History

Learn about the Biggs Ford archaeological site in Frederick at this FCC exhibit

BY ANDY STOUT

Special to The News-Post

If the opening reception turnout was any indication, Frederick residents are keen to learn more about a part of the county’s rich Native American history by taking advantage of the unique opportunity to visit the Biggs Ford Collection Exhibit, which is on display at the Frederick Community College Student Center, Room H-102, through Dec. 9.

The exhibit includes informational displays and objects from the Biggs Ford site, an archeological site that contains a large, well-preserved Native American village. The site is located in Frederick County near Glade Creek, a tributary of the Monocacy River. Artifacts found at the site date as far back as 11,000 years ago, though the main occupation of the site is believed to have been prior to and during the arrival of Europeans, from 1300 to 1600 AD.

“The catalyst for the exhibit was the donation and transfer of a collection of artifacts from the Biggs Ford site,” said Lauren Lippiello, assistant professor of global studies at FCC and the exhibit organizer. “Thanks to a generous deed of gift from Mrs. Barbara Crum, the site’s property owner, the collection was transferred from where it had been stored at American University and arrived at FCC this past August.”

Crum, together with her late husband, William, and their family, have served as stewards of the site for the past 50 years and desired to see the collection return to Frederick County. The display of the artifact collection was facilitated by the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory, with assistance from local archaeologist Hettie Ballweber.

FCC was the perfect location to house the artifact collection, since the site is a short drive from campus and FCC scholars are interested in the material.

Lippiello teaches Introduction to Archaeology each fall at FCC and is responsible for the collection while it is at the college. Several of her students are working on projects associated with the collection. One of them, Katherine Duckworth, a student in the Honors College at FCC, helped to create the exhibit and photograph select artifacts. The collection is the subject of her regional and state honors presentation at FCC. Through the collaboration of students, faculty, staff and outside researchers, Lippiello hopes to create the Biggs Ford Digital Museum, so everyone can access and study the site’s artifacts.

The primary occupation of the Biggs Ford site around the time of European contact represents one of several Native American habitations near the Monocacy and Potomac rivers during this time period. However, the Biggs Ford site is the only known village site in the Potomac River drainage that has been found to have major occupations by both the Montgomery and Luray Complex peoples, identified culturally by their pottery types and village layouts.

At the exhibit, visitors can learn about these cultural complexes while viewing the different pottery types and other artifacts up close. The items on display were chosen to reflect the full range of occupations at the site. In addition to Native American pottery, the exhibit includes shell and bone artifacts and stone tools. Artifacts of note that are reflective of the site’s unique and rich history include a Native American anthropomorphic effigy pendant and European-made brass projectile points.

Despite the Biggs Ford site being only partially excavated, its entire artifact collection includes tens of thousands of items. The portion of the collection currently at FCC represents a wealth of information for researchers to unlock, to continue to tell the story of the Biggs Ford site into the future.

Andy Stout is an anthropologist and writer interested in community, culture, music, the arts, history and conservation. He has written dozens of articles in local, regional and national publications covering a variety of topics. He has lived in the city of Frederick for over 25 years.

Staff photo by Bill Green From left Lauren Lippiello, organizer; Hettie Ballweber and Katherine Duckworth, major contributors toward the creation of the exhibitit items on display at FCC from the Biggs Ford Archaeological site.

More info

Email Lauren Lippiello, assistant professor of global studies and exhibit organizer, at llippiello@frederick.edu for more information.

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