City Hall Lecture

Excavating City Hall Park: Archaeology from the Commons to the Common Council

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

City Hall: The Governor’s Room

Amanda Sutphin leads a visual overview of the archaeology that has occurred in City Hall Park, highlighting some of the key findings and providing guests with an opportunity to see some of the artifacts that illuminate this site’s unique history. 

Multiple archaeological campaigns have occurred in City Hall Park, which is located within the African Burial Ground and the Commons Historic District – the city’s only archaeological historic district. The park was used as a Commons in the 17th century; was home to institutions including an almshouse, barracks, and prisons in the 18th century; and evolved into the city’s municipal center in the 19th century. Archaeology has helped to uncover information about each of these periods and the people who lived and worked in this area.

Amanda Sutphin is Director of Archaeology for the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission, which manages the NYC Archaeological Repository: The Nan A. Rothschild Research Center.