CFCC students unearth artifacts at construction site

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Part of Wilmington’s storied history is being unearthed in downtown Wilmington.

Homeowner Dean May is allowing Cape Fear Community College’s student Anthropology Club to get some hands on experience at the site of his future pool, a dig that is turning into quite the treasure chest.

Artifact unearthed during Front Street dig (Photo: Cape Fear Community College)

Cape Fear Community College says on a recent dig, seven students, along with the non-profit Public Anthropology Corps, found several artifacts dating from the early 19th Century.

Some of the items unearthed include a glass inkwell, blown glass champagne bottles, and sizable pottery vessels.

Utilizing a backhoe, shovels, screens, brushes, and other tools of the trade, CFCC Anthropology instructor Rachel Satzman provides her students with hands-on experience in the field.

“This was just a win-win situation for the students and the community. Ultimately, the City of Wilmington wanted any items of archaeological significance to be rescued before the construction of the pool,” Saltzman said. “The Front Street dig provided a unique experience for the students of CFCC’s Anthropology Club. When the College and the community work together, everyone wins.”

(Photo: Cape Fear Community College)

This was CFCC Student Annette Taylor’s first archeological experience, “I wasn’t sure what to expect, but watching the dirt shift and catching a glimpse of something that could have been a small relic from the past was extremely exciting and some of the most fun I’ve had in a while,” she said.

Homeowner Dean May hopes this will encourage other homeowners to contact CFCC’s Anthropology Department before they build.