On November 1st, the ASNJ Gloucester County Chapter presents Mr. Wade Catts, Archaeologist and President of South River Heritage Consulting. Wade will be updating us on the progress of the Hessian Soldier discovery of 2022 and the recent summer digs this year at the Red Bank Battlefield!
The meeting is being held on Wednesday, November 1, 2023 at 7pm at RiverWinds. The venue is located at 1000 RiverWinds Dr, West Deptford, NJ 08086
Open to the Public - Free Admission
The Archaeological Society of New Jersey is putting out a call for papers and posters for its first annual conference to be held in Princeton February 16-18th, 2024.
Topics may cover a wide range of archaeological and historical topics in the mid-Atlantic region. Papers from wider regions will be considered on the topic’s relevance to regional archaeology and history. Papers may cover all time periods from prehistoric to recent history and heritage topics. Students are especially encouraged to present.
Paper presentations will be 15 minutes long. Posters should be no more than 36x48”.
To be considered, submit a title, authors with affiliations, and abstract (no more than 250 words), at this link.
Submissions will be evaluated based on their relevance and suitability to mid-Atlantic archaeology by the ASNJ Conference Committee. Submission deadline is November 30, 2023. Once paper presentation slots are full, authors may be asked to instead present a poster.
Please navigate to the main conference page for more information about the event and we hope to see you there!
The Hopewell Valley Historical Society is hosting their 2023 Annual Meeting on Sunday, September 24, 2023.
In-person meeting: Howell Living History Farm, 70 Woodens Lane, Hopewell Township
Online: Internet Webinar via Zoom - Register Here
2 pm - HVHS Annual Membership Meeting with Election of Officers and Trustees
The public is welcome to attend. Members will vote on HVHS business.
Presentation of the Hopewell Valley History Awards.
3 pm - Historic Preservation Program - “The Archaeology of Two Hopewell Farms”
Michael Gall
Michael J. Gall, Principal Senior Archaeologist at Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc., will be presenting on the Moore Family Farmstead in Hopewell.
Richard Hunter
Dr. Richard Hunter, President of Hunter Research, Inc., will be presenting on the Phillips Family of Pleasant Valley, especially as it relates to Howell Living History Farm.
For more information about the meeting, please go to the Hopewell Valley Historical Society website and view the Event Page on Facebook.
Meeting date: Saturday, October 21, 2023 10am-4pm
Venue: Ramapo College of New Jersey - Pavilion Building, Room 1
(near Poplar Avenue and Sumach Road)
Address: Ramapo College of New Jersey, Mahwah, NJ
Parking: Nearby parking lot entrance off of Poplar Avenue
Click here to access a Campus Map (see #19)
10:00 am – 11:30 am: Executive Board Meeting (All Members Welcome)
11:30 am – 12:00 pm: Break
12:00 pm: ASNJ President’s Welcome and Announcements
Introduction by Dr. Michael Middleton (Provost/Vice President for Teaching, Learning, & Growth, Ramapo College of New Jersey)
Lecture 1: Edward Lenik (Consulting Archaeologist), “From Indigenous Ancestral Homeland to Ramapo College: The Mountainside Farm Site, Mahwah, New Jersey.”
Lecture 2: Nancy Gibbs (Independent Historian), “Ramapoch Patentee Blandina Kierstede Bayard, Indian Trader and her Legacies”
Lecture 3: Chief Vincent Mann (Turtle Clan of the Ramapough Lenape Nation), Topic TBD
2:30 pm – 3:00 pm: Break with refreshments.
Lecture 4: Dara McGuinness (Program Coordinator, Gilder Lehrman Institute), Topic: Archaeological Field School at Crow Canyon
Lecture 5: Samantha Sproviero (Ph.D. student in History, Temple University), Topic: Archaeological Field School at James Madison’s Montpelier
Lecture 6: Richard Adamczyk (Archaeologist, Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc.; Curator, Alan E. Carmen Museum of Prehistory), “Dancey’s Corner Site (28-Sa-240): A Case Study in Cultural Resource Management”
4:00 pm: Closing Remarks
4:15 pm: Visit to Mahwah Museum: special exhibit “Ramapough—Legacy and Heritage”
**Lecture schedule subject to further revision. Please stay tuned to our social media accounts for programming updates.
We look forward to seeing you there!
