Artifacts uncovered earlier this year at Camp Lawton, the site of the Civil War’s largest prisoner camp, is now on display at the Georgia Southern University Museum.
The artifacts, which include many priceless and unique finds, were discovered by a Georgia Southern University archaeology team excavating at Magnolia Springs State Park in Millen, Ga. The team, led by University anthropology professor Sue Moore, Ph.D. and graduate student Kevin Chapman, was working to locate the stockade wall that surrounded Camp Lawton during the Civil War. In addition to locating parts of the wall, the team uncovered numerous personal artifacts left behind by soldiers who were imprisoned there or were stationed there as part of the Confederate Army. News of the discovery made headlines around the world when it was announced in August.
The artifacts, which include a tobacco pipe, tourniquet buckle, and photo frame, are very personal in nature. Researchers believe many of the artifacts may have been left behind when Union prisoners of war were awakened in the middle of the night by Confederate soldiers as the camp was evacuated in advance of Sherman’s approaching army during his “March to the Sea.” Researchers were stunned by the numerous finds at the Camp Lawton site, because artifacts from most Civil War prison camps have been lost due to farming, development and looting.
In addition to the artifacts, museum displays will also educate visitors on the harsh realities of life at Camp Lawton, including a display that shows the meager amount of food allotted to each person at the camp.
The exhibit will be on display during regular Georgia Southern University Museum hours until May 1, 2011. The museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. The museum is closed Monday and on University holidays. Museum admission is $2 per person. Georgia Southern students with a valid I.D., museum members, and children under 3 years of age are admitted free of charge.
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Showing posts with label georgia southern. Show all posts
Showing posts with label georgia southern. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
Georgia Southern University Archaeology Students Uncover Priceless Civil War Artifacts
Georgia Southern University archaeology students have uncovered numerous priceless and unique Civil War artifacts at the site of a Confederate prison camp in Millen, Ga.
"This is truly a stunning find with historical implications that will be studied for decades," said Georgia Southern University Archaeology Professor Sue Moore, Ph.D. "While we knew we were searching in the immediate vicinity of the site of the Civil War’s largest prison camp, we were amazed by some of the artifacts that were uncovered and at their condition. These pieces tell the story like nothing else can of what life was like for the thousands of prisoners and soldiers who lived here at the close of the war."
The artifacts—including a makeshift smoking pipe, bullets turned into gaming pieces, a tourniquet buckle, jewelry, eating utensils, and coins—were found at Magnolia Springs State Park in Millen, Ga. The area was the site of Camp Lawton, which at the close of the Civil War was believed to be the largest prison camp in the world. The state park was established in the 1930’s, after the exact boundaries of the prison camp were no longer known. The widely accepted view by many archaeologists was that there were no significant or personal Civil War artifacts to be found at the site.
Georgia Southern University archaeology graduate students began conducting research there in the fall of 2009 at the request of Georgia Department of Natural Resources Director Chris Clark. Clark, an alumnus of Georgia Southern University, hoped the team could pinpoint the location of the stockade walls that originally surrounded the prison. If the team was successful, Clark eventually planned to reconstruct the walls to bring additional tourists to the park. However, no one believed the land still contained much else in the way of Civil War artifacts.
"Many Civil War sites have been stripped by a century and a half of farming and development," said Georgia Southern University graduate student Kevin Chapman, who is heading the project and discovered the first artifacts. "Now we have unearthed numerous items that haven’t been touched in 150 years. We never believed that we would find anything of this magnitude."
Camp Lawton was constructed in 1864 by the Confederate Army to replace Georgia’s notorious Andersonville prison. Camp Lawton housed more than ten-thousand Union prisoners, and hundreds of Confederate soldiers. But, the camp was only occupied for six weeks before evacuations began in the middle of the night on November 26, 1864 as the Union army approached during Sherman’s March to the Sea. Chapman believes that hasty exit may be the reason so many artifacts remained on the site.
"What we’ve found were treasures of the prisoners who were kept here," Chapman explained. "They would have hidden these things from the Confederate guards. When they were roused in the middle of the night to begin the move out, there may not have been time to retrieve them. Also, records tell us anywhere from 750 to 1,200 men died at Camp Lawton over the course of six weeks. Some of these items may be things the soldiers hid away and were never found between their death and the time of the evacuation."
Under an agreement with the federal government, the portion of the land in Magnolia Springs State Park where the artifacts were found was recently transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This area is now enclosed by a fence and is under 24 hour video surveillance and manned security to prevent looting of the site. Anyone caught looting in the area is subject to prosecution, with penalties that could include prison time and hefty fines. Georgia Southern University students will continue their scientific research and excavations in an effort to study the area as thoroughly as possible.
