Page 42 - July 2024 Issue

A Choptank River History Project by Kennedy Thomason
Unearthing Denton’s History:

The Archaeological Dig at Barwick’s Ordinary and Beyond

By Kennedy omason leading up to the Revolutionary War. is site, run by James

Barwick, was more than just an inn; it was a center for court
Washington College’s archaeology students have been operations, a ferry point across the Choptank River, and a
spending their summers in Denton, delving into the history social hub. Barwick, also the local jailor, played a vital role in
of Barwick’s Ordinary, which operated from 1763 to 1783. the community by providing his space for o cial county use

An “Ordinary” in the late 18th century was a modest before a courthouse could be built, charging 1,000 pounds
establishment o ering meals and lodging to the public. of tobacco for his services. Public spaces like Barwick’s

ese were simple, communal places, o en frequented by Ordinary were pivotal during the American Revolution,

travelers and locals alike. serving as meeting places where locals discussed British

is year, the students, led by Dr. Julie Markin, are policies and revolutionary ideas.
investigating a new site to uncover Native American e archaeological digs have unearthed notable artifacts

artifacts. Caroline County’s history, especially pre-1700s such as bone dice, 18th-century currency, and porcelain
Native American presence, remains largely undocumented tea sets, indicating that Caroline County residents were

or speculative. is ongoing eldwork aims to ll those gaps. engaged in international trade and consumerism. Dr.
Barwick’s Ordinary was located on Pig Point, the early name Markin’s team aims to expand their research to other sites
for Denton, originally called Edenton a er Governor Robert along the Choptank River, particularly between Denton and

Eden, who ed in 1776 due to his increasing unpopularity Greensboro, to better understand Native American activity

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