The January 2024 Quarterly Meeting is planned for Saturday, January 20th, 2024 at Monmouth Battlefield State Park.
Dr. David Orr presents 60 Years of Battlefield Archaeology.
The meeting is being held on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 at 7pm at RiverWinds. The venue is located at 1000 RiverWinds Dr, West Deptford, NJ 08086
Open to the Public - Free Admission
The Gloucester County Chapter of the Archaeological Society of New Jersey in concert with Gloucester County Parks and Recreation Department continued with their fourth scheduled public dig at the Red Bank Battlefield in National Park, N.J. on Sunday, June 18, 2023. The Public Dig program is headed by Rowan’s Public History Professor and curator of the Red Bank Battlefield, Dr. Jennifer Janofsky and lead archaeologist Wade Catts, President of South River Heritage Consulting.
The Gloucester County Chapter posted this update on their Facebook page:
What beautiful weather to close out 4 amazing “Public Dig Days” hosted by the Gloucester County Department of Parks & Recreation. Members of the (Gloucester County) Chapter of ASNJ had another productive day unearthing artifacts from historic Fort Mercer in National Park, N.J. In addition to our club members, we are thankful to the many local Archeologists who volunteered their time and knowledge to assist in this public history event! A special thanks to Dr. Jennifer Janofsky - Rowan Professor of Public History and Curator of Red Bank Battlefield along with Wade Catts, Archeologist and President of South River Heritage Consulting who have coordinated this popular public participation event for a second year!
Be sure to follow the Gloucester County Chapter on Facebook!
See the update of the first week of digging here: www.asnj.org/asnj-news-archive/gccarchaeologyday1
See the update of the second week of digging here: www.asnj.org/asnj-news-archive/gccarchaeologyday2
See the update of the third week of digging here: www.asnj.org/asnj-news-archive/gccarchaeologyday3
The Gloucester County Chapter of the Archaeological Society of New Jersey in concert with Gloucester County Parks and Recreation Department continued with their third scheduled public dig at the Red Bank Battlefield in National Park, N.J. on Saturday, June 10, 2023. The Public Dig program is headed by Rowan’s Public History Professor and curator of the Red Bank Battlefield, Dr. Jennifer Janofsky and lead archaeologist Wade Catts, President of South River Heritage Consulting.
The Gloucester County Chapter posted this update on their Facebook page:
Welcome to Week #3 as we continue digging into the past at the Red Bank Battlefield… Today’s dig was called “ARCHAEOLOGY DAY FOR VETERANS”. It was an honor to invite and dig with the many Veterans who proudly served our nation. Members of the ASNJ assisted with digging and identifying the many artifacts that were screened by out guests. This is the third installment of four public archaeological digs created by the Gloucester County Department of Parks and Recreation under the direction of Dr. Jennifer Janofsky and Lead Archaeologist, Wade Catts. We are continuing to find many amazing Revolutionary War artifacts from the 1777 Battle of Red Bank, along with an array of Native American artifacts too!
Be sure to follow the Gloucester County Chapter on Facebook!
See the update of the first week of digging here: www.asnj.org/asnj-news-archive/gccarchaeologyday1
See the update of the second week of digging here: www.asnj.org/asnj-news-archive/gccarchaeologyday2
The Gloucester County Chapter of the Archaeological Society of New Jersey in concert with Gloucester County Parks and Recreation Department continued with their second scheduled public dig at the Red Bank Battlefield in National Park, N.J. on Sunday, June 4, 2023. The Public Dig program is headed by Rowan’s Public History Professor and curator of the Red Bank Battlefield, Dr. Jennifer Janofsky and lead archaeologist Wade Catts, President of South River Heritage Consulting.
The Gloucester County Chapter posted this update on their Facebook page:
Another great Sunday digging into the past at the Red Bank Battlefield. The members of ASNJ (Gloucester County Chapter) assisted in the second installment of four public archeological digs created by the Gloucester County Parks and Recreation Department under the direction of Dr. Jennifer Janofsky. Many revolutionary war artifacts were discovered such as musket balls, buckles, cannon ball fragments and an array of Native American artifacts.
Be sure to follow the Gloucester County Chapter on Facebook!
