Tim Dinsmore will lead an archaeological investigation on the grounds of the Chapman-Hall House in Damariscotta Sept. 1-11. Visitors are welcome to observe the work. (Photo courtesy Lincoln County Historical Association)
The grounds of Lincoln County Historical Association’s Chapman-Hall House museum in Damariscotta will be the site of an archaeological investigation during the first two weeks of September.
Historical archaeologist Tim Dinsmore, of Midcoast Archaeology, will direct the research of the site surrounding the 1754 house. Dinsmore is a professional archaeologist who brings more than 30 years of experience in research, educational outreach and archaeological consulting. He has been involved in numerous historic archaeological projects involving all phases of Maine archaeology and specializes in 17th and 18th century sites.
Dinsmore holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in anthropology from the University of Maine at Orono and attended the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va. for graduate work in historical archaeology.
The primary goal of the project is to sample the grounds around Chapman-Hall House through a controlled archaeological dig to enhance the knowledge of material objects used in the house throughout history. An authentic setting within the house museum is important in telling the stories of the Chapman and Hall families who lived in the house.
Findings from this project may lead to updated interpretative material displayed in the house that accurately depicts the belongings of these two families. In addition, the results of the archaeological dig will be showcased in an exhibit.
A second objective will be to determine whether the purported 1754 date for the beginning occupancy of the house is accurate. Primary records documenting the date for the construction of the house are nonextant and the resulting date is derived from oral tradition. If a mid-18th century construction date for the Chapman-Hall House is accurate, certain artifacts should be revealed in the upcoming archaeological work.
Everyday wares, particularly ceramics, are temporally diagnostic and will aid in making a determination as to the construction date.
An equally important aspect of the Chapman-Hall House Archaeology Project is to welcome the community to observe the work and to learn the important role archaeology can play in interpreting the everyday lives of past peoples—in this case, the daily lives of the Chapman and Hall families.
While Dinsmore conducts archaeological work throughout the state of Maine, and at times in Jamaica, West Indies, he particularly enjoys research projects in the Midcoast where he has lived his entire life. “People often ask why I’m not off working on projects in some far-distant place and my reply to that is always the same– we have so much early history right here, in the Midcoast, that’s worth preserving,” he said. “Sharing these stories with the public of how our communities came into existence through both the documentary and archaeological records is very satisfying.”
The project will run from Thursday, Sept. 1 through Sunday, Sept. 11, and is sponsored by the Lincoln County Historical Association.
Lincoln County Historical Association is a nonprofit organization that provides stewardship for the 1754 Chapman-Hall House in Damariscotta, the 1761 Pownalborough Court House in Dresden, and the 1811 Old Jail and Museum in Wiscasset. For more information, please visit lincolncountyhistory.org, Facebook at Lincoln County Historical Association (Maine) or Pownalborough Court House Museum.
