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Friends of Historic Glasgow (Delaware)
1600 Artifacts Discovered At La Grange (7/25/05 Press Release)
Archaeologists Find Over 1600 Artifacts At La Grange Farm
FRIENDS OF HISTORIC GLASGOW
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Headline-- Archaeologists Find Over 1600 Artifacts At La Grange Farm
As Development Plans Proceed
Glasgow, DE, July 25, 2005-- A Level I archaeological investigation,
conducted during May and June by the firm of Kise, Straw, and Kolodner
(KSK), found over 1600 prehistoric and historical artifacts on parts of
Glasgow's historic La Grange farm. Most of the items found were
prehistoric Native-American stone artifacts, including arrow points,
tools, stone flakes, remnants from tool making, and fire-cracked rock,
some dating from more than 5000 years ago.
KSK was hired by local developer Steven Nichols, to conduct the
investigation on the parts of the farm where he hopes to build most of
his planned houses. The investigation involved all of the cleared
fields and a limited area in the woods around the Revolutionary War
trenches. The area around the historic La Grange manor house was not
explored.
"A Level I investigation typically involves a superficial site
exploration, including turning of the soil to a depth of 6-12 inches,"
according to Jill Gaieski, an archaeologist and attorney who is a
member of Friends of Historic Glasgow. "If the investigation finds
artifacts that are deemed to be historically significant, then a more
thorough Level II investigation may be required by the county's
Historic Review Board, prior to construction."
In addition to the Paleolithic artifacts, the investigation found a
few Revolutionary War era musket balls, both British and Patriot in
origin, as well as a few artifacts dating from 19th Century. These were
located using metal detectors.
"Over the years, my grandmother [Anne Barczewski] found dozens of
similar prehistoric stone artifacts on her farm," according to Susan
Arday. "She also found several musket balls and a cannonball in her
garden." Anne Barczewski has owned La Grange since 1942.
Although there was no known Revolutionary War battle conducted on the
La Grange farm, several thousand British and Hessian soldiers camped on
the farm and built the trenches, around the time of the Battle of
Cooch's Bridge. This battle was fought about two miles to the northeast
of La Grange, on September 3, 1777.
During the investigation, the archaeologists had to contend with
unauthorized treasure hunters, who were found trespassing on the
property almost daily, often carrying metal detectors. "My grandmother
was always vigilant about keeping treasure hunters off the property,"
added Arday, "but it is quite likely that most of the remaining
Revolutionary War ordinance has been plundered in recent years."
The Nichols team has scheduled a Preliminary Land Use Service (PLUS)
hearing with the Delaware Office of State Planning, on August 3rd,
2005, at 9:30 a.m., in Dover. The La Grange agenda item is described as
"Project: Rezoning of 236 acres from Suburban to Suburban and
Commercial for 232 residential units, 82,600 sq. feet of strip
commercial and a 135,000 sq. ft. elementary/middle school."
Since the April off-the-agenda appearance by the Nichols team before
the New Castle County Historic Review Board, FOHG has anticipated there
would be a zoning change request. The PLUS hearing is just the first
step in that process. The PLUS hearings are open to the public, though
the public is not allowed to speak. FOHG is encouraging all citizens
who are interested in what the developer and state officials will have
to say to each other to attend the hearing.
"We also anticipate that the developer will be working to have the
Historic District Overlay weakened or eliminated on most of the La
Grange property," added Gaieski. "It will be argued that the Native
American artifacts, the trenches, and the remnants of the Benjamin
Latrobe feeder canal are not real or that they are not historically
significant. If these arguments are allowed to prevail, a major
impediment to his development plans will have been eliminated."
To date, FOHG has collected over 1,400 signatures in favor of
preserving the 236-acre La Grange farm in its entirety. Nichols is
scheduled to make a final $14 million dollar payment and take
possession of the property from the Barczewski family by early
November, 2005. Additional information is available at the FOHG
website, at www.neighborhoodlink.com/org/historicglasgow.
#
CONTACT INFORMATION:
If you would like to help protect this property from development and
permanently preserve its historic, cultural, and natural resources for
future generations, please contact:
The Friends of Historic Glasgow
ATTN: Nancy V. Willing
5 Francis Circle
Newark, DE 19711
Telephone: (302) 366-1855
E-mail: historicglasgow@earthlink.net
E-mail: NancyVWilling@yahoo.com
Web site: www.neighborhoodlink.com/org/historicglasgow
Petition: www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/historicglasgowpark/
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