See the update of the first week of digging here: www.asnj.org/asnj-news-archive/gccarchaeologyday1
The Gloucester County Chapter of the Archaeological Society of New Jersey in concert with Gloucester County Parks and Recreation Department and Rowan University students, assisted with the first of several scheduled public digs at the Red Bank Battlefield in National Park, N.J. on Sunday, May 21, 2023. A great time was had by all as the members helped many first time guests screen and identify various Native American and Revolutionary War artifacts. Members also took part in educating the public with some artifacts displayed from previous digs as well as a “Indiana Jones” obstacle course for the children! The Public Dig program is headed by Rowan’s Public History Professor and curator of the Red Bank Battlefield, Dr. Jennifer Janofsky and lead archaeologist Wade Catts, President of South River Heritage Consulting. Several more dates are scheduled this spring and summer for this very popular event!
Be sure to follow the Gloucester County Chapter on Facebook!
For those of you who missed the quarterly meeting, here are some photos from the event! In the coming weeks, please visit our YouTube channel to see the recordings of the presentations.
Please also subscribe to the society's YouTube channel at: ASNJ YouTube Account Link
Meeting date: Saturday, May 20, 2023
Venue: Stockton University - L Wing Room 112
Address: 101 Vera King Farris Dr, Galloway, NJ 08205
Parking: Lot 3 will be open to visitors
Click here to access a Campus Map
10:30 am – 12:30 pm: Executive Board Meeting (All Members Welcome)
12:30 pm – 1:00 pm: Break
1:00 pm: President’s Welcome & Announcements
1:15 pm: Presentation by the Richard Cook Curation Project (Stockton University), “A Decolonizing Framework for the Curation of 20th Century Private Collections”
1:40 pm: Lecture by Stephen D. Nagiewicz (Stockton University), “Citizen Science – How Non-Archaeologists Are Contributing to Site Interpretation and Mapping of a Revolutionary War Battle in Southern New Jersey”
Break and Artifact Display from the Richard Cook Collection
3:00 pm: Lecture by Bobbi Hornbeck (Stockton University), Topic: Digging History/Museum of Cape May
3:25 pm: Lecture by R. Alan Mounier, “Old Dog, New Tricks!”
3:50 pm: Closing Remarks
**Lecture schedule subject to further revision. Please stay tuned to our social media accounts for programming updates.
The October 2023 Quarterly Meeting is planned for Saturday, October 21st, 2023 at Ramapo College, in collaboration with Dr. Stephen Rice and Dr. Susan Hangen from the School of Humanities & Global Studies.
The Gloucester County Chapter of the Archaeological Society of New Jersey celebrates twenty five years in West Deptford Township! Members put together a display of thousands of artifacts from prehistoric to historic times. The community outreach program was a huge success with young to elderly enjoying a fun educational evening!
Come join the 25th Anniversary Artifact Show hosted by the Archaeological Society of New Jersey Cloucester County Chapter!
The event is being held on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 from 6-8:45pm at RiverWinds. The venue is located at 1000 RiverWinds Dr, West Deptford, NJ 08086
Open to the Public - Free Admission
The Archaeological Society of New Jersey is seeking three individuals interesting in serving on our newly formed Student and Young Professional Committee.
These positions aim to attract undergraduate students that can bring their perspectives and ideas to the ASNJ executive board. Their responsibilities would include liaising with university programs and performing outreach to other students with the ultimate goal of giving them a voice in the larger archaeological community. There is a growing discussion about how university programs can sufficiently prepare students for careers in archaeology and how the professional community can help guide students as they try to establish themselves as young professionals. These committee positions will give students a voice in the ASNJ, help them to address problems that students face, and help young professionals network within the archaeological community. Three students will be selected prior to the May meeting (5/20 at Stockton University) where they will be introduced. The positions will initially be non-voting committee positions, but during our January 2024 meeting, the entire membership will vote whether to make these positions permanent, voting, student members of the ASNJ executive board. Students should be able to commit to attending the May 20th meeting and regularly attending the quarterly meeting of the ASNJ. The term for these positions will be 2 years.
Interested undergraduate students over the age of 18 should apply through email (asofnj@gmail.com) to Richard Adamczyk (ASNJ VP for Membership) and George Leader (ASNJ President) and include:
1. Name, Institution, Year, Age, and Major
2. Short Biography highlighting background and interests in archaeology or history (1-2 paragraphs).
Selections will be made by mid-May and applicants will be notified by email.
