Public Archaeology in Elfreth’s Alley, Philadelphia, PA

[D]

I read about this ongoing project and found it simply amazing. There is a colonial period archaeology project going on in Philadelphia that offers volunteer opportunities for public participation.

A Temple University Doctoral candidate, Deirdre Kelleher, runs the project located in Elfreth’s Alley (in the Old City neighborhood of Philadelphia). Elfreth’s Alley dates to 1702 and is considered to be the oldest continuously-occupied street in America. It was surely busy there during the Revolution and one can only imagine the folks that walked down it.

Anyway, the project is digging up certain areas and allows for folks to volunteer to help unearth and document objects. This is truly a rare opportunity to be involved in true historical preservation. Here is a link to the project site and photos from the summer 2013 work:

http://elfrethsalleyarchaeology.blogspot.com/p/contact-information.html

And for a little more on Elfreth’s Alley:
http://www.elfrethsalley.org

[Louise Gwiazdowski]

On one of our sightseeing visits to Philadelphia, we walked through Elfreth’s Alley in Old City. The homes on this street are so architecturally preserved, that as you walk by, you could imagine yourself being back in the time period. A recommended sight to see when you are visiting Philadelphia.

Thanks for the information about the archaeology project, I’m going to check out the blogspot.

[D]

Indeed, the Alley is really fun. It’s small and really gives a feel for walking down a cobble-stoned street from a few hundred years ago. Also impressive is how all of the homes are maintained so well. Occasionally I will see one on the market for sale, would be amazing to live there!

[Author]

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