Volunteers
This Montpelier Volunteer saved the day by scanning and digitizing hundreds of field records before the April 2024 fire
Who is Ron Downes
This lab task involves a colander, a basin, and a toothbrush
What is Artifact Washing
Montpelier was owned by this prominent Delaware family from 1901-1984
Who are the duPonts
This site, excavated in the 1990s and 2000s was home to the original Madison family homestead
What is Mount Pleasant
This staff member was born and raised right here in the town of Orange
Who is Thomas
This dynamic duo brings delicious baked goods to the Archaeology lab when they come to volunteer every Friday!
Who are Mike and Cathy Babbitt
This lab task involves separating grit into different sizes so we can better understand landscape use in the past.
What is gradient sorting
This Montpelier event takes place on the first Saturday in November every year - and has been going on since 1934!
What are the Montpelier Hunt Races
The excavation and reconstruction of this area of Montpelier was made possible by a large donation from patriotic philanthropist David Rubenstein
What is the South Yard
This staff member is known for their knowledge of all things metal, skill with their tool of choice, and incredible (and sometimes explosive) stories!
Who is Dennis
This volunteer sewed and embroidered individual cloth artifact bags for each unit in the Montpelier Burial Ground of the Enslaved Community.
Who is Jane Shelton
This relaxing task involves extracting charred wood and other botanicals remains from our water screen samples
What is Floating
The restoration of the Montpelier Main House began in 2003 and was completed in this year.
What is 2008
We didn't find many artifacts in 2024, but we did make it possible for a memorial to be constructed at this Montpelier site.
Montpelier Burial Ground of the Enslaved
This staff member got their start as an expeditioner back in 2022 and returned as a field school student in 2025.
Who is Maura
This is the longest standing Montpelier Archaeological Archive Project volunteer
Who is Dean Cummins
Volunteers universally most hated task, this task involves removing modern plant remains from burnt plant remains using a tweezer
What is charred wood picking
Montpelier is today owned not by The Montpelier Foundation, but by this historic institution
What is The National Trust for Historic Preservation
This domestic archaeology site contained lots of artifacts related to the horses and in close proximity to the stable, giving it the name the Stable Quarter. But it also goes by this name to acknowledge the enslaved woman who may have once lived here.
What is Granny Milly's Cabin
These two staff members attended St. Mary's College of Maryland together.
Who are Chris and Liz
This volunteer comes in and works in the basement of CALM, using lights, mirrors, and tiny scales
A new lab task for 2025-2026's excavation of the Blacksmith site, this task involves looking for bits of metal to search for the location of the blacksmithing anvil in the grit samples.
What is hammerscale picking
What is 2,650 acres
This sites history changed when archaeologists discovered a ring of plaster around the top of a fallen chimney.
What is the South Kitchen/Planters Cottage in the South Yard.
These two staff members attended field school together during the Overseer excavation in 2023 - and have been here ever since!