Clinton And Lark Historic Archeological Site, Albany New York

Benjamin Heckman; Bradley Russell; Matthew Kirk

Clinton And Lark Historic Archeological Site, Albany New York

Summary

A Phase III Data Recovery Excavation was conducted at the Clinton and Lark Historic Archeological Site (A00140.004690) by Hartgen Archeological Associates, Inc. in July of 2020. The goal of the Project was to identify intact archeological deposits and features to excavate and record, as part of the mitigation effort. The Project entailed mechanical stripping of 156.6 m2 (1626 ft2, or 0.37 acres) as well as excavation and documentation of identified cultural features. Five features were identified. Two privy vaults with dense artifact deposits and three architectural features were excavated and documented. The features and artifacts were all associated with the latter half of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century. The interpretation of the archeological data focused on exploring the social and economic aspects of the historical individuals directly associated with the archeological remains. This analysis and interpretation elucidate the socioeconomic dynamics of the community living on Clinton Avenue during the turn of the 20th century and provides an understanding of the historic individuals and households themselves. In particular, the study focuses on the Nicholas Oliver family and their efforts to climb the socio-economic ladder from the working class to middle class. The family clearly aspired to greater social standing as evidenced by the historical and archeological record. The death of Nicholas’ first wife, mother, two children, and his business partner all within a relatively short period of time provided remarkable hardships for the family. Despite remarrying a younger woman, the family relied on the piecework performed by the remaining young woman of the house, and the income generated from renting out a portion of the rowhouse. By the turn of the century, the Oliver family left Albany’s Clinton Avenue neighborhood and returned to Nicholas’ childhood town of New Scotland, and it with it appears he abandoned his dream of a comfortable, urban middle-class life.