Dr. Rebecca S. Graff, Associate Professor of Anthropology at Lake Forest College, has led two archaeological excavations at the Charnley-Persky House. Graff and Mary Leighton directed the 2010 archaeological field school through DePaul University’s Urban Historical Archaeology Field School program. Over 20 undergraduate students worked for five weeks to uncover artifacts and features at the site. In 2015, Graff, with Tiffany Charles, directed excavations through Lake Forest College, assisted by a digital humanities grant from the Mellon Foundation, where they were joined by 10 students from Lake Forest College, Beloit College, St. Olaf College, Northeastern Illinois University, and Chicago’s Lane Tech High School.
Charnley-Persky House Archaeological Project
This web exhibit provides a glimpse into the consumer habits of the men, women, and children who lived on Chicago’s Gold Coast at the turn of the 20th century.
Urban Archaeology Field School
Rebecca Graff and Mary Leighton directed the 2010 archaeological field school through DePaul University’s Urban Historical Archaeology Field School program. Video courtesy of DePaul University.
Dig Photos
Photos from the 2015 excavation of the Charnley-Persky House. Courtesy of Lake Forest College.
Additional Resources
Publication
Disposing of Modernity: Disposing of Modernity The Archaeology of Garbage and Consumerism during Chicago’s 1893 World’s Fair by Rebecca S. Graff
Artifacts
SAH Metcalf Intern Christine Shang-Oak Lee photographed artifacts uncovered in the 2010 excavation and wrote about her work in a blog post.
Media Coverage
2010 Excavation at the Charnley-Persky House
Chicago Tribune
Getting the Dirt on Chicago High Society,” July 28, 2010, by William Mullen
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2010-07-28-ct-x-c-urban-dig-20100728-story.html
Watch Video
2015 Excavation at the Charnley-Persky House
Channel 11, PBS News, Chicago Tonight (WTTW)
“Students Dig For Lost Treasures in the Gold Coast”
http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2015/07/29/students-dig-lost-treasures-gold-coast
WGNtv News
“Urban dig truly makes trash into treasures for local students”
http://wgntv.com/2015/07/28/urban-dig-truly-makes-trash-into-treasures-for-local-students/
CBS News
“Students Digging Up Historical Artifacts At Gold Coast Site”
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2015/07/28/students-digging-up-historical-artifacts-at-gold-coast-site/
Chicago Tribune
“Relics of the past unearthed in Gold Coast”
http://www.chicagotribune.com/photos/ct-archaeological-dig-gold-coast-photos-20150728-photogallery.html
Chicago Tribune
“Students dig for architectural treasures in Gold Coast”
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-gold-coast-archeological-dig-met-20150728-story.html
Lake Forest Patch
“Lake Forest College Students Taking Part in Historical Dig”
https://patch.com/illinois/lakeforest/lake-forest-college-students-taking-part-historical-dig
Pioneer Press
“Lake Forest College students “dig” Chicago – literally” July 24, 2015, by Mark Lawton
Daily North Shore
“Digging Gold Coast Garbage” July 27, 2015, by Anne Marie Brugioni, Xhris Ftizgerald, and Dasha Rodina
https://jwcdaily.com/2015/07/27/lake-forest-college-students-digging-gold-coast-trash/
Lake Forest College
“Urban Dig Creates Media Buzz”
https://www.lakeforest.edu/news/urban-dig-creates-media-buzz