Unearthing Dartmouth History
For two weeks in June, as part of Dartmouth’s 250th anniversary, a team of archeologists and volunteers from the community dug up history on the front lawn of Dartmouth Library’s Baker-Berry Library. Under the supervision of Professor of Anthropology Jesse Casana and field director Heather Rockwell, a postdoctoral scholar, they used shovels, trowels, and sifters to exhume the remains of the Ripley-Choate House, which once stood on that site before being moved to North Main Street. The excavators found a treasure trove of everyday household items that had been lost or discarded down a privy hole, including lots of imported china, a gold ring, and false teeth.
Filmed and edited by Chris Johnson.