A WALK IN THE WOODS - University at Buffalo

RESEARCH NEWSRediscovering an area landmarkHull House, on Genesee Street in Lancaster, N.Y., is theoldest substantial stone dwelling in Erie County.One of Western New York’s most significant historic sites was the setting for excavationsundertaken this summer by the Department of Anthropology’s ArchaeologicalSurvey. The work was part of an ongoing search for outbuildings at the HullFamily Home and Farmstead (c. 1810) in Lancaster. As part of the effort by the HullHouse Foundation to restore the farmstead to its original composition, archaeologistsled by Ryan Austin, research analyst with the Archaeological Survey, areworking to locate the remains of the property’s outbuildings, which are expectedto include a threshing barn, well, animal pens, privy and possibly an outside ovenand smoke house. A room that may have served as a root cellar recently wasunearthed.The archaeologists are assisted by a professional landscape architect anda historical research consultant who are studying other homes and farms of theperiod to determine the type, size and approximate location of the buildings.“We’ve found fragments of brick, nails, early pottery and ceramics,early glass, and recently a bone-handled fork and a portion of a teapothandle,” says Douglas Perrelli, director of the Archaeological Survey.“With additional land and restoration of the farm buildings, the Hull Farmsteadwill represent life on the early Niagara Frontier in a manner that is accurateand can offer visitors the opportunity to get a feel for the experience of the Hullfamily,” says Gary Costello, Hull House Foundation president.www.alumni.buffalo.edu UBTODAY Fall 2013 9