"This is sacred ground," said Moore. "Hundreds of men died here and what they, and the other prisoners, left behind belong to the public and future generations. When these artifacts are excavated and preserved in the correct, scientific way they give us a detailed picture of the people who lived and died at Camp Lawton. We are dedicated to preserving these pieces so everyone can have an up close look at these secrets that have been buried for more than a century."
The artifacts will be on exhibit at the Georgia Southern University Museum beginning October 10, 2010. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the custodian of the artifacts, which belong to the American people. For more information about Georgia Southern’s discovery at Camp Lawton, please visit www.georgiasouthern.edu/camplawton.
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"This is truly a stunning find with historical implications that will be studied for decades," said Georgia Southern University Archaeology Professor Sue Moore, Ph.D. "While we knew we were searching in the immediate vicinity of the site of the Civil War’s largest prison camp, we were amazed by some of the artifacts that were uncovered and at their condition. These pieces tell the story like nothing else can of what life was like for the thousands of prisoners and soldiers who lived here at the close of the war."
The artifacts—including a makeshift smoking pipe, bullets turned into gaming pieces, a tourniquet buckle, jewelry, eating utensils, and coins—were found at Magnolia Springs State Park in Millen, Ga. The area was the site of Camp Lawton, which at the close of the Civil War was believed to be the largest prison camp in the world. The state park was established in the 1930’s, after the exact boundaries of the prison camp were no longer known. The widely accepted view by many archaeologists was that there were no significant or personal Civil War artifacts to be found at the site.
Georgia Southern University archaeology graduate students began conducting research there in the fall of 2009 at the request of Georgia Department of Natural Resources Director Chris Clark. Clark, an alumnus of Georgia Southern University, hoped the team could pinpoint the location of the stockade walls that originally surrounded the prison. If the team was successful, Clark eventually planned to reconstruct the walls to bring additional tourists to the park. However, no one believed the land still contained much else in the way of Civil War artifacts.
"Many Civil War sites have been stripped by a century and a half of farming and development," said Georgia Southern University graduate student Kevin Chapman, who is heading the project and discovered the first artifacts. "Now we have unearthed numerous items that haven’t been touched in 150 years. We never believed that we would find anything of this magnitude."
Camp Lawton was constructed in 1864 by the Confederate Army to replace Georgia’s notorious Andersonville prison. Camp Lawton housed more than ten-thousand Union prisoners, and hundreds of Confederate soldiers. But, the camp was only occupied for six weeks before evacuations began in the middle of the night on November 26, 1864 as the Union army approached during Sherman’s March to the Sea. Chapman believes that hasty exit may be the reason so many artifacts remained on the site.
"What we’ve found were treasures of the prisoners who were kept here," Chapman explained. "They would have hidden these things from the Confederate guards. When they were roused in the middle of the night to begin the move out, there may not have been time to retrieve them. Also, records tell us anywhere from 750 to 1,200 men died at Camp Lawton over the course of six weeks. Some of these items may be things the soldiers hid away and were never found between their death and the time of the evacuation."
Under an agreement with the federal government, the portion of the land in Magnolia Springs State Park where the artifacts were found was recently transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This area is now enclosed by a fence and is under 24 hour video surveillance and manned security to prevent looting of the site. Anyone caught looting in the area is subject to prosecution, with penalties that could include prison time and hefty fines. Georgia Southern University students will continue their scientific research and excavations in an effort to study the area as thoroughly as possible.
"This is sacred ground," said Moore. "Hundreds of men died here and what they, and the other prisoners, left behind belong to the public and future generations. When these artifacts are excavated and preserved in the correct, scientific way they give us a detailed picture of the people who lived and died at Camp Lawton. We are dedicated to preserving these pieces so everyone can have an up close look at these secrets that have been buried for more than a century."
The artifacts will be on exhibit at the Georgia Southern University Museum beginning October 10, 2010. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the custodian of the artifacts, which belong to the American people. For more information about Georgia Southern’s discovery at Camp Lawton, please visit www.georgiasouthern.edu/camplawton.
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Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Center for Irish Studies Presents Event on Scots-Irish Heritage September 11 and 12
Georgia Southern University’s Center for Irish Studies will present a two-day symposium about Scots-Irish heritage and culture, with a special focus on Scots-Irish experiences in many parts of the American South. The symposium will be held Sept. 11 and 12, 2009 at the Coastal Georgia Center on Fahm Street in Savannah.
"More than five million Americans claim Scots-Irish ancestry, and many of these people have a great interest in learning more about their heritage," said Howard Keeley, director of Georgia Southern University’s Center for Irish Studies. "This event will allow people to meet and discuss the Scots-Irish experience with some of the leading scholars in the field in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere."
The symposium, "Frontiers and Fringes," is co-sponsored by the Institute of Ulster-Scots Studies at the University of Ulster in Ireland. Topics include the Scots-Irish settlements in Georgia and the archeological finds discovered there, Scots-Irish literature, and the relationships of the Scots-Irish with German settlers in America.
