular archaeological technique has been able to tell us how Site B was connected with other portions of the plantation community during Jefferson’s time.

Permanent exhibits are also located on the basement level of the main house, where you can learn how archaeological excavation is conducted, how archaeologists date the artifacts they find, and what we have uncovered about slave life at Poplar Forest.

Visitors may also take a walking tour of the property, where detailed signs describe information found during previous excavations and a ghost structure (shown below) documents the dimensions and location of the slave cabin found at the Quarter Site. Visitors may also interact with archaeologists as they continue field work throughout the summer.

 

Recent Research Awards

2007-2009
The Department of Archaeology and Landscapes at Poplar Forest has received a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to support our ongoing excavation and analysis of Sites A and B. The overall project will focus on the laboratory tasks needed to catalogue and analyze cultural and environmental data collected during excavation. The results of the work will be presented to a broad public audience through both onsite and online exhibits.

2008
The James O. Watts III summer research internships in historical archaeology were made possible through the generosity of gifts from Mr. Watts’ colleagues at ZC Sterling.

2008
This season’s summer field school has been generously supported by the Richard S. Reynolds foundation.

2007
The “Site B Online Archaeology Exhibit” was funded by the Richard Gwathmey and Caroline T. Gwathmey Memorial Trust.