Dig?!

I noticed what appeared to be an archaeological dig going on here:

http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.82383105492446&lng=-74.75870132446289&z=16&type=topo&gpx=

At the NW corner of Oak shade and Tuckerton. There were two guys with a sifter (spelling). I didn't stop to ask but I recall a tavern once stood there.

Jeff


Jeff:

Thanks for keeping a sharp eye on the Pines’ cultural resources! John King first opened his Half Moon Tavern at this location at the turn of the nineteenth century. The small community that sprang up around the tavern reportedly first carried the name Flyatem, but the locals supposedly corrupted it to Flyat. In addition to keeping tavern, King hauled charcoal for Martha and mentions are made of King and the Half Moon Tavern in the Martha Furnace diary. Although King died in 1813, a succession of tavern keepers held the license for the place until about 1855.

If the two guys had a shaker screen (one set of legs on the ground on which the screen could be moved horizontally back and forth to sift the dirt) with them, they are probably bonafide archaeologists who may be conducting a cultural resource investigation prior to some road improvement project or, perhaps, the installation of a cell tower. If the project is legit, Barry Brady likely gave it his blessing as the CR representative for the Pinelands Commission.

Best regards,
Jerseyman
 

DeepXplor

Explorer
Nov 5, 2008
341
19
Jersey Shore
site

They have been digging here for a while. They put up no tresspassing signs and some tape barriers. They are not there all of the time, but it is private property that we must respect. I just hope that if they find something that they share the results with the public.

Tony R
 

woodjin

Piney
Nov 8, 2004
4,342
328
Near Mt. Misery
Do you work in that area woodjin?

Yes, I cross that intersection often. I hadn't noticed them working there before, but if they are not there all the time then that makes sense. I saw them on the weekend and I mostly go through that intersection on weekdays and later in the day.

Jeff
 
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