The guest speaker at Tuesday's meeting of the Hempstead County Historical Society, which took place in the Tailgater's annex, was Dr. Carl G. Drexler, archaeologist with Southern Arkansas University and the Arkansas Archeological Survey. He offered a detailed account of excavations undertaken there this year and explained how archaeology continues to reshape understanding of Washington’s 19th‑century past.
Following the business portion of the meeting, Joshua Williams, HCHS president, introduced Drexler, noting his long‑standing collaboration with Historic Washington State Park. Drexler began by explaining his role within the Arkansas Archeological Survey and his academic focus. “I run the Arkansas Archeological Survey’s research station down at Southern Arkansas University,” he said, adding that his specialty is historical archaeology and “really, really a big specialization in 19th‑century archaeology.”
Drexler emphasized that archaeology provides a second line of evidence alongside written records. He described it as a way to answer questions that documents alone cannot fully resolve. “It provides a second data set to the park staff that they can use to answer questions,” he said, particularly when visitors ask how historians know certain details about the past.
He reviewed decades of archaeological work at Historic Washington, noting that excavations have helped guide reconstructions and refine interpretation. Drexler cited the Block-Catts House as one example, explaining that archaeological findings allowed the park to reverse later alterations and restore the building to what it looked before modern renovations. “Based on the archeological work, the park rolled it back to its proper early 19th‑century appearance,” he said.
Turning to more recent projects, Drexler focused on work conducted on Blocks Six and Seven, areas that once formed part of Washington’s early commercial and residential core. He explained that archaeologists do not excavate blindly, but instead rely heavily on historical documentation to determine where to dig. “One of the great things about working with Historic Washington is that Josh and the staff have literally block‑by‑block property records,” Drexler said, calling the availability of those records “just luscious” for researchers.
Those records revealed that Block Seven was referred to as early as 1829, with buildings documented on the site by the 1840s. Drexler said one of the most significant figures connected to the block was Thomas W. Maddox, whose will provides a rare glimpse into the lives of free African Americans in antebellum Washington. Maddox’s will granted freedom in the 1850s to several enslaved individuals, including Milton, Jenk, and Aggie Maddox, and conveyed land, houses, and blacksmithing tools to them.
“That tells us blacksmithing was their trade,” Drexler said, noting that such tools would not have been included otherwise. He described the situation as “a really interesting moment where you have free African Americans owning land in Washington,” adding that such arrangements were uncommon in Arkansas at the time.
The arrangement was short‑lived. Drexler explained that in 1859, Arkansas passed legislation forcing free African Americans to leave the state or submit to re‑enslavement. “Unsurprisingly, a lot of people left,” he said, though he noted that some returned after the Civil War.
Archaeological evidence from the site supports the historical record. Drexler described the use of magnetic survey equipment to identify subsurface features before excavation. The technology detects variations caused by iron objects or fired materials such as brick and hearths. “It allows us to create essentially a digital photograph,” he said, explaining that the resulting data highlights areas likely to contain structural remains.
Excavations on Block Seven uncovered handmade brick piers, indicating early construction methods predating the arrival of rail‑transported materials. Drexler noted that the softness of the bricks suggested they were made locally. “That’s an indication they’re making the bricks on site,” he said, explaining that transporting bricks by wagon before the railroad era was often impractical.
Drexler also described discoveries on nearby Block Six, including a large brick cistern filled with charcoal. The charcoal, likely from loblolly pine, appears to have been used as a filtration medium. “This was apparently part of the way you would do water management at the time,” he said, comparing the practice to the charcoal water filters that can be found in many 21st century homes.
Throughout his presentation, Drexler stressed that archaeology reveals details of everyday life that rarely appear in written sources. “A lot of times we just provide details we never see,” he said, describing archaeology as a way to better understand “our temporal neighbors that have gone before us.”
Society president Joshua Williams opened the meeting with announcements, including recent donations and upcoming preservation initiatives. Among the items discussed were five cast‑iron griddles manufactured for the United States Navy during World War II and donated by Paul Powell, whose family once operated the Orson Machine Shop. Williams explained that the griddles would be sold for $100 each to benefit the Historical Society, with proceeds supporting its ongoing work.
Williams also outlined statewide efforts connected to the 250th Anniversary commemoration of the Declaration of Independence and suggested that Hempstead County should pursue recognition for its own national contributions. He pointed to Hope’s presidential connection and Washington’s placement along the Southwest Trail. In addition, Williams proposed ideas for Preservation Month in May, including temporary signage at historic sites to remind residents of their importance and to connect those locations through digital history tours.
At the end of the meeting, Williams said the World War II‑era cast‑iron griddles donated by Paul Powell are available for purchase at LaGrone Williams Hardware.
