Archaeological project to begin in historic New Castle
The New Castle Historical Society has announced that work will begin on Monday, May 20, 2019 at the Fort Casimir battlefield site in New Castle, Del. The project begins with a class led by the National Park Service’s Midwest Archeological Center conducting testing using ground penetrating radar and other non-invasive technology.
“This lays the groundwork for other efforts, including test pits, to find evidence of the fort originally built by Dutch settlers in 1651, and of the battle in 1664 when the English took over the fort and the colony,” according to Daniel Citron, executive director of the Historical Society. “By utilizing the class, we create an outdoor classroom for archaeologists who are in training and those continuing their education with new techniques and technologies.” The class is full, but the Historical Society will be sharing results with the public in future programs.
Later in the week, additional non-invasive testing may be done on The Green near the Society’s headquarters at the New Castle Visitor Center at The Arsenal. The Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs has granted permission for this potential testing. The New Castle Green is owned by the State of Delaware and administered by the Division.
Volunteers are not needed at this time, but there may be an opportunity for people to be involved during a later part of the project. Funding for the Fort Casimir Battlefield Archaeological Project is provided by a grant from the American Battlefield Protection Program.