In Fall 2023, students in Anthropology 416: Applying Archaeology conducted field and lab research, including excavation, on a historical site on the Oxford campus of Miami University. Continuing from previous field seasons (2018, 2021), these excavations focused on an area 30 meters south of the McGuffey House Museum. Previous research suggested a later household than the original McGuffey House occupied the property during the nineteenth century. Six 1m x 1m units were excavated in a checkered pattern to maximize coverage. The Harris Matrix stratigraphy method delineated three strata, the lowest of which was most associated with archaeological remains. Architectural and heating refuse, including coal, brick, and nails, were plentiful. More intriguing finds included window glass and bottle fragments; butchered animal bones from several species; clothing fasteners and deteriorated leather, possibly from shoes; coins dating to the 1920s and 1940s; commonplace medical equipment, and other ephemera. This research suggests they were associated with a more recent household or other occupation of the site. Two potential candidates for living at the site include occupants Mary Louisa Beard, who lived in the non-extant 317 S Oak House from sometime between 1903 and 1909 till 1925; and Miami University Vice President and Treasurer Wallace P. Roudebush and his family, who lived in the McGuffey House from 1925 to 1958.
Author(s): Ginny Kirby, Maya D’souza, Jillian Schwab, Malia Abbott, Dylan Falk, Scott Day, Josie Cruzan, Mackenzie Randol, Kathryn Keeley, Sydney Davidson, Abigail Berhalter
Advisor(s): Jeb Card, Anthropology Department
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