Thank you for your interest!
Sincerely,
Richard Adamczyk
ASNJ Membership Chair,
Chairman of the Student and Young Professionals Committee
Meeting date: Saturday, March 18, 2023
Venue: The College of New Jersey, Physics Building – Room P101
Address: 2000 Pennington Road, Ewing, NJ 08628
Parking: Lots 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 17, and 18 will be open to visitors
Click here to access a Campus Map
11:00 am – 12:30 pm: Executive Board Meeting (All Members Welcome)
12:30 pm – 1:00 pm: Break
1:00 pm: President’s Welcome & Announcements
1:15 pm: Lecture by Michele Troutman (Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc./Binghamton University SUNY), Defining the Place of Bifurcates within the Northeast
Bifurcated-base projectile points have been used as a diagnostic marker along the eastern seaboard of the United States. Within this talk, a broad overview will be presented on bifurcate-based points, their chronology, and geographical spread. The contextual focus is the Northeast region.
1:40 pm: Lecture by Sean McHugh (Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc./Monmouth University), The Woolley Family and the Popular Swamp Tract: A Tale of Two Sites
2:00 pm: Break
2:30 pm: Lecture by Dr. George Leader (The College of New Jersey),
Hidden in the Floor: Ritual Concealment at the William Green Plantation
Investigations at the William Green Plantation in New Jersey uncovered at least seven occurrences of intentionally concealed material under the attic floorboards. The concealed items fall in the mid-late 19th century time range. The artifacts are likely representative of the long tradition of ritual concealment in historical homesteads usually associated with folk magic arriving with immigrants from England, but may also represent the actions of a young Black servant at the house.
2:55 pm: Closing Remarks
3:15 pm: Site Tour at the William Green House
Dear members,
We had a great turnout for the January meeting and four fantastic presentations. Based on the votes cast, George Leader, Ph.D. is the society's newest President and will serve out Kristen Hohn's remaining year. The newest Members at Large are Michelle Davenport and Jonathan Dernbach.
We are all looking forward to working with the new board members and are currently planning several events for the 2023 and 2024 calendar years.
Thanks for all of our members' support!
Meeting date: Saturday, January 21, 2023
Venue: Monmouth University, Pozycki Hall
Address: 400 Cedar Ave, West Long Branch, NJ 07764
Parking: Entrance A off Larchwood Avenue
Click here to access a Campus Map
11:00 am – 12:30 pm: Executive Board Meeting (All Members Welcome)
12:30 pm – 1:00 pm: Break
1:00 pm - 1:15 pm: President’s Welcome
1:15 pm - 1:25 pm: Announcements
1:30 pm - 1:55 pm: Lecture by Ryan Knipple: Mapping the Pleistocene
Using maps of archaeological and fossil sites, I am trying to answer questions about the relationship between the two, such as: What was the relationship between Paleoindian peoples and Pleistocene megafauna in the American Northeast? and Did Paleoindian peoples cause Pleistocene extinctions in the American Northeast?
2:00 pm - 2:25 pm: Lecture by Dr. Richard Veit (Monmouth University), Alan Cooper (Morristown Beard School), and Stacy Noonan: Unearthing William Alexander Lord Stirling’s Estate Finding a Forgotten Founding Father
Starting in the 1980s, and for nearly twenty years, Dr. Alan Cooper of the Morristown Beard School directed a major public archaeology project at the site of William Alexander, aka Lord Stirling’s Estate, “The Buildings” in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. Dr. Cooper and a team of volunteers spent nine years excavating at the site and unearthed rich archaeological deposits and numerous archaeological features associated with one of the grandest estates in colonial New Jersey and the lives of its inhabitants and visitors. Stirling was a major figure in colonial New Jersey, who invested heavily in iron and copper mining, viticulture, and progressive farming. He also served was a Major General during the American Revolution. This presentation provides a brief overview of Dr. Cooper’s excavations at site and their significance and highlights current research on the collections being carried out by Monmouth University graduate students Nikki Bowers and Stacy Noonan.
