National television program to be filmed at site formerly known as Uncle Tom’s Cabin;
Field School Provides Unique Learning Opportunity for Area High School Students
SILVER SPRING, MD—Josiah Henson Special Park in North Bethesda is one of four sites nationwide that has been selected for a 2013 PBS Time Team America episode. Time Team America tracks the adventure as archaeologists race against time to excavate historic sites around the nation, using the latest technology, decades of expertise and their own sharp wits.
Josiah Henson Special Park, one of several important historic sites in the M-NCPPC Montgomery Parks system was selected because of Reverend Henson’s compelling story of his slave experiences on the property as recorded in his 1849 autobiography written after escaping to Canada. Read by Harriet Beecher Stowe, the Henson narrative helped inspire her novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
The Time Team America filming takes place August 13 – 15 when a team of archaeologists and scientists will spend three days searching the site for evidence of Henson-era structures and related artifacts long lost to suburban development. The great, great, great nephew of Josiah Henson, James Henson will be on-site during a portion of the filming. Cast and crew participating in the excavation and filming include:
• Program host Justine Shapiro, who also co-hosts the public television program Globe Trekker and has traveled to more than 40 countries, interviewing hundreds of locals from all walks of life;
• Archaeologists Allan Maca, Phd., Chelsea Rose, and Joe Watkins, Phd. who bring 50+ years of collective specialized experience in anthropology, research, and field and laboratory work;
• Remote Sensing Specialist Margaret Watters, Phd. whose expertise helps archaeologists see underground and create 3D models of what a site looks like above and below the surface;
• Field School Director Alexandra Jones, PhD. who will lead area high school students as they learn about the science of archaeology with the Time Team America crew.
The program will air on PBS stations in 2013. Details will be provided closer to the airing.
The Time Team America Project includes a special Field School in which 30 high school students from Montgomery County and Washington D.C. have a unique opportunity to work alongside professional archaeologists and learn about the science of archaeology through hands-on activities. The teens will also visit The Smithsonian and the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory (MAC Lab).
For more information about the Time Team America show, please visit www.pbs.org/opb/timeteam/
To learn more about Montgomery Parks, please visit www.MontgomeryParks.org
# # #