September 05, 2003
Westport Town-Wide Archaeological Reconnaissance Survey Update
PAL (Public Archaeology Laboratory) is entering the last phase of the town-wide archaeological reconnaissance survey of Westport. The Westport Historical Society contracted with PAL to complete the project and is funding the survey with support from its membership and town residents. The survey is designed to collect information about land use patterns in Westport ranging from 10,000 years ago to the mid-twentieth century, and to use this information to identify archaeological sites and locations where archaeological sites may be present.
The Public Day held at the Bell Schoolhouse on June 29 was a great success. Several dozen local residents brought in artifacts for identification, shared information on the history of the town, and asked questions about the survey. This single event resulted in the documentation of 17 potential prehistoric period (Native American) and 18 historic period archaeological sites. Combined with the research completed by PAL, nearly 50 new archaeological sites have been identified in Westport as a result of the town-wide survey!
Archaeological sites have been identified in every section of Westport and range from large scatters of Native American stone tools, shell trash pits and campsites to eighteenth and nineteenth century cellar holes and mill ruins. Together, this information documents more than 10,000 years of human activity in Westport.
The final phase of work will include the production of a technical report that summarizes the environmental and historical research completed for the project, details the results of the survey, and includes archaeological sensitivity maps of the entire town of Westport. This report will be used by the WHS, the Town, and the Massachusetts Historical Commission to help identify and protect important archaeological resources.
It’s not too late to contribute your knowledge about archaeological sites in Westport. You can contact Holly Herbster, Project Archaeologist at (401) 728-8780 or hherbster@palinc.com