2:30 pm - 2:55 pm: Break
3:00 pm - 3:25 pm: Lecture by Dr. Matthew Kalos (Tenure-track Instructor of Anthropology; Brookdale Community College): “How Now Cornelius Low?” Excavating an 18th Century Landscape
This presentation will focus on the results of the 2022 archaeological field school performed by Brookdale Community College students at the Cornelius Low house, located in Piscataway, NJ. The presentation will focus on the history of the site, the archaeological process, and artifacts recovered. Finally, the presentation will situate the Low house in the history of New Jersey History.
3:30 pm - 3:55 pm: Lecture by Dr. Rachael Goldman (Monmouth University): Hiding a Colorful and Patterned Past: Ancient Sculpture and Polychromacity
In 2018, there was a strong effort by the New Yorker Magazine to document and set the record straight concerning reconstructions of polychromed sculpture. This new effort showed the work of the decades-long experience of archaeologists and ancient historians by reconstructing emperors and imperials images of Ancient Greece and Rome. Putting all notions aside about the “whitewashing” of history and bringing the colors to the surface on ancient sculpture and monuments had not reached the mainstream population and was debated vigorously. Recent archaeological studies on ancient sculpture and monuments comment on the complex decoration and exceedingly bright color compositions on the marble showed that the color was intended and not accidental (Sebesta, 1988, Brinkmann and Wünsche, 2007; Bradley, 2013, Abbe, 2015, Fine, 2015, Goldman, 2016) but also correspond with the written record to support their evidence. Text and image play closely together and the literature support when the colors were produced and what was available; certain colors were not available or used as originally thought. The names of the specific colors also show the attitudes of ancient writers. In particular, clothing and appearance of Greek and Roman sculpture command the most amount of attention. It is readily apparent that the ancient preferred bright and complimentary colors, but little attention has been devoted to the exact nature of these patterns and where they drew their inspiration. Through this discussion, I will consider the different color patterns on clothing from decorated sculpture. Among the sculptures that will be considered include temple pediments and decoration, grave markers, imperial busts and inscriptions. To this aim, ancient polychromed sculptures can shed new light on the impact that it had on the larger Ancient Mediterranean and their production methods.
3:55 pm: Closing Remarks
An election for the remainder of the President’s unexpired term, which runs through January 2024, as well as, two Member-At-Large seats on the board are also up for reelection.
Take a look at the candidates who are running for these positions here and those of you who are members, please remember to join us at the January 2023 Quarterly meeting on the 21st to cast your votes!
Dear ASNJ Members,
Our President, Kristen Hohn, has announced that she and her family are expecting their second child this March and has made the decision to step down from the remainder of her term. At the January 2023 meeting we will hold an election for the remainder of the President’s unexpired term, which runs through January 2024.
In addition to this position, two Member-At-Large seats on the board are also up for reelection.
Take a look at the candidates who are running for these positions and those of you who are members, please remember to join us at the January 2023 Quarterly meeting on the 21st to cast your votes!
George Leader
I was very humbled when I was asked if I would stand for ASNJ President. I have great respect for the impressive members and the strong and lasting contribution to archaeology in New Jersey that The Society has provided over the past 92 years.
I have been teaching archaeology and anthropology at The College of New Jersey for the last 10 years. During this time, I have been intimately involved in the development of our new anthropology major, began and grew a new Anthropology Society, created long-term archaeological opportunities for students, supervised dozens of archaeological research and theses projects, and worked to engage the public in our on-going projects. I’m very proud that our department is now consistently producing students who are carrying on to CRM careers and graduate school for archaeology and anthropology.
I have held a number of leadership positions at TCNJ including chairing the school-wide Learning Outcome and Assessment Committee as part of the accreditation process. I also chair a committee that has recently been turned into a special task force called the “Land and Legacy Committee”. Our goal is to further research the history of the land on which TCNJ now sits. I sit on our department’s curriculum committee, advise majors, and advise two student organizations.
As many of you know, my research falls into two vastly different areas chronologically and spatially. For 15 years I’ve been working in southern Africa in the Earlier Stone Age where I research hominid cultural transmission via lithic technology. My current project is in Namibia’s Namib Desert where we attempting to understand hominin occupation of this hyper-arid landscape.
