Devastating fire leads to treasure trove of thousands of artifacts beneath historic tavern

Archaeologists successful Ohio are uncovering hidden pieces of aboriginal American past beneath the charred floorboards of a historical tavern.

The excavation is portion of betterment efforts astatine the Overfield Tavern successful Troy, astir 20 miles northbound of Dayton.

In caller weeks, excavators from Ohio Valley Archaeology Inc. person been digging beneath the museum, which is the oldest gathering successful the city. 

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The operation was built successful 1808 and served arsenic a courthouse until 1811, erstwhile it was converted to a tavern. It's been listed connected the National Register of Historic Places since 1976.

A devastating occurrence successful the aboriginal hours of Dec. 7, 2024, gutted the interior of the museum, though the archetypal 1808 log walls remained mostly intact, according to the museum's website.

Archaeologists are uncovering artifacts beneath the floorboards of the historical Overfield Tavern, 1 of the oldest structures successful Troy, Ohio.  (@OverfieldTavernMuseum via Facebook)

The occurrence was aboriginal ruled accidental by authorities occurrence marshal officials.

As an unexpected metallic lining, thousands of historical artifacts person been recovered successful caller months, with the assistance of some excavators and volunteers.

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Pictures from the tract amusement volunteers sifting done ungraded and rocks to retrieve the artifacts.

Chris Manning, enforcement manager of the Overfield Tavern Museum, told Fox News Digital astir of the recovered artifacts day from the aboriginal 19th period to the precocious 20th century.

Officials accidental an estimated 4,000 artifacts person been recovered since excavation enactment began beneath the historical museum. (Overfield Tavern Museum via Facebook)

"We did find respective prehistoric artifacts that are evidently overmuch older," said Manning. 

"Laboratory investigation presently being conducted volition supply much information."

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Manning added, "I would estimation that the fig of artifacts recovered is astir 4,500, but again, we won't cognize until the archaeologists implicit their laboratory analysis."

Artifacts included an 1817 coin recovered nether the tavern's floorboards, on with an 1846 coin.

The archetypal 1808 log walls of the tavern survived the 2024 fire, allowing experts to sphere cardinal pieces of the building's past. (Google Maps)

Manning said excavators recovered grounds that the tiny log gathering attached to the rear of the tavern was constructed aboriginal than antecedently believed.

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"It whitethorn person been constructed a fewer years aft the tavern, [and] we antecedently thought the tiny log gathering successful the rear was astir 5 years older," Manning added.

"We besides uncovered a important limestone instauration successful the backyard that extends astir six feet underground. [It] was paved connected the bottommost with a furniture of ceramic flooring."

Excavation results volition beryllium analyzed successful the laboratory earlier artifacts are cataloged and prepared for depository display. (Overfield Tavern Museum via Facebook)

She added, "Analysis is inactive underway, but it whitethorn correspond an crystal location oregon basal cellar that was constructed successful the archetypal fractional of the 19th century."

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Manning said she plans for the tavern to beryllium afloat restored by 2027, erstwhile the depository volition reopen to the public.

"Select artifacts volition beryllium enactment connected show eventually, erstwhile the depository is restored," she said. 

The Overfield Tavern restoration effort volition connection caller penetration into Troy's earliest years arsenic a increasing frontier community. (Overfield Tavern Museum via Facebook)

The excavation took spot during the aforesaid autumn months arsenic a akin excavation successful Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

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Archaeologists and students from Millersville University precocious unearthed the apt remains of the county's oldest tavern, dating backmost to 1725.