The Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex is still accepting applications from teachers for summer workshops. The museum invites teachers of all grades and disciplines to participate in archaeology workshops July 13-17 and July 20-24, 2009. Teachers may participate for one or two weeks. The course is designed to introduce the basics of archaeological research and provide experiences and information that teachers can use to enhance the teaching of archaeology in the classroom. The project will involve teachers in field excavations, laboratory analyses, and the interpretation of artifacts and site data. The ethic of archaeological conservation and site preservation will be emphasized. There will be visits to regional historic sites and guest speakers.
The workshop will focus on the Fayetteville Arsenal site. Constructed over the decades of the 1830s to the 1860s, the Fayetteville Arsenal was designed as a component in a national military defense system. It was taken over by the Confederate government in the Civil War and used to manufacture armaments and supplies. Union forces under General William Sherman destroyed the arsenal shortly before the war ended. Remaining on the site are the foundations and ruins of the original arsenal buildings and industrial shops constructed during the Confederate occupation.
There is no charge to participate. Funding for this workshop is provided by a grant from a private trust. Teachers wishing to participate should contact David Reid, museum administrator, at 486-1330. Applicants should be aware that this workshop involves outdoor work in the summertime. Accommodations for special needs may be possible.
The Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex is located on the corner of Bradford and Arsenal Avenues in Fayetteville. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. The Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex is a section of the Division of State History Museums, Office of Archives and History, an agency of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.