Cragfont excavation project aims to make site more historically accurate

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Cragfont has been in Sumner County since Tennessee was considered to be out west.

James and George Winchester moved to Tennessee after the Revolutionary War. In the late 1700s, Cragfont started being built and was done in 1802. Since the building has been standing for over 200 years there is only one main structure left: the house.

Tonya Staggs, Executive Director of historic Castillion Springs, said they would like to get more information on the home and land to make the property more historically accurate.

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This is when Sadye Lewis, project manager for Cragfont excavation, Dr. Paul Eubanks, and MTSU archeologists got involved. The team has been working on this excavation long before the dig began.

Lewis explained that they start by going through historical documents and archived records to find out where they want to dig. Once they decide where they want to dig, they break ground. A systematic survey begins and with this project, they are doing arbitrary levels. That means they are looking at the patterns in the soil and while they take samples of soil, they take them to sifters. These are large wooden frames that hold wiring that allows dirt to fall through, but artifacts to stay on top.

The artifacts are sent to be processed and categorized at a lab and then sent to the Tennessee Department of Archeology. So far with this project, they have found the location of a historic roadbed, nails, charcoal, brick, and some ceramic.

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These projects are funded by The Federal Historic Preservation Fund Grant from the Tennessee Historical Commission.

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