Closer to home, I’ve been working on a number of historic sites in New Jersey and Philadelphia. One is the William Green Plantation on the campus of TCNJ. This has been a long-term project investigating the site’s role as a Revolutionary War billet and the lives of the indentured and enslaved persons at the house. I have also been working on the historic burial ground of the First Baptist Church of Philadelphia and the Locust Hill African American Cemetery in Trenton. I received my BA in Anthropology from Gettysburg College and my MSc and Ph.D. from University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.
As President of the Society, I hope to work closely with the board to ensure the continued health and steady growth of the Society. One priority I feel strongly about, is a discussion about the creation of an annual conference. I would propose turning one of the quarterly meetings into a larger weekend conference providing the opportunity for archaeologists and archaeology students from across the state to present papers and posters in a professional context. An annual conference has been standard practice in many state archaeological societies for years and offers significant benefits. It provides an opportunity for members to gather, discuss research, exchange ideas, network, and spend time getting to know one another without feeling like they need to rush off after a shorter Saturday meeting. The activities, happy hours, dinners, and conversation after a day of papers and posters develops a sense of community and belonging. I believe that with careful planning an annual meeting can increase funds, donations, and membership. In addition, a conference can bring more research to The Society which could boost submissions to The Bulletin.
I have been a member of ASNJ for 7 years and have greatly enjoyed meeting all the members. As President, I hope the experienced board members will help me transition into the role. I promise an open and equal table for everyone’s ideas to be discussed, and to approach the future with The Society’s Mission always in mind.
Thank you for your consideration.
-George
Michelle Davenport
I am a Senior Archaeologist with Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc, and have worked as an archaeologist across the country since 2011. I have been a member of the ASNJ since 2019 and was elected to sit on the ASNJ executive board as a Member-at-Large in 2020. I am running for a Member-at-Large position for the 2023-2026 term. Serving the ASNJ as a Member-at-Large is deeply rewarding, and I would be honored to be re-elected to the position. During my time on the ASNJ executive board, the society navigated the Covid-19 pandemic and used it as a way to implement some new ideas. We went virtual with our very successful lecture series and were able to continued volunteer digs and outreach. We are continuing to make efforts to increase the accessibility of our meetings and volunteer events to community members and working to bring in new community partners to work with, such as the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum, with which we had two successful volunteer events in 2020 and 2021. If re-elected to the position of Member-at-Large, I look forward to continuing to work with the ASNJ board and the society as a whole as we re-emerge from the pandemic and explore new ways of reaching a wider audience of history-seekers and archaeology enthusiasts.
Jonathan Dernbach
Hello everyone, I’m excited to throw in my name for one of the Member-at-Large positions for 2023. I’ve been a member of the ASNJ for two years now, and have worked as an archaeologist in New Jersey for the past three years. Currently, I’m a supervisory field archaeologist at Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc. and an assistant curator at the Alan E. Carman Museum of Prehistory in Cumberland County. Having experience with both the public-facing and not-so public facing sides of the discipline, the need for community outreach and engagement is something I am very keen on.
I recently had the opportunity to help out with the public dig at the Piscatawaytown Burial Ground in Edison and greatly enjoyed interacting with the society members and local community there. In running for a Member-at-Large position, I would like to continue to assist the ASNJ and further contribute as both a member and a professional in the field.
Joel Dworsky
Joel Dworsky is a professional archaeologist residing in Burlington, NJ, where he has lived since 2013. He grew up in Lower Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where he first became interested in history and archaeology, visiting and learning about sites and events throughout the Delaware River Valley. He channeled this interest in history and archaeology into academic study, completing his undergraduate work in anthropology at Millersville University in Pennsylvania (2005) and obtaining his master’s at the College of William and Mary (2010). Today he works as a principal investigator at AECOM, a cultural resources management firm in Burlington, NJ. Mr. Dworsky has excavated sites throughout New England, the Mid-Atlantic, the Caribbean, and Bermuda but has done much of his work in NJ and PA in the greater Philadelphia region. He has directed excavations on various kinds of sites—from pre-contact to industrial. Mr. Dworsky also has extensive experience as a GIS specialist and database manager, wherein he conducts a variety of spatial analyses (including predictive modeling, cut/fill, landscape reconstruction, as-built road analysis, and GIS palimpsest analysis) as well as building and managing databases of historical, archaeological and artifact data. Mr. Dworsky’s research interests are varied but share a common theme of trying to holistically understand the interconnectivity among sites. This holistic mental framework is partially due to his passion for sites related to the Atlantic World and its varied trade networks. Mr. Dworsky has been a member of ASNJ for several years and looks forward to bringing his experience and perspective to bear on getting more involved with ASNJ’s community and projects.
