** 2 Jtl&Jk** Visit an archaeological experiment The Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation is nestled between the hills and valleys of Ridley Creek State Park with worm fences surrounding it. The fences were so named because they were made up of a series of crooks. By JOANNE SPAHR How about taking your family to an archaeological .expedition next weekend? 4}t’s not as silly as it sounds. Although most people conjure up pictures of an cient Egyptian pyramids and tombs in the Mediterranean, these are not necessarily the only ar chaeological expeditions which exist. Actually, there is one fairly close by to families in Lancaster, Berks, York, Lebanon, and especially Chester, counties. The place in mind is Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation which is nestled between the hills and valleys of Ridley Creek State Park near Edgemont, Pa. Now in Delaware County, back in the time of Joseph Pratt HI during the mid-1700’s, the period to which the plan tation is being restored, it in East Bradford Township, Chester County. That was the time history was being made in Philadelphia, and Benjamin Hawley, a neighboring farmer, didn’t even record the momentous events in his diary. He was too busy going about his business of working a Chester County farm. To find out exactly what it was that Hawley and other Chester County and southeastern farmers did as a daily routine, what their tools were like, and how long it took them, plus many more facts of daily life are the goals of Bishop’s Mill Historical Institute, a non profit corporation which has pledged in its goals and objectives to “establish an accurate 18th century ~ working farm, alive in all ♦ espects and accurately reflecting the historical natural environment as well as the life style, technology, and world view of most people in this area two hundred years ago.” To do this, the group uses the mid 1700’s and living in the plantation as a working the manner of the Joseph laboratory and ar- Pratt m family, they keep chaelogical experiment. The records of their work and in staff and volunteers at the this manner learn more plantation dress in the style about the period and what it of the 1770’s and, working actually was like to live back with “reasonable fac- then. In technical terms, this similes” of the original tools, is called imitative or ex actually restore the plan- perimental research, tationandfarmtothe way it For instance, they have was at that time. While restored the floors of the east working with the tools and section of the house using the facilities found back in replicas of the old tools, and The farm family, or staff and volunteers who work at the plan tation, have a daily meal which they prepare from foods they have raised on the farm. Although they do buy some ingredients which the colonial Mini vacation jsts were m , used - just rails. They were all of equal length and were loosely piled over one another. pholo „ Splto by keeping a ledger of all the procedures, while for other work done, now more closely experiments they don’t plan understand the procedure of on enough time. It is this making the floor and the actual participating and “work life” of the tools in- trying the experiment volved. themselves which helps to “We’re experiencing what clarify history and the we term a “learning curve,” researcher’s understanding says one staff member. To of the period. explain this further, he goes According to Ernest on to say that sometimes the Palmer Jr., vice president of researchers will predict too the Board of Directors of long a period of time for BMHI, and historian for the carrying out some group, there has been no in- family of the 1770’s would have also needed to purchase, the group is trying to be as self-sufficient as farm families at the time of the American Revolution. Lancaster Farming. Saturday. Jul <f MMU for a change 24.1976- depth understanding of the typical, propserous, though not wealthy, farm back in the 1750’s in this region. So, the group is out to learn what was what by using the plantation as a laboratory. But, the Colonial Penn sylvania Plantation is not off limits while all this is going on. Actually, the staff en courages visitors to come and share on a personal basis what they are learning. “Here, visitors can touch things and ask questions. We are working for a per sonalized museum,” says one volunteer. And it is very per sonalized. Instead of the huge influx of visitors which flow through most roped-off museums, Colonial Penn sylvania Plantation has about 300 visitors a day and a garrulous, friendly staff who will stop and explain the techniques they are using and what they have learned from their research. But, of course, each visitor can glean from the museum in the making whatever he wishes. For those who want to go in depth into certain areas, there are experts on folklore, archaeology, an thropology, historic agriculture and American studies. Comer any one of these experts and your world will be expanded rapidly. But, if you are not in the mood for an archaeological or anthropological lesson, you can just stroll through the working plantation and enjoy the feeling of going back into history during the time when George Washington was nearby at Valley Forge. Dr. Jay Anderson, who is in charge of the project, says that the majority of the visitors stay two hours or more, which is fairly long for a family with children. Then, he adds, there are also the (Continued on Page 26] 17
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers