Upcoming Workshop! William Voris Archaeological Dig

Time to get our hands dirty for history! Please join us July 29 - August 2 for our third and final William Voris Archaeological Dig. Sara Mascia, archaeologist and Vice President of Historical Perspectives, Inc., will once again be leading the dig. Our goal for this year's dig is to finalize the location of the Voris building's foundation and unearth additional artifacts to help paint a clearer picture of William Voris and his family. Following the dig, we will have enough information to create a self-guided walking tour of the Voris property, complete with interpretive signs telling the story of this important member of 19th century Milton Hamlet. If you would like to join the dig, sign up here.

The original foundations of the William Voris Archaeological Site are located between the Meeting House to the South and Bird Homestead to the North. An African American saloonkeeper and entrepreneur, William Voris owned and operated this land beginning in 1841, along with his mother and son. It was unusual and therefore, historically significant, for African Americans to own property before the Civil War, let alone achieve financial prosperity. There is still much for us to discover about this intrepid entrepreneur of the mid 19th century. In addition to this month's dig, we are offering research internships to High School and College students who have a passion for history and are interested in exploring a career in this space. If you are interested in participating in an internship, please email us at savethebird@icloud.com