Programs & Events

See how archaeologists uncover artifacts at Ridgefield Historical Society on Sept. 20

Join the Ridgefield Historical Society for Battlefield Archaeology Day on Saturday, Sept. 20, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Society’s Scott House headquarters, 4 Sunset Lane. Meet the archaeologists who are studying the 1777 Battle of Ridgefield and finding musket balls and uniform buttons at sites where the battle was fought. Watch them demonstrate metal detecting as well as ground penetrating radar, the technology that allows them to see what’s buried underground without having to dig.

Discover the fascinating world of archaeology during a day filled with hands-on activities. Try metal detecting and see what you can uncover! Use an archaeological sifting screen to examine soil you’ve collected from an excavation site. Who knows? You may uncover a few treasures!

Be sure to take some time to go inside the Scott House to see some of the actual artifacts that the archaeologists of Heritage Consultants have found around Ridgefield. Learn how the experts are able to “read” these objects to expand what we know of Ridgefield’s role in the American Revolution.

This will be a drop-in program (stop by any time between 2 and 5pm) with ongoing activities; the cost is $20 per family of Ridgefield Historical Society members and $25 per family for those who aren’t yet members, with a limit of 25 families so that everyone gets to participate. A ticket covers all members of your immediate family. Tickets are limited, non-refundable, and expected to sell out quickly. The rain date is Sun. Sept. 21, 2-5pm. To become a member of the Ridgefield Historical Society, sign up here: https://ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org/support-us/membership/ For more information contact the Ridgefield Historical Society at [email protected] or 203-438-5821. For tickets click here:

Members of the Heritage Consultants team who will take part in Archaeology Day will include:

David George, MA, RPA, who is president and CEO of Heritage Consultants. He has directed over 3,000 projects throughout the nation, with an emphasis on New England and New York.

David Leslie, Ph.D., RPA, the director of research at Heritage Consultants, who has over 20 years of archaeological experience. He is a geoarchaeologist and earned his Ph.D. in Anthropology at the University of Connecticut. 

David Naumec, Ph.D., serves as Historian at Heritage Consultants. He specializes in military history and has participated in dozens of projects, including those related to the Pequot War, King Philip’s War, the Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812. 

Kevin McBride, Ph.D., is an associate professor of anthropology at the University of Connecticut and the former director of research at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center. His research interests include Indigenous and Colonial cultural and historical landscapes, and battlefield archaeology.

Samantha Lee, Ph.D., is a project archaeologist at Heritage Consultants. She received her Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Maryland, College Park and is interested in using archaeology to examine the societal role of members of underrepresented groups.