Found: George Washington's house
Archaeologists report that the remains of an old farmhouse they've spent three years digging up is the childhood home of George Washington. What a deeeelightful pre-July 4 announcement. The excavation, on the Rappahannock River, was the last of three likely sites where the home could have been. The researchers spent the last few years carefully digging out foundation stones, chimneys, wine bottles, forks, wig curlers, a tea set, and even bone toothbrush handles. (No, George's teeth apparently weren't wood even as an adult.) The image seen here shows the home's footprint. From the New York Times:
George Washington's house (New York Times, thanks Jennifer Lum!)“What we see at this site is the best available window into the setting that nurtured the father of our country,” Philip Levy, an archaeologist and associate professor of history at the University of South Florida, said in an announcement of the discovery.
Dr. Levy and other members of the excavation team said the foundations, stone-lined cellars and other remains suggested that this was far from being the rustic cottage of common perception, but instead one befitting a family of the local gentry. It was a much larger one-and-a-half-story residence, with perhaps eight rooms and an adjacent structure for the kitchen.
David Muraca, director of archaeology for the George Washington Foundation, said the size, characteristics and location of the structure, as well as many artifacts from the time of Washington’s youth, had led experts to conclude that this was indeed the house they were looking for.
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George Washington Slept Here.
Among many other places. Tramp.
George Washington was a truly great man, and from all accounts, a great guy.
A bit early but Happy 4th of July to all Americans.
PS Read as much Francis Parkman (the great US historian writing in the 19th C.) as you can find. Great great stuff... both interesting and amusing.
Finally - a brilliant use for the UK govenment's appeal this week for suggested mashups using government data. We could do an analysis of the kind of houses lived in by the people running the country.
I'm willing to bet a sizeable proportion include wig curlers. My mate who works for Gordon Brown tells me that you don't get anywhere in politics without them, so I've just sent off for a set. Before you ask what hair Gordon curls with his, don't.
But did they find the stump of the cherry tree?
Heh, I drive by this place nearly everyday. Funniest thing about it is that there is a McDonalds directly across from it. Capitalism Ftw.
I love how Americans call 300-year-old sites "archeology".
Carnadine @6: I don't think there's a definitive time limit on what counts as archaeology. In the UK, the Channel 4 archaeology show Time Team often goes on digs younger than that. In fact, in the last series they had one show digging up WW2 defences in London.
Nelson.C @7: I didn't mean it wasn't archeology (though writing from Israel it's a little odd that it's considered as such); I just find it funny. Here anything under 1500 years is barely considered worth digging up. :)
Oh WE'VE been here for over 1500 -years- ... you Americans are so quaint... ha ha...
Well, please ex-CUSE us for finally moving away from home.
And you never come and visit, you don't write, you don't even call. It's your birthday, we've got the whole family here, even your Aunt France who you insulted so bad, we got a cake and everything and are you here? No, America, you're too busy with your fast friends. No, you go and party, don't bother about us, we don't stay up late enough for you....