Excavating Hamline’s History about to Begin
In this 2004 photo my students are uncovering the outer wall of Hamline’s original Hall of Science. I wonder will we find an intact wall during our church excavation?
Fall semester began last week, so we are about to start our excavation of the Hamline Methodist Church site. We plan to lay out our excavation grid on Tuesday, then start the actual dig on Thursday. I admit I’m a tiny bit worried. Usually I would have tested a site before starting a major dig. That way I’d know something about the soil stratigraphy and the site’s preservation. I’d have some clue as to what is below the sod.
The church site is a complete unknown at this point. I’m assuming that some of the building remains. It seems inconceivable that the demolition crew back in 1926 would have completely removed the stone foundation and all the building’s parts. The real question to me is whether they left things pretty much where they landed when the church collapsed? Or did they haul away most of the interior furnishings and burned structural debris - filling the resulting hole with clean dirt?
Thursday - that’s when I’ll stop wondering and start finding answers.
Everyone interested in seeing our excavation is invited to stop by anytime we are digging. Our class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from about 1 to 4 PM. Look for us on the corner of Asbury and Englewood. (We have a few lectures planned, so there will be some days when we’re not digging.) If you want to join us for a hands-on experience, we have our first open dig scheduled for Saturday September 22nd from 9 AM to 3 PM. You should wear ‘gardening clothes’ and sturdy shoes. We’ll provide gloves and the excavation equipment. Children need to be accompanied by an adult. We have a second open dig scheduled for Hamline’s Homecoming weekend (Saturday, October 13). Depending on interest, we may schedule some additional times - possibly even a Tuesday or Thursday late afternoon to early evening. So come by if you’re interested in digging. Maybe you’ll be the first to find a long lost relict belonging to the Methodist church.
