Field School in Focus 2008: Robert Given House, Pemaquid Falls, Maine

The 2008 field school for the Department of Social Sciences, Southern Maine Community College will be held between July 28 and August 15, 2008, at the late 18th century estate of Robert Given, near Pemaquid Falls, Maine. Director Neill De Paoli sent this description along.

Overview

The scenic mid-coast community of Bristol is home to one of Maine's earliest European settlements. In the late 1620s, two prominent English merchants, Robert Aldworth and Gyles Elbridge, founded a year-round plantation on the Pemaquid peninsula (Bristol) and its offshore islands. Over the next six decades, Pemaquid gained prominence as one of northern New England's leading fishing, trading, and military centers.

Come join Dr. Neill De Paoli as he directs the seventh year of excavations of the late 18th century farmstead of prominent Pemaquid merchant Robert Given. Participants will explore the home and blacksmith shop of one of 18th century Pemaquid's leading families and continue the search for several late 17th century farmsteads that clustered about nearby Pemaquid Falls.

This experience is a great hands-on opportunity for upper level high school and undergraduate and graduate students seeking course credit and experience in historical archaeology, teachers in need of recertification credits, or history buffs interested in exploring an area with a rich colonial history.

Program

During the field school, participants will learn basic excavation and recording techniques, laboratory procedures, and the identification of 18th-and early 19th century archaeological features and Anglo-American material culture. Interested students will have the opportunity to study, catalog, and reconstruct excavated artifacts under the direction of Dr. De Paoli.

The program will be highlighted by field trips to the heart of the 17th century English fishing and trading settlement of Pemaquid and an archaeology conservation laboratory along with weekly films and discussions. Southern Maine Community College (South Portland) is offering the archaeological field school as a three-credit history course (HTY-200-01). Participants sign up for a single three week session that runs from July 28-August 15. The program will run Monday through Friday, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Space is limited to fourteen enrollees.

Tuition and Registration

Field school tuition is $295.50 for Maine residents and $538.50 for out-of state residents. Course registration closes on July 28, 2008. Payment can be made by cash, check, debit card, or credit card. To register log on to the Southern Maine Community College website or write or call Enrollment Services, Southern Maine Community College, Fort Road, South Portland, ME 04106, 207-741-5800 or 1-877-282-2182 (toll-free number for in-state calls). Otherwise contact, Dr. Neill De Paoli, 76 Northwest Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801, Phone: 603-766-0561, e-mail: ndppquid@yahoo.com. For those seeking information on area accommodations contact Dr. De Paoli.

Director

Dr. Neill De Paoli has over thirty years of experience as a historical archaeologist, having directed archaeological projects in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. Dr. De Paoli has been the resident archaeologist at the Colonial Pemaquid State Historic Site (Pemaquid Beach, Maine) since 1993 and is an adjunct professor at Southern Maine Community College and New Hampshire Institute of Art. More Information

• Friends of Colonial Pemaquid
• Friends of Colonial Pemaquid report on the field school 2006
• Southern Maine Community College
• More Field Schools in Focus
• Archaeology Digs 2008