TROY — Archaeologists are digging into the history underneath the Overfield Tavern in Troy.
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As reported on News Center 7 at 6:00, thousands of artifacts have been found buried under and around the building.
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“We knew that this was an intact site and that if we were going to do major ground disturbing activities, we really had to get in here with professional archaeologists,” Overfield Tavern Museum Executive Director Chris Manning said.
The historical site is in phase two of renovations and repairs after a fire last December.
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“We found several coins, at least two coins that I know of, including an 1817 50-cent piece. And in 1817, the tavern would have been in operation, so that coin may have actually been used in the tavern,” Manning said.
They’re digging into the subsoil to find even more artifacts.
“For me personally, this was the oldest coin that I had found, and then I found this, and then, well, now this is the oldest coin that I probably found in the U.S.,” Ohio Valley Archaeology project archaeologist Brenda Detty said.
Detty and her team have found coins, pig bones, and even an arrowhead under the tavern.
The crew will keep digging until Thursday, and then they’ll clean and sort through all of the artifacts.
“We’re finding a lot, a lot of stuff. So hopefully it can answer some questions that the tavern needs,” Detty said.
“This will become part of the permanent collection here at the museum. And I anticipate that we’ll put part of the collection on display,” Manning said.
Once archaeologists finish digging and other preparations for renovations are ready, they will enter the third phase of restoration in late 2026.
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
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