In December 2024, a historic tavern in Ohio went up in flames. The 200-year-old building, which had been operating as a museum, has been closed ever since. But the Overfield Tavern hasn’t been abandoned. Instead, archaeologists have been excavating the site, unearthing historic artifacts from early Ohio history.
With the help of volunteers, researchers have discovered part of a smoking pipe, jewelry, buttons and fragments of hand-painted dishware. They also unearthed early American currency, including a penny from 1846 and a 50-cent coin minted in 1817.
“The 1817 50-cent piece was found under the floor inside the tavern and may have been used to purchase a beverage or meal at the tavern when it was in operation,” M. Chris Manning, executive director of the Overfield Tavern Museum, tells Popular Science’s Laura Baisas. “We also found large amounts of animal bones, particularly pig and fish, which reflects the diet of the early occupants.”
Founded by Benjamin and Margaret Overfield in 1808, the Overfield Tavern is located in Troy, about 20 miles north of Dayton. As Troy’s first building, it quickly became a cornerstone of a new community. Its downstairs functioned as a tavern, while an upstairs room was used for public forums, political meetings and auctions…