Paca Garden Archaeological Testing, 18AP01, 186 Prince George Street, Annapolis, Maryland

Abstract

During the summer of 1990, the brick canal which provides spring water for the Paca Garden pond was undergoing repair, providing the opportunity for archaeological excavation. The Paca property (18AP01) has been the subject of several archaeological investigations since the mid-1960s, but the lack of proper documentation made further investigations necessary. Three units were excavated and are described fully within this report. These units revealed that on the lower terrace of the Garden, no eighteenth or nineteenth-century layers exist to the south and east of the canal. Within the boundaries of the canal, nineteenth- and twentieth-century layers of fill were recovered. In addition, a few eighteenth century artifacts were recovered, providing some evidence for an eighteenth-century layer. Such information provides a clue to the construction techniques used to reconstruct the current garden. A summary of previous investigations and current findings are presented.