The Waldron-Hall dig site, located in Sardinia, is believed to be situated over an old stagecoach hotel or tavern. The site is named after Gilbert Waldron, the first owner of the land in 1811 and William Hall, who owned a farm close to the site in 1855.
Town Historian Leo McCarthy had originally asked the UB Archaeology team to help him locate and possibly excavate a log tavern built 200 years ago by Sardinia’s first settler, George Richmond. Unfortunately, after a few months of digging for a suitable place, it was determined that the whole location must have washed away.
McCarthy then turned to Ted and Debbie Weideman who, as he said, “had been metal detecting their fields for years and [had] found lots of different artifacts.” Without hesitation the Weidemans gave him permission to dig on their property.
Since early September, McCarthy, other volunteers from the Sardinia Historical Society as well as the Weidemans have been excavating the fields in the Waldron-Hall dig site. UB Archaeology team leader Doug Perelli has been helping the team with proper field excavation methods as well as assisting them with interpreting the objects they find.
“They have come out to the site and are very interested in it because of the shear number of artifacts and the fact that those artifacts are dating from the late 1700s to mid-1800s, indicating a very early site for Western New York,” said McCarthy.
The team has already found several relics in their numerous digs, including sewing needles, dozens of buttons, coins, French and British gun flints, a human tooth, pottery shards and even a red clay pipe with a French Masonic symbol on it.
“We don’t know yet what it is we have discovered,” said McCarthy, “but based on all the artifacts, it appears to have been a place of some sort of commerce.”
The team has enlisted a group of community volunteers to help with the work. According to McCarthy, the group is having fun while learning about local history.
“Archaeology is a great way to discover and bring history to life,” he said, adding that adults and children alike are invited to be dig-site volunteers while learning about Western New York history.
For more information contact McCarthy at 572-2966 or sardiniahistorian@yahoo.com.