At the center of the once-sprawling Ridgely family property, the Hampton mansion and its surrounding grounds represent the intact core of an 18th-century plantation with remarkable integrity. The house itself, along with numerous outbuildings, an icehouse, quarters for enslaved people, and intact formal gardens, powerfully conveys the stories of one of Baltimore’s wealthiest families as well as those free and enslaved who worked on their lands. Additionally, Hampton is a wonderfully complex archaeological site, and the features and artifacts there have the potential to inform us further about those people’s daily lives. Archaeology has been going on at Hampton for many years, but recent efforts to rehabilitate some of the standing buildings there, part of a major effort supported by the National Park Service’s Legacy Restoration Fund, have led to a sharp increase in archeological efforts in recent years. These have included a comprehensive geophysical survey of the property and, most recently, a data recovery excavation in the vicinity of the quarters for the enslaved there.
David Gadsby has been a Chesapeake archeologist since the age of 19, when, as a student at Saint Mary’s College of Maryland, he assisted with his first dig at Historic Saint Mary’s City. Since then, he has gone on to work throughout the region, studying the development of 17th-century Anne Arundel County and urban transformation in Baltimore’s Hampden neighborhood, among other topics. He holds a Master’s degree from the University of Maryland and a Ph.D. from American University. Since 2008, he has worked as an archeologist with the National Park Service. Among other duties, he serves as archeological advisor to Hampton National Historic Site and Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine.
This meeting of the NHSM Archaeology Club will take place on Zoom. In order to receive the Zoom link you need to register. It is free and open to the public, although non-members are asked to please donate $5 to support the club.
When you register for the program, you’ll receive the Zoom link and passcode via email with your registration confirmation. Please contact the community coordinator (rbaldwin@marylandnature.org) with any questions.
NHSM’s Archaeology Club was founded in 2019 to promote the value of archaeology in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and surrounding areas. The goal of the club is to educate citizens and residents in the ethics and methods of archaeology and to document, discover, and promote local history. The Arch Club is inclusive of all persons who have an interest in archaeology.
Although you don’t need to be a member to attend a meeting, membership gives you access to additional experiences. Annual NHSM membership is $35 for individuals, $50 for families; Arch Club membership is an additional $5 for individuals and $10 for families.
If you are not yet a member of NHSM, click here to join. When you join as a new member, you can add the club membership(s) of your choice to your registration. Current NHSM members who wish to join any clubs should email the Community Coordinator at rbaldwin@marylandnature.org.
