Fire reveals hidden treasures at Ohio’s historic Overfield Tavern Museum

Archaeologists in Ohio uncover hidden items of early American historical past beneath the charred floorboards of a historic tavern.

The dig is a part of restoration efforts on the Overfield Tavern in Troy, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of Dayton.

In current weeks, excavators from Ohio Valley Archeology Inc. dug underneath the museum, the oldest constructing within the metropolis.

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The constructing was in-built 1808 and served as a courthouse till 1811, when it was transformed into an inn. It has been listed on the Nationwide Register of Historic Locations since 1976.

A devastating fireplace within the early hours of Dec. 7, 2024, destroyed the museum’s inside, though the unique 1808 picket partitions remained largely intact, in line with the museum’s web site.

Archaeologists uncover artifacts beneath the floorboards of the historic Overfield Tavern, one of many oldest constructions in Troy, Ohio. (@OverfieldTavernMuseum through Fb)

The hearth was later dominated an accident by state fireplace officers.

In an sudden silver lining, 1000’s of historic artifacts have been present in current months, with the assistance of excavators and volunteers alike.

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Photographs from the positioning present volunteers sifting by means of grime and rocks to recuperate the artifacts.

Chris Manning, government director of the Overfield Tavern Museum, advised Fox Information Digital that a lot of the artifacts recovered date from the early nineteenth century to the late twentieth century.

Officers say an estimated 4,000 artifacts have been recovered since excavation work started beneath the historic museum. (Overfield Tavern Museum through Fb)

“We discovered a number of prehistoric artifacts which might be clearly a lot older,” Manning stated.

“Laboratory analyzes at the moment underway will present extra data.”

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Manning added, “I estimate the variety of artifacts recovered is round 4,500, however once more, we cannot know till the archaeologists full their laboratory evaluation.”

Artifacts embody an 1817 coin discovered underneath the tavern’s floorboards, together with an 1846 coin.

The unique picket partitions of the 1808 tavern survived the 2024 fireplace, permitting consultants to protect necessary items of the constructing’s previous. (Google Maps)

Manning stated excavators discovered proof that the small picket constructing in the back of the tavern was constructed later than beforehand believed.

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‘Possibly it was constructed just a few years after the inn, [and] We beforehand thought the small picket constructing within the again was about 5 years older,” Manning added.

“We additionally uncovered a considerable limestone basis within the yard that extends nearly two meters under floor. [It] was paved on the backside with a layer of brick ground.”

The excavation outcomes will likely be analyzed within the laboratory earlier than artifacts are cataloged and ready for show on the museum. (Overfield Tavern Museum through Fb)

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He added: “The evaluation remains to be ongoing, nevertheless it might be an ice cellar or root cellar constructed within the first half of the nineteenth century.”

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Manning stated he plans to have the tavern absolutely restored by 2027, when the museum reopens to the general public.

“Chosen artifacts will ultimately go on show as soon as the museum is restored,” he stated.

The restoration of the Overfield Tavern will present new perception into Troy’s earliest years as a rising frontier group. (Overfield Tavern Museum through Fb)

The dig occurred throughout the identical fall months as the same dig in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

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Archaeologists and college students from Millersville College lately unearthed the doubtless stays of the county’s oldest tavern, courting again to 1725.