Cove River
- Archaeology Education
Since 2003, a team of dedicated residents have been providing
opportunities for school children to conduct archaeological
excavations, uncovering historic and prehistoric artifacts under the
watchful eye of trained volunteers. Notably, children
enrolled in the Peabody Museum of Natural History’s
“Bones & Stones” education program have
been coming to the Cove River site every summer. Research
excavations have also uncovered important data on the paleoenvironment
and settlement history of the site, with stone points dated to
approximately 7,000 years before present.
In addition to the archaeological work, faculty from Southern
Connecticut State University has brought both high school and college
students to the site to review the ecological structure of the Cove
River site. The site is a mixed habitat – the
watershed includes a tidal creek, estuary and wetlands, while the
forest is a riparian mosaic woodland, with multiple invasive species
(i.e., Phragmites australis, Alliaria petiolata) choking off native
plants. However, the site shows great promise for
illustrating natural succession and habitat conservation, as its mixed
use as a farmland and proximity to an estuary provide multiple
microhabitats for support of native plants, migratory birds, and
increased support for habitat restoration efforts and education.
The Cove River Site is accessible to multiple school groups within West
Haven and in the New Haven County, and shows promise for initiatives
such as “No Child Left Inside,” as well as detailed
research & conservation efforts at the university
level. Examples of recent visitors to the site include the
following: New Haven Inner City Outing (schoolchild program sponsored
by the Sierra Club), West Haven High School (student projects), the
Friends of the State Archaeologist, Yale University’s
Department of Anthropology, the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History,
the West Haven Historical Society, and multiple faculty and staff from
Southern Connecticut State University, including the departments of
Anthropology, Geography, Science Education and Environmental Studies.
In summary, the Cove River site represents a remarkable combination of
archaeological, ecological, and historic education
opportunities. The Cove River Archaeological Site Committee,
formed in 2003, comprises a team of scientists, educators, and
concerned citizens that have been proactive in fundraising, planning,
and education programs. In addition to its use as a
low-impact recreational site for West Haven residents, we see this site
as a potential goldmine as an education center, where schoolchildren of
all ages can take part in different programs.
WARNING ! This Open Space belongs to the City of West Haven. Digging up of artifacts is only permitted when a member of the committee is present. Youare more than welcome at the site, but you must not disturb the soil or dig without an authorized guide. All artifacts belong to the City of West Haven.
Hear from the Connecticut State Archaeologist
Dr. Nicholas Bellantoni, Connecticut State Archaeologist and Professor of Anthropology at the University of Connecticut, Director of the Museum of Natural History/Connecticut Archaeology Center.
Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of humans living in southern New England as far back as 11,00 years ago, coming here right after the last glaciers melted away.