The acclaimed five-man Smokey’s Farmhouse Band will perform a concert of Scots-Irish Appalachian bluegrass music on Friday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. at the Coastal Georgia Center. The concert is free for symposium attendees. Non-attendees may purchase $10 tickets at the door.
Admission to the symposium is $20 per day, or $30 for the entire two-day event. For more information or to register, go to http://class.georgiasouthern.edu/irish/frontiers.
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"More than five million Americans claim Scots-Irish ancestry, and many of these people have a great interest in learning more about their heritage," said Howard Keeley, director of Georgia Southern University’s Center for Irish Studies. "This event will allow people to meet and discuss the Scots-Irish experience with some of the leading scholars in the field in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere."
The symposium, "Frontiers and Fringes," is co-sponsored by the Institute of Ulster-Scots Studies at the University of Ulster in Ireland. Topics include the Scots-Irish settlements in Georgia and the archeological finds discovered there, Scots-Irish literature, and the relationships of the Scots-Irish with German settlers in America.
The acclaimed five-man Smokey’s Farmhouse Band will perform a concert of Scots-Irish Appalachian bluegrass music on Friday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. at the Coastal Georgia Center. The concert is free for symposium attendees. Non-attendees may purchase $10 tickets at the door.
Admission to the symposium is $20 per day, or $30 for the entire two-day event. For more information or to register, go to http://class.georgiasouthern.edu/irish/frontiers.
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Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Georgia Southern University’s Henderson Library Set to Open Ben Franklin Exhibit
The Zach S. Henderson Library at Georgia Southern University has been selected to host a nationally-renowned traveling exhibition that celebrates the fascinating life of one of America’s Founding Fathers.
“Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World” will be on display at the Henderson Library for six weeks beginning with an opening reception at 7 p.m. on March 14. The public is invited to join special guests, including Franklin family descendant Clare Ellis, on the first floor of the Zach S. Henderson Library for this event. The exhibition is funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
“We are pleased and honored that this tribute to Benjamin Franklin is coming to our campus,” said W. Bede Mitchell, the dean of the Henderson Library. “It is an educational and entertaining exhibition that will appeal to both children and adults, and we hope that people throughout the region will take advantage of this opportunity to learn about a true American icon.”
“Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World” is based on the major exhibition of the same name that was on display at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia through April 2006. The original exhibition coincided with the 300th anniversary of Franklin’s birth.
The opening lecture will be presented by Johnathan O’Neill, a Constitutional historian in Georgia Southern’s Department of History. He will discuss Franklin’s efforts to win France’s support during the American Revolution and his work during the Constitutional Convention of 1787.
In conjunction with the exhibition, the Henderson Library is sponsoring a series of programs that are free and open to the public. In addition, school children from throughout the area have been invited to visit the library and tour the exhibition.
Academic and public libraries from across the country that were interested in hosting the traveling exhibition were required to submit proposals to the American Library Association (ALA) Public Affairs Program, which made the final selections. Information Services Librarian JoEllen Broome made the proposal to the ALA on behalf of the Henderson Library.
Covering 1,000 square feet, the traveling exhibition features six sections of colorful, freestanding photo panels that incorporate representations of artifacts from the original exhibition.
The content is arranged in thematic sections that focus on Franklin as a youngster in Boston, his family and personal life, and the years in which he built his business as Philadelphia’s premier printer. The exhibition also looks at Franklin’s commitment to public service, his interest in medicine and public health, and his work in science and philosophy.
“We are delighted to have a brand-new, spacious, light-filled, cutting-edge facility now in which to showcase this milestone event – the first of many more to come,” said Broome.
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“Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World” will be on display at the Henderson Library for six weeks beginning with an opening reception at 7 p.m. on March 14. The public is invited to join special guests, including Franklin family descendant Clare Ellis, on the first floor of the Zach S. Henderson Library for this event. The exhibition is funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
“We are pleased and honored that this tribute to Benjamin Franklin is coming to our campus,” said W. Bede Mitchell, the dean of the Henderson Library. “It is an educational and entertaining exhibition that will appeal to both children and adults, and we hope that people throughout the region will take advantage of this opportunity to learn about a true American icon.”
“Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World” is based on the major exhibition of the same name that was on display at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia through April 2006. The original exhibition coincided with the 300th anniversary of Franklin’s birth.
The opening lecture will be presented by Johnathan O’Neill, a Constitutional historian in Georgia Southern’s Department of History. He will discuss Franklin’s efforts to win France’s support during the American Revolution and his work during the Constitutional Convention of 1787.
In conjunction with the exhibition, the Henderson Library is sponsoring a series of programs that are free and open to the public. In addition, school children from throughout the area have been invited to visit the library and tour the exhibition.
