Archaeologists uncovering Delphi’s history
CARROLL COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) – Archaeology students from the University of Indianapolis are spending their summer in Delphi.
“I’m hoping to find something really cool, like maybe something significant to the Baum family,” University of Indianapolis junior Kaylee Blum said. “It is extremely exciting to be able to do hands-on stuff and to get real-life archaeology experience that I’m going to use in the future.”
Blum and other students will be working on the Historic Delphi Trails for eight weeks.
Christopher Moore is the anthropology chair for UIndy and grew up in Carroll County. He’s been coming here with students since 2013.
“This is the Baum’s landing site, which is an early farmstead that was owned by Daniel Baum, who was one of the pioneering families of Carroll County,” said Moore.
But it’s not just students that make their way out to the dig.
Thomas Smith lives in Houston, Texas, but he was born in Carroll County. He comes out to the dig for a few days every year to help out.
“My mother’s maiden name is Baum, and my grandfather, both my great-grandfathers, great-great-grandfather and third-great-grandfather were born right here in Delphi,” said Smith.
Moore said, “The earliest court proceedings in Carroll County were conducted in Baum’s house. The earliest store in Carroll County was in one of Baum’s buildings. So this was the main contact point for anyone coming into the area in the 1820s and 1830s.”
Moore said this will probably be the last year they come to the site. They don’t want to dig up too much of the area.
“Our major goal is to locate as much evidence of the Baum occupation as we can, so we can learn a little bit more about the Baum family and by extension those early pioneering families,” said Moore.
The dig is open to the public and Moore says if you want to stop by and help, you can. They are located on the trail behind the ALL BBQ restaurant.