After perfecting pedestrian survey at the Field site, the Archaeology class moved on to the main site: the Women’s League Cabin. Survey of the Women’s League Cabin (WLC) site spanned two lab days, April 21st and 28th, 2015, during which students mapped out and combed twenty 10 by 10 meter survey units. Before surveying began, students learned how to map out survey units using a theodolite (and a theodolite app for iPhones). By using compasses and a theodolite, the class mapped out a theoretically accurate grid with units of roughly the same size.
Once the survey grid was mapped out, survey collection began. Many of the survey units had heavy lef litter which was carefully raked away to expose the soil. While doing this, students were careful to look out for any potential artifacts. Because survey units at the WLC site were much smaller than those surveyed in the Field, students preformed ‘complete/gridded’ collections methods. This meant that the class broke up into pair and throughly combed the survey unit.
Below is a link to the interactive Women’s League Cabin Survey Map.
Survey Unit totals in the interactive map are color coded based on total artifacts found.
WLC survey map with color coded survey unit totals.
- Purple dots = No artifacts
- Blue dots = 1-5 artifacts
- Green dots = 6-10 artifacts
- Yellow dots = 11-15 artifacts
- Orange dots = 16-20 artifacts
- Red dots = More than 20 artifacts
Clicking on these colored dots will produce a ‘pop up’ detailing the materials found within each survey unit. A ‘layer’ option on the left hand side of the application also allows you to turn on and off map layers, exposing other portions of the survey, like object biographies and ideal grid lines. Comparing the survey grid lines is especially interesting, showing how despite best efforts, it’s difficult to create perfectly square survey units and how objects at the site can dictate the feasibility of a survey grid. While laying out the survey grids, the class also kept in mind the location of the historic cabin. Based off of blue prints and the remains of a backdoor patio, the Women’s League Cabin was situated approximately in B-3, though no precise foundations were uncovered. The ArcGIS map includes a layer showing the approximate location of the Women’s League Cabin and patio.
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- Example of a Survey Unit pop up.
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- Clicking on an off layers will expose additional map sections
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- Object biography blue stars. Objects were chosen for object biographies based on unique and distinguishing attributes.
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- An example object biography pop-up.
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- Actual survey grid in red, ideal in green. Differences likely due to human error and on site obstructions.
Explore the site like the Archaeology class did! Discover finds and learn about the physical history of the Women’s League Cabin.
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Click on Link for Access to the Interactive Women’s League Cabin Survey Map!
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For more information on artifact distribution and fun ArcGIS data for the Women’s League Cabin, visit the GIS page
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- Students use tape measures to measure the perimeter of the survey units.
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- The area of the Women’s League cabin survey area was 50×40 square meters.
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- Avi marks the beginning of each sub-unit at each 10 meter interval along the perimeter.
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- Patton clears the surface of the old patio of the Women’s League Cabin.
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- Before beginning the ground survey, students had to rake away the leaves and brush that had accumulated above the objects of interest from the site.
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- Students examined each survey sub-unit methodically.
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- Often times artifacts found above ground, like this shard of a bottle made by the Owens-Illinois Glass Co., can yield a lot of information.
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- Julia compares the dimensions of the patio with the information in the original cabin blueprints.
Artifacts Found
Total artifacts collected from the Women’s League Cabin site. Note that 90 of the ‘others’ comes from a single unit (C1), designating a charcoal deposit with 90 pieces of charcoal.
Women’s League Cabin site finds broken up by survey unit. Note that ‘other’ for C1 has a total artifact number of 90 (all charcoal). To fit the other finds better, this bar was cut off at 35.
Objects found at the WLC site told a history of use by students and community members. The materials collected through the survey showed mostly artifacts related to consuming food or drink, an activity that easily goes along with hanging out in a cabin in the woods. Oral history accounts also support the consumption of food and alcohol (as well as other drinks) at the site, giving historical backing for the physical materials found.
The presence of glass, the highest density of material found when discounting charcoal deposits, identified drinking as a major activity at the cabin throughout time, though the presence of soda bottles and cans showed that alcohol wasn’t the sole drink of choice at the cabin. Object biographies of bottle glass showed a date range from the early 1940’s to current, giving an excellent occupation range which again matches the written and remembered record. The modern (2010-2014) bottles discovered also show the site is still occasionally used by either Northfield or Carleton community members.
Besides glass, the metal materials found were also primarily related to food. These artifacts included metal cans, lids, and spoons related to canned goods, further showing the importance of food and drink at the WLC. Other metal materials were clearly associated with the cabin itself, either presenting as metal springs, nails, or furnishing ornaments. Because we don’t know exactly where the material from the destruction of the cabin went, these remnants tell a story of what use to make up the cabin’s lived exterior and interior.
Most of the plastic materials were also related to food stuff (bottles and disposable container scraps), though some pointed towards other activities at the cabin. The presence of multiple combs from after the 1940’s (dated from 1940’s – 1970’s), also showed occupation of the site by female members of the Carleton community. Combs point towards overnight trips to the cabin, when individuals would bring beauty products and gear.
