Versailles, In. — The public can tour an archaeological survey, chat with archaeologists, and learn about the history of Versailles State Park during a special program on Tuesday, August 14.
The program runs from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Oak Grove Shelter.
Representatives from Ball State University’s Applied Anthropology Laboratories (AAL), along with AAL field students and staff from the DNR Division of Historic Preservation & Archaeology (DHPA) will be on site to lead the program.
AAL staff will offer short tours of the archaeological site, which includes shovel test digs and surveying sites. Additionally, staff from the park and DHPA will offer informational and educational activities, including artifact displays, artifact identification, hands-on activities and more.
At 2 p.m., local resident and historian Bill Dallman will talk about the history of the land and the families who lived there.
The program is free after paying the standard park admission fee of $7 per in-state vehicle and $9 per out-of-state vehicle.
The public program is one element of a targeted archaeological survey to uncover what remains of 19th-century life at several sites within the park. Archaeologists will use ground-penetrating radar and other methods to survey footpaths, privies, outbuildings and hidden home foundations.
The Versailles area is historically significant because it was among the first planned towns in early Indiana. The park’s historic home sites are well preserved and offer a trove of information on daily life in early Indiana.
This project has been funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Fund, administered by the DHPA.
