William Trent House Field School
City of Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey
In the summer of 2019, in collaboration with Monmouth University’s Department of History and Anthropology, Hunter Research devised and implemented an archaeological field school at the William Trent House property, a National Historic Landmark in historic downtown Trenton. Completed under the auspices of the Trent House Association and with funding assistance from NJM Insurance Group, graduate and undergraduate archaeology students and a limited number of volunteers were provided basic training in archaeological excavation and documentation techniques as the project team sought evidence of late 17th-century and Native American occupation of the land immediately surrounding the upstanding 1719 William Trent House. An open day and tours for the general public were included as part of the excavation program. All work was conducted with the approval of the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office and in compliance with the New Jersey Register of Historic Places Act. The field school was successful in bringing archaeology to a wider audience in the local community and will be reprised in 2020.