The bits of flowerpot and glass found in SU-B3, where the patio/porch of the cabin was located, suggest that this was a place that people used to decorate and gather on to enjoy beverages. SU-C1 contained a lot of charcoal and numerous shards of a glass window. This was probably some sort of dumping ground a small distance away from the cabin, though the charcoal could also be more modern in origin. It is possible that fires have been held at the site after the demolition of the cabin. SU-C3 also has a lot of similar looking shards of glass, perhaps from a shattered window at the time of the cabin’s demolition. The metal spoon and mug sherd indicate that this might have been where the kitchen was. Both kitchen related materials were dated to near the end of the cabin’s existence.
Survey Unit Assemblages: Photos
Below are pictures of the all materials collected from the WLC survey units. Note that not all materials were collected, but below represents a good variety of the materials found. For a more in depth look at some of the artifacts, visit the Object Biographies page.
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- SU A1: 1. Black plastic tape
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- SU A2: 1. Broken green comb 2. Shard of amber glass displaying the phrase “One Pint” 3. Part of a black comb 4. Clear shard of glass with part of a serial number “H-257…” 5. The black rod within a Polaroid camera that feeds out new photos.
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- SU A3: 1. Unknown type of metal lid 2. Amber shard of glass
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- SU A4: 1. Large portion of a clear, flask-shaped bottle (likely for liquor) 2. Rusted metal can 3. White piece of ceramic 4. Plastic “T” shaped pin 5. Top of a clear glass jar 6, 7, 8. Likely part of the same glass jar/bottle 9, 10, 11. Likely part of the same green bottle 12. Sparkly green glass shard
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- SU A5: 1. Green comb (intact) 2. Large piece of green glass bottle with “No Deposit” written across it 3. Pieces of clear glass 4. Amber shard of glass 5. Rusty piece of aluminum 6. Likely part of a metal drain 7. Side of some sort of can
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- SU B3: 1. Brick 2. Probably a piece of a flower pot 3. Likely part of the same flower pot as the one above 4. Large shard of amber glass 5. Clear piece of the bottom of a bottle 6. Piece of a styrofoam cup 7. Dirty piece of cloth
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- SU B4: 1. Side of a clear glass jar 2. Shard of clear glass 3. piece of a glass bottleneck 4. Pinched piece of opaque glass 5. Piece of rusted metal 6. Piece of rusted metal 7. Bottom of a metal can 8. Amber shard of glass
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- SU B5: 1. Part of a screen door/window 2. Mountain Dew bottle
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- SU C1: 1. Shards of a glass window pane 2. Shards of another glass window pane 3. Misshapen pieces of green glass 4. Thick, folded piece of amber glass 5. Amber shard (of a bottle, most likely) 6. Pieces of a “No Hunting” sign 7. Charcoal 8. part of a tin dish 9. Large piece of concrete 10. Smaller piece of concrete 11. Intact bottle
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- SU C2: 1. One side of a green, glass bottle 2. Large piece of amber glass (part of a jar?) 3. Amber piece of glass, bottom of a bottle 4. Amber glass shard 5. Amber glass shard 6. Amber glass shard 7. Amber glass shard 8. Clear glass 8. Clear glass 10. Plastic cap/plug 11. Old duct tape 12. A stick, painted white 13. Tin foil
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- SU C3: 1. Edge of a green glass bottle with the word “England” on it 2. Tiny piece of light green glass 3. flat, clear pieces of a window pane 4. pieces of a clear, glass bottle 5. Amber shard of glass, the top of a jar 6. Amber shard of glass 7. Piece of concrete 8. Small stone slate 9. Likely pieces of a rusty metal bucket/pail 10. Metal spoon 11. Duct tape 12. Piece of a Solo cup 13. Piece of black plastic 14. Part of an old wristband 15. Piece of a ceramic mug with “Tom Wilson” written on it
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- SU C4: 1. Pieces of clear glass with obtuse corners 2. Flat shards of a window pane 3. Piece of asphalt 4. Pieces of an unknown, rusted, metal object
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- SU C5: 1. Twisted metal rod 2. Amber glass shard 3. Amber glass shard
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- SU D1: 1. Clear glass shard
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- SU D2: 1. Clear glass shard 2. Tiny clear glass shard 3. Fried chicken sticker 4. Dr. Pepper bottle 5. Lid of a large can 6. Tinfoil
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- SU D3: 1. Metal coils 2. Rubber wire 3. Bottom of an amber glass bottle 4. Sabretooth-shaped glass shard 5. Thin plastic film 6. Side of a clear glass jar 7. Piece of a glass insulator cap 8. Tiny clear glass 9. Amber glass 10. Small lightbulb
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- SU D4: 1. Rectangular piece of glass
The survey of the Women’s League Cabin revealed expected finds associated with a college retreat. Our knowledge of historical usage was enhanced by seeing the widespread distribution of glass materials associated with alcohol bottles.
Our understanding of the site itself was also broadened. Based on the remaining flagstones of the Women’s League patio, we’ve come to believe that blueprints for the cabin were written up and then changed on-site to better fit the space. The survey was also able to corroborate the blueprint, with the majority of finds in the C units, which were situated where the Women’s League Cabin historically stood.
Content created by Chloe Bergstrand, Sage Mitch, and Theo Morris.
ArcGIS map: Chloe Bergstrand
Photos: Theo Morris