Please remember to join us at the January 2023 Quarterly meeting on the 21st to cast your votes!
Dear ASNJ Members,
Our President, Kristen Hohn, has announced that she and her family are expecting their second child this March and has made the decision to step down from the remainder of her term. At the January 2023 meeting we will hold an election for the remainder of the President’s unexpired term, which runs through January 2024.
In addition to this position, two Member-At-Large seats on the board are also up for reelection. The ASNJ is seeking nominations for these three roles and ask any interested individuals to please submit a short bio by December 15th, 2022. These bios will be posted on our website, available to general membership to review at their leisure in advance of the election on January 21st, 2023.
Bios and nominations can be submitted to asofnj@gmail.com through December 15th.
Any active member interested in taking a more active role in the organization is encouraged to apply!
The society would like to promote a video about the importance of community archaeology by the New Jersey Historical Commission that features NJ Archaeologists Drs. Chris Matthews and Marc Lorenc that was moderated by Noelle Lorraine Williams, the Director of the African American History Program at the NJ Historical Commission.
See below for their information about the video hosted on the New Jersey Historical Commission YouTube channel:
“In this conversation between Dr. Christopher Matthews (Montclair University) and Dr. Marc Lorenc (New Jersey Historical Commission), moderated by Noelle Lorraine Williams (New Jersey Historical Commission), we explore how and why organizations should consider doing a community archaeology project, dive into the nuances of what differentiates a community archaeology project from a typical archaeology project, address the benefits and challenges of starting such projects, and provide planning tips and considerations as you move forward with developing a community archaeology project. This webinar is part of our larger RevolutionNJ Public History Workshop series which aims to help organizations around the state create engaging public programming ahead of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. Revolution NJ is a partnership between the New Jersey Historical Commission (NJHC), a division of the New Jersey Department of State, and the nonprofit organization Crossroads of the American Revolution Association (Crossroads) to plan the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States in New Jersey. For more information and links to our other professional development offerings please visit: https://nj.gov/state/historical/revol... #archaeology #communityarchaeology #communityengagement #publichistory #history #RevolutionNJ #250th @New Jersey Historical Commission”
St. James Episcopal Church in Edison, NJ
The ASNJ is holding a two-day volunteer dig on the weekend of November 12-13 next to the St. James Episcopal Church in Edison Township, Middlesex County. The Church is located at 2136 Woodbridge Avenue and parking is available behind the church on Germantown Avenue, next to a public park. The society is conducting a research study in two areas of town land to look for the remains of a mid-19th-century school house and a 17th-century town house. We have been graciously allowed to do archaeology on the property by Edison Township. Funding has been provided by the Edison Greenways Group and the Middlesex County Office of Arts and History, both of which have been engaged in a multi-year study of the property surrounding the church, which was created as a town green in the late 17th century, to look for evidence of municipal buildings, such as a town house, an ammunition magazine, a jail, and a school house. The ASNJ has been involved in prior studies of the property that yielded evidence of early 19th-century and pre-Contact period Native American land use.
The society welcomes current members who are interested in volunteering. Up to six (6) volunteers can participate for each time slot. Two time slots are offered each day: the first from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and the second from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Afternoon site tours will be provided on November 13 from 1:00 to 3:30 pm to discuss the history of the town green and the Piscatawaytown Burial Ground. Volunteers can help dig 1.5-foot square test pits to expose buried foundation remains, screen soils to recover artifacts, and document deposits.
A volunteer sign up link is provided for those interested in helping and having fun.
ASNJ Dig Volunteer Sign Up (November 12-13), Saint James Episcopal Church, Edison, NJ
View the advertisement PDF here
Please direct questions to asofnj@gmail.com.
Piscatawaytown School 1937 MEHS 2022
1695: School or Town House Erected as a Log Building.
1800: 1st School House was Abandoned. New (2nd) School House Erected a Greater Distance from the Public Road, 30 yards from the Southern Extremity of the Present Parish House.
6/19/1835: Tornado Destroyed the 2nd School House.
