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Preserving Our Culture and History
Route 9 Archaeology
As the Division of Highways prepares to construct a new Route 9 in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, archaeologists have found some fascinating artifacts of early settlers. Federal and state laws require a careful search of the right of way for a new highway, to ensure that any valuable historic material is preserved before the paving begins.
Along Route 9, two locations have yielded archaeological finds. In the Bardane area, about a hundred yards from the existing roadway, researchers have found artifacts which date back to about 1787, on what is called the Mt. Pleasant site. These items may have belonged to the first family to settle in the original 346-acre Lord Fairfax grant conveyed to Jacob Hite in March 1752.
The excavation has unearthed literally hundreds of clay pipestems, made of a white ceramic. Some still have their bowls attached. Archaeologists theorize the family could have been a pipe supplier for others living in the area. "Either that," joked one field worker, "or someone was a very heavy smoker."
The archaeologists also found a thimble, bone buttons, a butterknife and a copper penny dated 1787. The coin was minted in Connecticut and bears the Latin inscription "In freedom and liberty."
At another site, located in a wooded area near the Fairview Acres subdivision in the Baker Heights section, the dig has produced much older artifacts. This area was evidently used, off and on, from about 8500 B.C. to about 500 B.C. The Native Americans who passed through, and may have camped there, left behind arrowheads and pottery shards. Some of the arrowheads – which the experts refer to as projectile points – appear still shiny and ready for use.
This type of archaeological care is taken on every highway project. In fact, along the route of Corridor H in Hardy County, WV, workers found an entire homestead dating back to the early 1800s. The results of that excavation have been turned into a 39-minute lesson for West Virginia school children and the general public. That Reed Farmstead video is available on the Internet at www.wvcorridorh.com.
Once the artifacts from both of the Route 9 sites are removed and catalogued, engineers can proceed with the preparations for a new four-lane highway to improve travel in the Panhandle.
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