According to the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Lab in St. Leonard, Maryland, "Fort Frederick is a surviving stone-walled fort built between 1756 and 1758 on the Potomac River near the town of Big Pool in Washington County, Maryland. It served as a staging area and supply depot for military forces during the French and Indian War, Pontiac's Rebellion, the Revolutionary War, and the American Civil War. Fort Frederick was especially important as a key strong point on the mid-eighteenth century American frontier. It is unique among provincial English forts both for its size and its freestanding stone walls. Archaeological excavations have revealed crucial details on the layout of the site, and the activities that occurred at a frontier fort during the eighteenth century."
Fort Frederick in Washington County, Maryland
Rendering of How Fort Frederick May Have Appeared in the 18th Century
Built Between 1756 and 1758
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Photo Courtesy: U.S. Register of National Historic Places
Fort Fredrick as it Appears Today in Washington County, MD
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Photo Courtesy: U.S. Register of National Historic Places
Fort Frederick has been the site of four extensive twentieth century archaeology digs yielding 13,429 artifacts. Many of the objects were related to the fort's military operations. For example, the ceramic artifacts revealed that the soldiers had access to higher-priced wares. A large number of the Colonial ceramics were highly-decorated, such as scratch-blue white salt-glazed stoneware, hand-painted and sprig-molded white salt-glazed stoneware, polychrome tin-glazed earthenware, and Chinese porcelain, to go along with domestic red earthenware.
These photographs are just an example of the Colonial artifacts recovered at the site, but I thought a slip-decorated red earthenware sherd may be of particular interest, seeing that archaeologists are calling it locally-made. Although, I suspect that it is from the Maryland-Pennsylvania area, and I would not rule out Philadelphia, either.
Furthermore, "artifacts at Fort Frederick also reflect the divided class structure found in eighteenth century British military life. Taking informal tea was an important part of being a British officer, but was a ritual in which enlisted men did not participate. As a result, only a few broken teacups and saucers were found at the fort. Most of the pottery discovered at the site was everyday tableware used by the fort's larger population of enlisted men."
Archaeology of Fort Frederick in Maryland
Colonial Artifacts Recovered at Fort Frederick in Washington County, Maryland
(Middle) Slip-Decorated Red Earthenware Sherd
Reportedly Made Locally Whether it be in Maryland or Pennsylvania
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Photo Courtesy: Photo Courtesy: Maryland Archaeological Conservation Lab
More Colonial Artifacts Recovered at Fort Frederick in Washington County, Maryland
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Photo Courtesy: Photo Courtesy: Maryland Archaeological Conservation Lab
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
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