Archaeological survey team returns to Battlefield Park this June

Associate Professor Siobhan Hart, Chair of Skidmore College’s Anthropology Department, will return to Battlefield Park on June 2 to resume the Archaeological study she and her team began last summer. The program is an initiative of the Lake George Battlefield Park Alliance under the guidance of the New York State Museum and the Department of Environmental Conservation.

“We are excited to return to the Lake George Battlefield Park to use ground-penetrating radar and other non-invasive geophysical techniques, along with excavation, to learn more about day-to-day human experiences in 18th-century military encampments,” says Hart. “We hope to find evidence that will help with site management, stewardship, and public interpretation at this important place.”

The team will work at different locations in the park Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m., June 2 through June 27, weather permitting. The public is invited to observe the team as they work. The Lake George Battlefield Park Visitor Center on Fort George Road will be open during the survey work. Visitors may check in at the Center to learn more about the survey and the team’s location.

Professor Hart welcomes volunteers. Those wishing to volunteer should email the Alliance at info@lakegeorgebattlefield.org to receive a required volunteer form and further instructions.

Last year’s survey was the first in Battlefield Park since the late Dr. David Starbuck concluded his final study at the site in 2016. Dr. Starbuck advocated continued research, writing in a summary of his work, “Sampling within Lake George Battlefield Park thus far has probably only located a small fraction of the 18th-century sites in the park.”

Professor Hart’s 2024 study continued Starbuck’s work by focusing on two questions: Can we locate the site of the 1776 smallpox hospital, and can we find evidence of the 1755 Battle of Lake George Battle Lines?  While the team did find substantial 18^th-century activity, the session did not produce direct evidence of the smallpox hospital or the 1755 battle lines.  

As part of New York State’s Path through History Weekend, Professor Hart will make an informal presentation about her team’s work at the Visitors Center on Saturday, June 14, at 1 p.m. The public is welcome.