Intern Spotlight: Kaitlin Sennewald

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This is the first in a series of posts highlighting our awesome summer interns! First up is Kaitlin Sennewald from the University of Maryland.

Kaitlin Sennewald, 2022 Summer Intern

“My name is Kaitlin Sennewald, and I’m a rising senior at the University of Maryland. I am studying Environmental Science and Policy with a concentration in Culture and Environment.  This summer, through my internship with Lost Towns, I am learning about archaeology lab and field methods by assisting in excavations and processing material from many different sites, including Whitehall, River Farm, and Kinder Farm.

Kaitlin (L) with fellow intern Julia (R) at the River Farm Site in Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary

“I have learned a lot about processing artifacts as well as about field techniques, including excavation, site mapping, and artifact identification. I also look forward to learning more about local history by participating in digs at multiple different sites throughout the summer.”

Thanks, Kaitlin! It’s been a pleasure working with you this summer.

Your support can help us provide internships to the next generation of archaeology and historic preservation professionals! If you are able, please consider making a tax-deductible internship donation to the Lost Towns Project today. Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a big difference in preserving local history. Thank you!

Welcome Summer Interns!

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TWO graduate students, FIVE undergrads, ONE high schooler, and ONE recent grad walk into an archaeology lab…

Wait–it’s not a joke:

This is our amazing crew of 2022 interns and they are keeping the Lost Towns Project and Anne Arundel County’s Preservation Stewardship Program BUSY this summer!

Interns Kaitlin Sennewald and Julia Ribblett learn the basics of archaeology field techniques at the River Farm Site in Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary

Our Interns hail from educational institutions across Maryland, as well as the Midwest, New England, and the UK, and are focusing on a variety of archaeology, preservation and heritage research. Projects range from learning the basics of field and lab methods, documenting historic cemeteries, and studying the impacts of climate change on historic sites, to a study of the the archaeology of black spaces on plantation landscapes, zooarchaeology (the study of animal bones), and analyzing artifacts from the Ogle Research Collection to explore interactions between Native American groups in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic over 2,000 years ago. Stay tuned for their blog posts as they highlight their research projects.

Special thanks to funding from Maryland Humanities and their SHARP Recovery Grants Fund1, matched by generous donations by our supporters. This funding has allowed the Lost Towns Project offer two interns financial stipends for the first time ever. Offering financial support has raised the quality and commitment of our intern pool, and undoubtedly helped with gas expenses!

We would love to offer funding for three interns next summer. If you are able to help us support the rising stars in the fields of archaeology and historic preservation, please consider making an internship donation to the Lost Towns Project today. (LTP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit–so it’s tax deductible!) History will thank you!

1Funding for these grants has been provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and Maryland Humanities as part of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) and the NEH Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan (SHARP) initiative.

Anne Arundel County Celebrates Historic Preservation Month 2022

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ANNAPOLIS, MD (May 9, 2022) –  Join history enthusiasts nationwide this May in celebrating National Preservation Month. The observance, first established in 1973 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as “Preservation Week,” expanded to the entire month of May in 2005 to provide Americans more opportunities to celebrate the diverse and unique heritage of our country’s cities and states. Historic preservation is not only an effective tool in smart growth and sustainability practices, it enhances quality of life, increases local pride and community involvement, and is a significant economic driver.

The Office of Planning & Zoning is joining in on the celebration by inviting citizens to participate in our Preservation Stewardship Program, sponsored by the Cultural Resources Section. The CRS team will offer several events and educational programs throughout the month, so citizens can explore, experience, and participate in preserving the historic places that matter across the county.

  • Historic Sites Planner, Darian Beverungen, will lead an architectural tour of Historic Linthicum Walks on Monday, May 9th from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.
  • Archaeological Sites Planner, Anastasia Poulos, will participate in a panel on the discovery and documentation of historic burial grounds. as part of a virtual symposium on May 14th from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. aimed at preserving African American historical and cultural legacies, and sponsored by the Remembrance and Reconciliation Commission of Montgomery County.
  • On May 19th, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., we welcome volunteers to join in on a guided hike at Bacon Ridge to monitor trail conditions for potential archaeological impacts. Walk with us and learn how Anne Arundel County is working to preserve and protect archaeological sites.
  • Archaeologist Drew Webster, will lead an archaeology hike at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary on Saturday, May 21st, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Explore the landscape where indigenous peoples have lived for 13,000 years, and view ancient artifacts that have helped improve our knowledge about the County’s prehistoric past.
  • In honor of Preservation Month and to support the County’s mission to protect significant historic sites, the Cultural Resources Section invites you to help us by completing an online Cemetery Preservation Survey where you can share your knowledge and observations regarding the conditions and potential risks to endangered historic cemeteries in your communities.   

Reservations are required for most events. To sign up for one or more events or to learn more about the County’s Preservation Stewardship Program, visit. www.aacounty.org/Preservation-Stewardship

Executive Proclamation

Volunteers Welcome: Archaeology Field Session at Whitehall Plantation, Annapolis

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In partnership with the Brandywine Foundation, the State of Maryland, and the Lost Towns Project, the Anne Arundel County Cultural Resources Section will be excavating an area that could yield new information about those who worked and lived on Whitehall Plantation in the late 18th and 19th century and whose stories have yet to be told.

The narrative and existing documentation has yet to adequately address the full history of the site, and archaeology promises to tell us about both the freedman and enslaved workers who lived and worked here. This work is the first foray into telling a broader, more inclusive story about the Whitehall Plantation.

A limited number of volunteers are welcome to assist. Volunteers must register here in advance. Volunteers new to fieldwork should attend the volunteer orientation on April 12th or email Drew Webster at [email protected] for more information. Volunteers should also review the field manual. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Whitehall