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Excerpt from 1779 Tyron map of New York.
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Excavations at Ballston.
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Photograph of postmold feature.
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Refined earthenware fragments.
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Jackfield teapot fragments.
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Plan drawing of stone foundation.
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Tankard and jar fragments.
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Semi-vitreous porcelain fragments.
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The Ballston Archaeological District

Project Director: Christina Reith

The Ballston Archaeological District and the Jennings site were identified by archaeologists from the Cultural Resource Survey Program at the New York State Museum prior to the New York State Department of Transportation's renovation of Middle Line Road in the Town of Ballston. The Ballston Archaeological District consists of 14 archaeological sites dating to the Federal Period (c. 1790-1830) occupation of this rural frontier community. Included within the district boundaries are several domestic, commercial (store, print shop, tavern), and judicial sites. The Jennings site is a small domestic site dating from the late 18th to the early 20th century.

The area west of Ballston Lake was originally included within the Kayaderosseras Patent. Shortly after its creation in 1708, a large path was cut through the middle of the patent so that it could more easily be surveyed. Eventually, this path became known as the "middle line road". During the Revolutionary War, British and Iroquois militia burned and pillaged several farmsteads along the roadway. Saratoga County was created in 1791 from part of Albany County. Shortly thereafter, James Gordon began lobbying for the right to construct the county courthouse along the roadway. By 1796, a small parcel of land was donated for the courthouse and a small community soon developed nearby. On March 27, 1816, the Ballston courthouse and jail were set on fire by two escaping prisoners. Shortly thereafter, many of the businesses that had been constructed along the roadway relocated to the village of Ballston Spa. During the mid-late 19th century, the project area was once again occupied as a small farming community.

Mitigation of the Ballston Archaeological District and the Jennings site is an example of "front yard" archaeologyand demonstrates how sites found within a narrow DOT right-of-way will contribute to our understanding of the past. Over 30,000 artifacts and 27 featureswere located in front of extant and late 18th/early 19th century buildings less than 25 ft from the existing roadway. The majority of these artifacts are associated with the late 18th /early 19th century occupation of this rural frontier community. Analysis of these remains will provide meaningful information about this rural community. The recovery of different quantities of utilitarian wares and refined earthenwares from the domestic sites suggests that the occupants of this rural frontier community may have belonged to different socio-economic classes. The recovery of non-locally manufactured items, including ceramic vessels, cased gin and wine bottles, kaolin pipes, buttons, coins, clam and oyster shell, brick, nails, and window glass, indicates that the occupants of this community were participants in a larger regional economy. Children's toys were also recovered and will provide insights into the lives of some of the communities youngest members.

Artifacts recovered from the Ballston Courthouse, Leonard Store and Print Shop, Ballston Tavern, and Ballston Blacksmith Shop sites will also inform archaeologists about the non-domestic activities in this community. Large quantities of domestic and farm related artifacts from the Leonard Store and Print Shop site suggest that the store was not established for a transient clientele but rather catered to the needs of a local clientele. The diverse array of items recovered from the Ballston Blacksmith Shop site suggest that the community's blacksmith was probably not a specialist who produced a single class of goods but rather was a jack-of-all trades who produced goods associated with the upkeep of local farmsteads and farm equipment. Domestic and architectural remains from the Ballston Courthouse and Jail site provide an insight into the consumption patterns and activities of those members who were being housed within the walls of the building.

Artifacts associated with pre-1790 occupation and the 1830-1910 occupation of this community were also recovered. The pre-1790 occupation at the Jennings site produced domestic remains and a small foundation associated with the occupation of the property by Adrian Bancker. The stone foundationmeasured 16 ft long and 9 ft wide within the project limits and was surrounded by several square posts. Large quantities of wood charcoal and burnt artifacts were found within the cellar hole suggesting that the building was destroyed by a fire. Artifactsrecovered from the pre-1790 occupation can be used to further interpret this site within a Colonial setting. Deposits dating to the period 1830-1910 were found at the Jennings and D. Harlow I site and provide information about the use of the community following the relocation of the county courthouse and jail to the village of Ballston Spa. The recovery of large quantities of mid-19th century table and teawares at these sites suggests that the occupants of these two sites identified themselves with a growing middle class and sought to convey their status to other members of the community through the use of expensive household items.