“The Work of Today is the History of Tomorrow and We are Its Makers” Archaeology at the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace Volume 1, Part 1

Archaeological investigation undertaken at the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace (JGLB) in the historic district of Savannah, Georgia uncovered extensive, previously undocumented information about early Savannah history. Discoveries included a large cellar from one of Savannah’s earliest houses constructed in the 1730s. This cellar was infilled with artifacts used by landowners and residents throughout the 18th century. Archaeologists excavated material culture from that cellar, from a second kitchen cellar, and from an extant basement on Lots 6 and 7, Sloper Tything, Percival Ward. These features and artifacts were generated by a long list of fascinating individuals including deerskin traders, a provost marshal, a stagecoach owner, two mayors, several representatives and senators, a U.S. Supreme Court Justice, a tailor, a teacher, cooks, maids, a hosteler, and the most well-known resident, Juliette Gordon Low known as the founder of the Girl Scout movement.

Renovations and rehabilitation in 2020 led the current owner of the property, the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. (GSUSA) to seek archaeological investigations of the property in advance of construction activities. The GSUSA realized the extreme importance of the archaeological record under its stewardship and sought to voluntary document it rather than destroy it. This action is particularly exemplary in light of the abysmal lack of archaeology ordinances in Savannah requiring private landowners or developers to mitigate destruction of our non-renewable archaeological resources.

The LAMAR Institute was selected to conduct archaeology at the JGLB. This work included extensive historical research (focusing on online documents due to COVID-19 pandemic issues), a ground penetrating radar survey, excavation of nine 2 by 1 m units, public outreach activities, a suite of artifact and soil analyses, and reporting. Excavations were conducted in the garden area and within an extant 1820s basement, with the latter providing information relating particularly to the African Americans working and living on the site. Archaeology at the JGLB has uncovered the broad continuum of 287 years of history on these two 60 by 90 ft. town lots, where a cross-section of people lived and worked. The archaeological results and interpretations are documented in this report (Volume 1, Part 1). The Appendices containing the artifact data, GPR survey, and portable X-Ray Fluorescence (pXRF) analysis are documented in Volume 1, Part 2. A second volume (Volume 2) containing pollen, phytolith, macrobotanical, and faunal analyses will be forthcoming once pandemic issues allow for the completion of this research by specialists.