04/08/2026
Today, April 8th 2026, marks two years since an electrical fire broke out in the archaeology offices and lab at Montpelier causing devastating soot, water, and burn damage to the buildings and portions of the archaeological collections.
We pause today to reflect on the impact the fire has had on our archaeology department, and celebrate our networks of supporters who have allowed us to rise and thrive in the aftermath of the fire.
In the two years since the fire, we have hosted 31 public programs with over 400 participants. We have moved our offices and lab into our newly renovated Community Archaeology Lab at Montpelier (CALM aka The Esso building) on Route 20 in the building that once held the Montpelier Supply Store during the duPont ownership of Montpelier. Over fifty thousand artifacts have passed through the lab since we moved into CALM to be washed, catalogued, and conserved, and we have excavated over three thousand gallons of soil.
Our work continues as we gear up for 2026 excavations at the Revolutionary War Era Blacksmith Site but we have only been able to get where we are today because of folks like you who have given us the strength to continue our work. Whether through an instagram like, donations of soot sponges, tyvek suits, boxes, or the funds to renovate CALM. We thank you for getting us back on our feet.
The quick and heroic efforts of our local Orange County Fire and Rescue departments (who brought out over 30 firefighters and combatted the structural fire for over four hours), the effects of the damage to the archaeological collections the night of the fire was limited to only 14 boxes of ceramics and iron artifacts. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for the work you do each and every day for our community.
(Continued in comments!)