Academic and public libraries from across the country that were interested in hosting the traveling exhibition were required to submit proposals to the American Library Association (ALA) Public Affairs Program, which made the final selections. Information Services Librarian JoEllen Broome made the proposal to the ALA on behalf of the Henderson Library.
Covering 1,000 square feet, the traveling exhibition features six sections of colorful, freestanding photo panels that incorporate representations of artifacts from the original exhibition.
The content is arranged in thematic sections that focus on Franklin as a youngster in Boston, his family and personal life, and the years in which he built his business as Philadelphia’s premier printer. The exhibition also looks at Franklin’s commitment to public service, his interest in medicine and public health, and his work in science and philosophy.
“We are delighted to have a brand-new, spacious, light-filled, cutting-edge facility now in which to showcase this milestone event – the first of many more to come,” said Broome.
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Monday, October 27, 2008
"Anne Frank: A History for Today" Exhibit at Georgia Southern University Museum November 2
The Georgia Southern University Museum is hosting “Anne Frank: A History for Today” beginning November 2, 2008.
“Anne Frank: A History for Today” chronicles the Holocaust through the eyes of Anne Frank and her family. The goal of the exhibit is to confront issues of prejudice and intolerance and to educate young people about the positive values of diversity.
Consisting of 55 large panels, this exhibit juxtaposes photographs of the Frank family with photographs depicting historical events during that time. The goal is to show how persecuted people, such as the Frank family, were affected by political decisions and by the actions and beliefs of individuals. The exhibit invites people to view and think about prejudice, discrimination, hate and violence. It also encourages them to think about their own attitudes and beliefs.
Also part of the exhibit is “The Anne Frank Secret Hiding Place,” an artist’s representation of what the secret hiding place was like. The exhibit’s visitors will also have the opportunity to view a brief film, “The Short Life of Anne Frank.”
The exhibit is sponsored by The Anne Frank Center U.S.A. Through this exhibit and others, the center has introduced over four million young people to the story of Anne Frank. The goal of the exhibit is to confront issues of prejudice and intolerance and to educate young people about the positive values of diversity.
Accompanying the exhibit is “Witness to the Holocaust: WWII Veteran William A. Scott at Buchenwald.” This exhibit documents the liberation of Buchenwald through the lens of U.S. Army photojournalist William A. Scott, III. Scott was a member of a segregated African-American unit during World War II. This exhibit shows how powerful discrimination can be and teaches respect for diversity.
The exhibit will be on display from November 2 – December 3, 2008. The public is invited to an opening reception on November 3, 2008 at 3:00 p.m. The reception includes a lecture, “In the Shadow of the Swastika” by Sylvia Wygoda, director of the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust.
In coordination with the exhibit and Veteran’s Day, the Magellan String Quartet will present an informal concert “Death, Destruction, and Liberation in Music from WWII” at the museum at 4:15 p.m. on November 11, 2008.
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“Anne Frank: A History for Today” chronicles the Holocaust through the eyes of Anne Frank and her family. The goal of the exhibit is to confront issues of prejudice and intolerance and to educate young people about the positive values of diversity.
Consisting of 55 large panels, this exhibit juxtaposes photographs of the Frank family with photographs depicting historical events during that time. The goal is to show how persecuted people, such as the Frank family, were affected by political decisions and by the actions and beliefs of individuals. The exhibit invites people to view and think about prejudice, discrimination, hate and violence. It also encourages them to think about their own attitudes and beliefs.
Also part of the exhibit is “The Anne Frank Secret Hiding Place,” an artist’s representation of what the secret hiding place was like. The exhibit’s visitors will also have the opportunity to view a brief film, “The Short Life of Anne Frank.”
The exhibit is sponsored by The Anne Frank Center U.S.A. Through this exhibit and others, the center has introduced over four million young people to the story of Anne Frank. The goal of the exhibit is to confront issues of prejudice and intolerance and to educate young people about the positive values of diversity.
Accompanying the exhibit is “Witness to the Holocaust: WWII Veteran William A. Scott at Buchenwald.” This exhibit documents the liberation of Buchenwald through the lens of U.S. Army photojournalist William A. Scott, III. Scott was a member of a segregated African-American unit during World War II. This exhibit shows how powerful discrimination can be and teaches respect for diversity.
The exhibit will be on display from November 2 – December 3, 2008. The public is invited to an opening reception on November 3, 2008 at 3:00 p.m. The reception includes a lecture, “In the Shadow of the Swastika” by Sylvia Wygoda, director of the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust.
In coordination with the exhibit and Veteran’s Day, the Magellan String Quartet will present an informal concert “Death, Destruction, and Liberation in Music from WWII” at the museum at 4:15 p.m. on November 11, 2008.
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