The study of history through the excavation of discarded items, exploring people's attics, flying drones, and stuff….
During our renovations of Willowbrook, removing the plaster on the inside of the original Byrnside’s Fort logs, we found an old dusty envelope with the following words written on it: “Key’s to Major Samuel Clark’s Sword Case.” Inside the envelope were two tiny old keys – both with the same wording. So naturally I began … Read moreJackpot! Major Samuel Clark’s Sword Found
As early as 1608, John Smith, of the English Jamestown settlement, discovered that some natives around coastal Virginia were already armed with French metal axes. The Tockwoghes, the tribe in possession of the axes, testified that they had obtained the implements from the Isquesahanocks. Smith visited this tribe also and was informed that their iron … Read moreBiscayne Trade Axes: the earliest known metal axes in North America
Lately I’ve had a thing for Native American trade knives, commonly referred to as scalping knives – or scalper blade knives. They were all-purpose and could have been used for everything from butchering, to of-course, scalping enemies. In my own research, I’ve found that there’s not a whole lot out there on these knives – … Read moreNative American “Scalping Knives” – the truth, the fiction, the business, the bloody history
The Virginia Rural Slat-back chair is the chair of the common man, and particularly special to Virginia (especially what would become West Virginia post 1863). It is unique to the region, and has coasted under the radar through the years of the city-dwellers with the taste for a more refined object to sit upon (though … Read moreThe Homemade Mountain Chairs of Virginia and West Virginia
These items were all found by metal detector by Robert Bennett of St. Ignace, Michigan. They were found at early Native American village locations along the shore of Lake Michigan – mostly in the area of Good Hart, Michigan. They are an excellent representation of the types of European goods which were traded to the … Read moreNative American Fur Trade finds from Michigan
This is the cabin door from the Richard Hill cabin, which stood near Mill Point, West Virginia, in present day Pocahontas County, West Virginia. It was saved by Jim Costa, and is in his collection. Richard Hill is believed to have settled at this spot shortly after the Revolutionary War. The Greenbrier County Personal Property … Read more18th Century Door from the Richard Hill Cabin in Mill Point, WV
“RCA 19” Rifle a.k.a. Chief Paxinosa’s “Smooth Rifle.” There is an argument to be made that this “smooth rifle,” which means that it is built in a rifle in all ways, except for the lack of the actual rifling, is one of the oldest known American longrifles with an existing record for the date of … Read moreThe RCA 19 Rifle – an epic mid 18th century flintlock “smooth rifle” with an exciting history
AVAILABLE NOW! 80 color pages of high quality photos of the discoveries, renovations, and explorations at the site of Byrnside’s Fort at Willowbrook Plantation. SCAV-ENG-E-OL-O-GY: The study of history through the excavation of discarded items, exploring people’s attics, flying drones, and stuff. The term “scavengeology” was coined when the author, a major history buff, began metal detecting … Read moreThe SCAVENGEOLOGY JOURNAL – Volume 1 – “Discovering Byrnside’s Fort”
The Nathaniel Vogler Rifle. Made by the Vogler family of Moravian gunsmiths in Old Salem, NC, sometime around the 1815-1835 time period. The expert silver work was likely performed by John Vogler, master silversmith and engraver, as illustrated by the amazing work on this rifle. You can visit his shop in Salem still today. It … Read moreThe Nathaniel Vogler Rifle, crafted at Old Salem
These are letters from and between two brothers from Washington County, Missouri, who were serving in the Union Army in Arkansas during the Civil War. They also happen to be my great uncles – brothers to my 3rd great grandfather, Andrew Bryan. They were all originally Virginians, born in Point Pleasant, Mason County, Virginia (now … Read moreCivil War Letters from Columbus and Bennett Bryan, my Great Uncles