Historical Archaeology

The Birch Avenue Collection comprises just under 2000 artifacts recovered from a mid- to late 18^th century military encampment possibly associated with the Seven Year’s War or the Revolutionary War. Acquired by the New York State Museum in October 2014, the archaeological excavations took place in Lake George, New York during the early 1990s, and were completed in 1995. The wide-ranging materials recovered offer an exceptional glimpse into the everyday lives of eighteenth-century soldiers. Table glass, broken dishes, tobacco pipes, and a variety of other military objects are included in the collection. This collection provides an excellent complement to other military collections at the New York State Museum.