The Rome Historical Society’s auditorium Archaeologists from Binghamton University’s Public Archaeology Facility (PAF) are set to present the interim results of their archaeological investigations of Fort Bull on Saturday, September 28 at 11 am.
As part of Archaeology Day at Fort Stanwix National Monument, PAF archaeologist Brian Grills, will give a 20-minute PowerPoint presentation on the ongoing archaeological research at the Society’s Fort Bull site. Following the presentation, the audience will be invited to see some of the latest archaeological finds which have been recently recovered from the battlefield.
Fort Bull was one of several British forts that secured the portage between the Mohawk River and Wood Creek. In 1756, French troops, supported by allied Native Americans, marched overland from Fort La Presentation (present day Ogdensburg) and attacked the British fort on the Oneida Carry. The French destroyed Fort Bull and killed or captured nearly 60 of the British garrison.
In 2018, PAF received a grant from the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP). PAF and their research partners, including the Rome Historical Society (RHS), and Fort Stanwix National Monument, have since been working to locate and identify cultural features related to the British fortification.
Funds for this project have allowed researchers to conduct a historical and military terrain analysis of the Fort Bull battlefield. Archaeologists have also been using remote sensing technology to identify possible features or remains related to the fort.
The results of this research is expected to support a more informed assessment of Fort Bull’s location and serve as the first step in developing a long-term preservation strategy. It is hoped that when this goal is achieved it will be a critical step in placing the greater military landscape associated with the Fort on the path to preservation.
Also, in support of Archaeology Day, PAF will have displays and activities in the Willett Center at Fort Stanwix National Monument.
The Rome Historical Society is located at 200 Church Street, Rome. More information is available on their website, or by calling (315) 336-5870.
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