Archaeology Reports and Publications

ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH AT MONTPELIER

The Montpelier Archaeology Department has conducted numerous archaeological investigations across the Montpelier property since the mid-1980s. Below, you will find links and citations for archaeological site reports, object reports, publications, presentations, and theses written about these investigations.

These publications are listed by site area, and then by type within those area groupings. An additional section discussing archaeological methods and public archaeology is also available. In some cases, these reports are not publicly available due to publication rights. In that case, please email dig@montpelier.org to gain access to those publications.

Technical Reports

Technical reports are written at the conclusion of each excavation, and include reports on both the extent and results of the excavations, as well as the objects that are recovered. Below, these reports are organized by archaeological site, and then specific project areas within those sites. Please note: in some cases reports are outdated, as more recent excavations have been conducted. If you have trouble accessing a report, please contact dig@montpelier.org.

Main House and Grounds (44OR249)

The main house grounds includes excavations in and around the main Montpelier house, landscape excavations in the front and rear yards, excavations of domestic slave dwellings, yards, and outbuildings, and excavations of the stable quarter and stable yard.

Mansion Restoration Project

Excavation Reports

Reeves, M. B., & Tinkham, K. (2010). Mansion Portico Report: Excavations of Montpelier’s Front Portico, 2004-2006 Seasons. Montpelier Station, VA: Manuscript, The Montpelier Foundation, Montpelier Archaeology Department.

Trickett, Mark (2010) Bathroom Area Report. Montpelier Station, VA: Manuscript, The Montpelier Foundation, Montpelier Archaeology Department.

Marshall, Adam (2013). Archaeological Excavations of Montpelier’s Front Lawn, 2005-2007. Montpelier Station, VA: Manuscript, The Montpelier Foundation, Montpelier Archaeology Department.

Tinkham, Kim, Marshall, Adam, and Reeves, Matthew (2009). Rear Lawn Report: Excavations for the Install of the Mansion Bunker – 2004, 2005, 2006 Seasons. Montpelier Station, VA: Manuscript, The Montpelier Foundation, Montpelier Archaeology Department.

Tinkham, Kim and Reeves, Matthew (2010). Mansion Cellars Report: Excavations of the Cellar Spaces for the Main Block of the Mansion. Montpelier Station, VA: Manuscript, The Montpelier Foundation, Montpelier Archaeology Department.

Reeves, Matthew (2007). Restoration Plan for Montpelier Mansion Front Lawn. Montpelier Station, VA: Manuscript, The Montpelier Foundation, Montpelier Archaeology Department.

Enslaved South Yard Project

Excavation Reports

Trickett, Mark (2009). South Yard Excavation Report: Excavations at the Southeast Duplex and Southern Portion of the Mansion Grounds Fenceline, 2008. Montpelier Station, VA: Manuscript, The Montpelier Foundation, Montpelier Archaeology Department.

Brock, Terry P. (2016). “Mrs. M’s Smokehouse”: Archaeological Investigations of the South Yard Smokehouses at James Madison’s Montpelier. Montpelier Station, VA: Manuscript, The Montpelier Foundation, Montpelier Archaeology Department.

Object Reports

Smith, Hope (2015). South Kitchen Object Report. Montpelier Station, VA: Manuscript, The Montpelier Foundation, Montpelier Archaeology Department.

Trickett, Kimberly (2014). In Plain Sight: An Object-based Analysis of the Material Culture from Two Duplex Homes for Enslaved Domestic Servants. Montpelier Station, VA: Manuscript, The Montpelier Foundation, Montpelier Archaeology Department.

Southwest Yard Project

Excavation Reports

Brock, Terry P. (2014). The Southwest Yard: Uncovering Transitional Landscapes at James Madison’s Montpelier. Montpelier Station, VA: Manuscript, The Montpelier Foundation, Montpelier Archaeology Department.

Stable Quarter and Yard

Excavation Reports

Northwest Yard, Pine Allee and Temple

Excavation Reports

Trickett, M.A. (2010). North West Yard Excavations 2009. Montpelier Station, VA: Manuscript, The Montpelier Foundation, Montpelier Archaeology Department.

Trickett, M.A. (2010). Pine Allee Report. Montpelier Station, VA: Manuscript, The Montpelier Foundation, Montpelier Archaeology Department.

Montpelier House Farm Complex (44OR333)

The House Farm includes a large area bounded by the Visitor Center, Chicken Mountain, and West Gate Road. It includes a number of site components including a large row of slave quarters, tobacco barns, an overseer’s house, and a possible blacksmith shop, all dating to the first half of the 19th century.

Field Quarter Excavations

Technical Reports

Trickett, M.A. (2014). By the Harvest Moon’s Light: Excavations of the Field Slave Quarters at the home of James Madison, 2012-2013. Montpelier Station, VA: Manuscript, The Montpelier Foundation, Montpelier Archaeology Department.

Tobacco Barn Quarter

Technical Reports

Trickett, M.A. (2014). Can See to Can’t See: Excavations of an 18th – 19th Century Tobacca-Curing Barn and Wheat-Threshing Barn in Unplowed Contexts. Montpelier Station, VA: Manuscript, The Montpelier Foundation, Montpelier Archaeology Department.

Mount Pleasant Site

The Mount Pleasant site is the earliest occupied European American site at Montpelier. It includes the original homesite of the Madison Family, occupied in the 1720s. It also includes a series of overseer homes from the 18th and 19th centuries and the Madison family cemetery.

Mount Pleasant Excavations

Excavation Reports

Reeves, M. B. (2001). Archaeological Findings at the Mount Pleasant Site, 1987-2001. Montpelier Station, VA: Manuscript, The Montpelier Foundation, Montpelier Archaeology Department.

Reeves, M. B. (2007). Excavations at the Madison’ First Home, Mount Pleasant (1723-1800): Summary of Archaeological Investigations 1997-2004. Montpelier Station, VA: Manuscript, The Montpelier Foundation, Montpelier Archaeology Department.

Gilmore Cabin and Civil War Encampments

The Civil War and Post Emancipation Landscape is primarily located across Route 20, and includes large Confederate Civil War encampments from the winter of 1863-1864 and the Gilmore Farm, a post-emancipation African American homestead that was in operation from ca. 1870 to the early 20th century.

Gilmore Cabin

Excavation Reports

Reeves, Matthew B. (na). Historical, Archaeological, and Architectural Research at the Gilmore Cabin. Montpelier Station, VA: Manuscript, The Montpelier Foundation, Montpelier Archaeology Department.

Civil War Encampments

Excavation Reports

Publications and Presentations

The Montpelier Archaeology Department includes active researchers and scholars who participate regularly in the production of published manuscripts, articles, book chapters, and presentations at professional conferences. Below are selected citations and presentations, grouped by primary topic. Due to publishing rights, not all papers are available. Please email dig@montpelier.org if you are having trouble accessing an article!