ROI048, The President Benjamin Harrison Home: Using Archaeology for the Interpretation and Reconstruction of the Carriage House

Summary

An archaeological excavation at the President Benjamin Harrison Home in Indianapolis, Indiana was conducted under a Department of Interior Historic Preservation Survey and Planning Grant administered by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology. The purpose of the project was to investigate the location of the former carriage house.

The museum staff has begun the process of restoring the Harrison Home property to circa 1895, a time when the former president and his family were in residence. An important aspect of the preservation plan included the restoration of the former carriage house. Preliminary investigation revealed that the foundation of this structure and associated cultural deposits were present. The location of this outbuilding was the focus of archaeological excavation.

The artifacts and other data recovered provide information regarding the dimensions of the building, the uses of its three bays, and other aspects of the Harrison occupation of the property. This report describes the excavation, discusses the material culture and other data, and explicates the contribution of the archaeological investigation to the reconstruction and interpretation of the carriage house.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• BSUAAL Reports of Investigations

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Kevin Nolan; Applied Anthropology Laboratories, Ball State University

Contributor(s): Mark Boatwright; Rachel Mancini

Principal Investigator(s): Donald R. Cochran

Sponsor(s): Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology, Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Repository(s): Applied Anthropology Laboratories, Ball State University

Prepared By(s): Archaeological Resources Management Service, Ball State University

Submitted To(s): Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology, Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Record Identifiers

Reports of Investigation(s): 048

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