1837: 3rd School House was Erected. The School House was a Two-Story Building with Classes for Boys on the First Floor and Classes for Girls on the Second Floor.
1852: 3rd School House was Enlarged. Female Teacher Hired and a Female Department Started.
1871: Repairs Made.
1875: Extensive Repairs Made.
12/15/1892: 3rd School House was Destroyed by a Fire Set by 14-Year Old William French.
1893: 4th School House Contracted to be Built as a 25-foot by 35-foot Building.
1914: Building to be Used as a Town Hall and Abandon its Use as a School.
1923: Building also used as a Police Department.
Circa 1937: Back Shed Addition Constructed.
1940s: Building No Longer Used as a Police Department.
1969: 4th School House Damaged by Fire.
1971: Repairs Made.
1980s: Building Used as a Town Meeting Place and as the Rabbi Jacob Joseph School.
1986: Building Used by the Edison Township Historical Society.
12/1986: Building Heavily Damaged by Fire and Razed.
Thanks to all of those who have attended our Quarterly Meeting this past Saturday October 15th. We had a wonderful turn out and appreciate the efforts of those who made it all possible, especially our host, the Monmouth County Parks System!
Sevrie Corson, Member-at-Large board member serving the term from Jan 2022 - Jan 2025 has informed the Society that she has accepted a new position out-of-state as district archaeologist at the Uwharrie National Forest in North Carolina and will be moving very soon! The ASNJ wishes her nothing but the best on her upcoming endeavors and we appreciate her service to the Executive Board!
Since this term has not yet expired, the Society has nominated Jim Lee for this vacancy which has been voted upon in a special election during Saturday’s meeting. This decision was voted upon by all members present and resulted with Jim Lee accepting the Member-at-Large position for the remainder of the term!
Meeting date: Saturday, October 15, 2022
Venue: Historic Walnford (Cow Barn)
Address: 62 Walnford Rd, Cream Ridge, NJ 08514
**Don't type in Walnford or Waln's Grist Mill to Google Map or it will take you to the closed side of the park and you'll have to turn around and go all the way back to the entrance.**
Click here to access a Park Brochure
The historic buildings of Walnford are open daily from 9am-4pm
11:00 am – 12:00 pm: Board Meeting in Historic Walnford Cow Barn (All members welcome)
12:30 pm – 12:45 pm: Grist Mill Demonstration
1:00 pm - 1:15 pm: Welcome by President (50/50 Raffle tickets for sale)
1:15 pm - 1:30 pm: Announcements (50/50 Raffle tickets for sale)
1:30 pm - 1:55 pm: Lecture: (Another) Disappearing Burial Ground: Locust Hill 19th Century African American Cemetery in Trenton, New Jersey
Dr. George Leader (The College of New Jersey)
Locust Hill African American Cemetery was active from 1861 until the late 1800s. The property was foreclosed in the early 20th century and eventually disappeared from maps. A new city park project renewed interest in the area surrounding the cemetery. Volunteer archaeological survey was conducted to help understand the cemetery in the late 19th century leading up to its "disappearance". The project also provides an opportunity to use archaeology to engage the public in this important aspect of local history.
2:00 pm - 2:25 pm: Lecture: Analyses of Recent Archaeological Faunas
Dr. Adam R. Heinrich (Monmouth University, Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc.)
Archaeological sites from the more recent past (late 19th-20th centuries) often do not get the same respect or attention that the earlier sites receive. This is unfortunate because it was one of the most dynamic periods of our history with changing economics, immigration, social structures, and culture, including cuisine. A look at some select recent faunal assemblages can provide some details about what can be learned from these sites.
2:25 pm - 2:30 pm: ASNJ Project and Museum updates
2:30pm - 2:55 pm: Break/Artifact Display
Richard Adamczyk (Alan Ewing Carman Museum of Prehistory in Cumberland County, Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc.)
3:00 pm - 3:20 pm: Lecture: Red Bank Battlefield and Documenting the Hessian Experience
Dr. Jennifer Janofsky (Red Bank Battlefield Project, Rowan University)
This talk explores the summer 2022 archeology project at Red Bank Battlefield Park which resulted in the discovery of 15 sets of Hessian remains.
3:20 pm - 3:30 pm: Raffle Announcement & Closing Remarks
