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THE Wednesday, November 7,2001
CHOWAN HERALD
Vol. LXVH1, No. 44_Published in historic Edenton... The South’s prettiest town._Single Copies 500
Archaeologists seek help trom public at excavation site
BY HELEN KERR OUTLAND
Staff Writer
As Charlie Watts shakes the
wire mesh basket, the soft soil
sifts through and falls to the
ground. What is left in the bas
ket, caked in several hundred
years of clay and dirt, turns
out to be a very large tooth. “It
looks like the molar from a
cow, ” says Dr. Linda F. Carnes
McNaughton, State Archeolo
gist. The tooth measures about
one inch square and shows
signs of grinding.
McNaughon and her associ
ates are on site at the old
Chowan County Courthouse in
Edenton. “We are here for two
reasons,” she adds. “One, any
time there are to be any reno
vations to be done to a historic
site, our office is contacted. We
come in and do an archeologi
cal evaluation of the surround
ing grounds to make sure that
nothing of historical impor
tance is overlooked or dam
aged. Our treat here came when
we began digging underneath
the courthouse and discovered
three time layers consisting of
an earlier structure and arti
facts, and Native American in
habitants.”
According to McNaughton
the foundation structure of the
old building is remarkable in
itself.
The huge, hand hewn beams
that rest on the nearly three
hundred year old brick foun
dation shows clearly the marks
oflathe and planing. The beams
are joined in the tennan and
mortis fashion. The beams
were cut to interlock. Some of
the wooden pegs Used to secure
them can be seen through small
gaps. Chips of wood and curls
of oak can still be found in the
earth under the building. The
crawlspace is cool and smells
of dirt from the digging, but
otherwise is quite dry. “This
area is like a cave,” says
McNaughton. “It has preserved
anything that was left in here. ”
The curls of wood and pieces of
artifacts show little or no color
change or deterioration from
hundreds of years in the earth.
McNaughton and her co
worker Tom Beaman have con
tinued to be amazed with what
they have unearthed. “The
building that once stood here.
must have burned,” says
Beaman. “The earth around
the area where the chimney
fell was blackened with
charred residue,” says
Beaman. “We have evidence
that a lot of meals were pre
pared on site as we have the
remains of a variety of animals
in the form of bones and teeth. ”
Suasan Myers and Linda McNaughion carefully examine the
particles left in the wire mesh baskets to make sure that nothing
of historical importance is overlooked. (Photo Helen Outland)
The shards of pottery, wine found on the site have been
glasses, bottles, and china dated and indicate that they
Reviewing proposed Hwy. 97plans
Doug Jeremiah of Department of Transportaion (center) talks with local residents concerning proposed routes for truck traffic
around the town of Edenton during a community meeting. Highway 97 is one of several routes being proposed for this purpose.
Linda McNaughton and Tom Beamon (above) point out the tool
marks in the hand hewn beams that make up the old Chowan
County Courthouse foundation. (Staff photo by Helen Kerr Outland)
are from all over the world.
“There are pieces of Delft made
inHolland,” saysMcNaughton.
“There is evidence of stemware
made in Germany and En
gland.”
However, once underneath
the archeologists confirmed
that not only had there been
another building, the original
four-room meetinghouse, but
below that they have also found
evidence of a Native American
settlement. “What we have
found so far does not indicate
what tribe or nation of Native
Americans were in residence
here, but we do believe they
left in the very early 1700’s,”
McNaughton says. “Tribes
could be identified by the par
ticular styles and decorative
markings on their pottery. We
have not found anything large
enough to help us determine a
specific tribe.”
“We do know from early
documentation that there was
a building here and what it was
used for,” adds McNaughton.
See SITE On Page 6-A
Police focus on
careless drivers
BY HELEN KERR OUTLAND
Staff Writer
EDENTON - Edenton Police
were busy this weekend re
sponding to seven vehicle acci
dents within the city limits.
One accident very early Sun
day morning, at the intersec
tion of Church and Oakum
Streets, involved a city squad
car.
According to Chief Greg
Bonner there are several con
tributing factors surrounding
the increase in these accidents.
“Number one, people are ex
hibiting total disobedience to
stop signs and traffic lights,”
says the Chief. “Drivers are
either running the lights or
they do not come to a full stop
at the stop signs, if they stop
all.”
The police department has
also seen an increase in the
number of alcohol related
wrecks involving underage
drinkers. Some drivers may
have been consuming alcohol
but are not considered legally
impaired. “We only get a few
convictions for those who are
arrested and blow less than a
.8 on the Breathalyzer.” Usu
ally, anyone blowing below the
legal limit (.8) is charged with
careless and reckless.
Records indicate that the
driver arrested in the accident
involving the squad car was
driving under a provisional li
cense only. He was also charged
with driving while impaired.
A provisional license usually
limits the holder to driving
See POLICE On Page 6-A
Northern Chowan
Community Ctr. opens
The public is cordially in
vited to attend the dedication
of the Northern Chowan Com
munity Center Wednesday,
Nov. 7 (today) at 4 pin.
An open house and recep
tion will follow.
The center is located at2869
Virginia Road.
Troops prepare for winter
AFGHANISTAN - U.S. troops
began getting their first taste
of the bitter winters in Afghani
stan. Snow has begun to fall in
the region and is being blamed
for the loss of an unmanned
spy plane. Weather was also a
factor in the crash of a Special
Forces helicopter that left four
crewmen injured.
International assistance
workers are very worried
about the thousands of refu
gees that are dependent on food
and relief aid drops. Harsh win
ters over the last few years have
been made more severe by the
continued fighting in Afghani
stan. Relief supplies to outly
ing post of the Northern Alli
ances may prove difficult as
well. The outposts are located
along mountain passes already
covered in snow.
Guild plans spectacular holiday events
Merchants host
open house,
offer bargains
BY REBECCA BUNCH
Editor
Spending Christmas in “The
South’s Prettiest Town” is an
experience to remember. Just
imagine the magic and excite
ment of the holiday season ac
cented by the festive warmth
and quiet charm of Edenton,
guaranteed to make your holi
day shopping a pleasant adven
ture.
In the spirit of the holiday
season, the Historic Edenton
Marketplace Guild will join
with other local businesses to
usher in Christmas on Satur
day, Dec. 1, with a variety of
special events during a “Christ
mas at the Market” celebra
tion.
At 10 a.m. that morning, a
panel of j udges will begin evalu
ating entries in the Window/
Storefront Decorating Contest.
Prizes for first, second and
third place will be awarded to
participating downtown busi
nesses. "Those winners will be
announced during the ‘Light
ing of the Monument’ cer
emony that evening at 6
o’clock,” said Marion DesJar
dins, Guild president. A photo
of the “best dressed business”
will also be published in The
Chowan Herald.
DesJardins noted that mu
sic and events for children
would also be a part of this
season’s downtown shopping
See GUILD On Page 6-A
T _ ..
Merchants Guild President Marion DesJardins, right, talks with
Susan Wilkerson, special events chairperson, about plans for the
Christinas season being hosted by the Guild in downtown
Edenton Saturday, Dec. 1. (Staff photo by Rebecca Bunch)
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