Part of a series of articles titled The Sarah Whitby Site and African-American History.
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The Charles Dickson Site was a few hundred yards away from Jane Dickson's home. Here archeologists found almost nothing in their first shovel tests, probably because the area had been graded with heavy machinery when the park was built. But they noticed a small depression at the edge of the grassy lawn, and a test placed in the center of that depression produced brick pieces and a handful of artifacts. The depression, like that at the Sarah Whitby Site, turned out to be the surface sign of an old cellar hole. That shovel test was expanded into a 3x3-foot excavation and more artifacts were found, including bottle glass, pieces of ceramic dishes, a glass bead, and a railroad spike.
One of the archeologists recognized that he resembled the "Negro cart drivers" that were common figures in old metal toys (and in real life, as carting was one of the main occupations of Black men in Washington). A bit of research led to an image of an antique mule cart toy for sale with a driver that looked very much like the one from the Charles Dickson Site. This little object provides a delightful glimpse into the Dicksons' home, where playing children may have let the cart drive their imagination.
Part of a series of articles titled The Sarah Whitby Site and African-American History.
Previous: The Sarah Whitby Site
Last updated: October 5, 2022