UWF Public archaeology returned to downtown Pensacola in the summer of 2005. Excavations were conducted at the Commanding Officer’s compound inside the former colonial fort that was located downtown between 1756 and 1821. Today, this area is within the UWF Historic Pensacola Village behind the T.T. Wentworth State Museum and has been set aside as an “archaeological” park.

UWF excavations at this site in 1993 revealed tantalizing clues about what remains underground. The 1993 finds included a British period outdoor kitchen area with brick hearths surrounded by refuse deposits relating to food preparation and consumption. Soils stains underlying the British deposits suggested that earlier Spanish pits and structures might be present, but there was no time to continue excavations into these deposits. When research ended in 1993, the exceptional outdoor kitchen complex was developed into one of the main exhibits of the Colonial Archaeological Trail in Old Pensacola.

This on-going project combines academic teaching, research interests, and community participation.

• The academic element involves the teaching of field methods to UWF archaeology students, both graduate and undergraduate; the course is required of all archaeology students during a summer term. Most students learn field techniques for the first time, but the advanced graduate students learn the skills of supervision and project management.
• The research aspect of the project continues research in one of the most productive and interesting places in colonial Pensacola: the heart of the fortified area in the Commanding Officer’s compound. The former excavation unit was re-opened and expanded during the summer of 2005.
• This was a true public archaeology project:
  • The location behind the Wentworth Museum is highly accessible with plenty of parking. Visitors were able to pick up information at a table next to the excavation and watch the students excavate, document, and screen.
  • There was an outdoor lab under a big tent next to the excavation and visitors, with a little training and supervision, helped with the artifact sorting.
  • Site tours were provided any time.
  • The public was welcome and encouraged to visit throughout the summer.
  • Analysis of the artifacts is being continued in the UWF archaeology labs during the fall and winter. Many local volunteers are assisting students and faculty in the lab analysis.

2005 Project Leaders

Principal Investigators

Dr. Elizabeth Benchley

Dr. Judith A. Bense

UWF Graduate Student Supervisors in training:

Project Director, April Holmes (Naples)
Crew Chief, Jim Greene (Nashville)	Crew Chief, Mary Furlong (Orlando)

2005 Finds

The most spectacular finds of the 2005 fieldwork were exceptionally deep Early Spanish period (1754-1763) features: two barrel wells and a cool storage pit. The features extended below the water table. We had to put well points into the units to lower the water for excavation. The pits for the well and storage feature intersected, so we were able to determine the sequence of construction. The complete lower portion of the lowest well was lined with an intact barrel and contained a crushed pail that had been dropped to the bottom. The intact base of the rectangular “cooler” was made of logs nailed together. A wine bottle was found in the “cooler.” The feature had been dismantled and filled with earth and refuse.

We also found wall trenches for Early Spanish buildings crisscrossing the area deep below the British and Late Spanish deposits. Remains of these early buildings are very rare finds. In addition, we discovered a lot of amazing artifacts including a horse bridle bit, stemmed glassware, salt glazed stoneware dishes, and personal items such as beads and cuff links.