BRADENTON – It’s a search to uncover decades of history in only a few weeks. New College Archaeologists are working in Bradenton before the land turns into a city park.
“Manatee Mineral Spring is what has drawn people over the centuries, from Native Americans, to the escaped slaves who built the community of Angola in the 1810s, the first settlement of Manatee,” said Sherry Svekis, vice president of Reflections of Manatee.
Svekis says the first 24 inches is just modern fill from the late 20th century. But, past that, is black soil, rich with history.
So, when New College anthropologists discovered the park was going to be a part of the Bradenton Riverwalk, they applied to the city for funding. The City of Bradenton is providing $100,000 to the excavation costs.
New College Grad students sift through the soil, centimeter by centimeter to unearth Manatee history.
“A lot of glass, a lot of animal bone, a lot of plates, which are every decorative,” said Amy Gatenbee, a New College Grad student. “So, all these things tell us a little bit about how people lived here.”
Professor of Anthropology, Uzi Baram, says these items help them tell the story of the people who once lived here.
“They tell us about trade routes, global connections, that made this place, right by the manatee river, connected to the Atlantic worlds,” said Uzi Baram.
Svekis hopes the stories leave an impact on the Suncoast.
“I think anytime you can connect anyone to the history of a place, then they care about more,” said Svekis.
It’s an effort to try and save the past for the future.
They have until January 31 to unearth history. The team will share their findings in an open house, Monday, January 20, at the Reflections of Manatee visitor center. For more information, you can visit the Reflections of Manatee website.
