| 10/29/2005 8:24:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | Archaeological dig uncovers local history
Sara Denhart
Courier Staff Writer
An archaeology report and a history assessment will soon be available online discussing the findings and life of the escaped slave Henry Bibb.
The Oldham County Historical Society received a $5,000 grant in July to have two digs, and found marbles, nails and part of a porcelain doll’s arm at the last dig in late August. More than 1,000 artifacts were collected after the second and final dig, which was conducted by Trimble County High School students.
At the last stakeholders meeting Wednesday, Nancy Theiss, executive director of the historical society, announced that 28 pre-Civil War artifacts were found at the Gatewood Plantation on Fairgrounds Road in Bedford. The items were mainly pieces of dishes and glass, Theiss said.
In addition to the artifacts, the stakeholders were able to discuss other findings about Bibb’s life. Theiss said the group was able to trace Bibb’s ancestry and discovered he was related to a mayor of Wilmington, Del. The stakeholders also located Bibb’s birthplace, which is now known as the Henry County Fairgrounds. His grave has been located in Ontario, Canada, Theiss said.
Bibb lived on the Gatewood Plantation and escaped several times before settling in Canada. He wrote a book, “Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Henry Bibb, an American Slave, Written By Himself,” which was published in 1849.
The historical society and other group members will continue to study Bibb’s life, and have applied for an education grant to present the findings to area schools, Theiss said. The group also hopes to establish a national trail, which would take visitors across the United States and Canada to follow along Bibb’s journeys.
The assessment and report will be available in about two weeks at http://www.oldhamcountyhistoricalsociety.org.
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