Community archeology project connects a nineteenth century freedman and blacksmith with his living descendants

At a Glance

  • 35K+

    Artifacts Recovered

  • 4

    Generations Involved

  • 40+

    Public Events Held

Location
Bolivar, Texas
Offices
Client
  • Texas Department of Transportation
Awards
Council of Texas Archeologist, E. Mott Davis Award for Excellence in Public Outreach, 2021
Beyond the Road, TxDOT Designation

Bolivar Archaeology Project

While widening FM (Farm-to-Market) 455 in Denton County, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) discovered and evaluated numerous archeological sites. Two of these sites, the late nineteenth century Sartin Hotel and the Tom Cook Blacksmith Shop, required intensive investigations. TxDOT reached out to our archeologist to help.

Bolivar was once a frontier town on the Chisholm Trail, a route used to drive Texas cattle to Kansas railheads from 1867 to about 1886. Located here, the blacksmith shop in particular is significant because it was owned and operated by a freedman, Tom Cook, and is the only African American-owned blacksmith site excavated in Texas.

TxDOT and our team reached out to local stakeholders—descendants, local residents, researchers and professional blacksmiths—and the Denton County African American community to develop a collaborative approach to the project. Along with other stakeholders, descendants have had an active role in the project, participating in fieldwork, helping conduct archival research, and especially providing information on family genealogy.

Tom Cook’s great-great-grandson, a retired law enforcement officer and one of our employees, helped excavate the sites and discovered blacksmithing tools used by his ancestor.

At a Glance

  • 35K+

    Artifacts Recovered

  • 4

    Generations Involved

  • 40+

    Public Events Held

Location
Bolivar, Texas
Offices
Client
  • Texas Department of Transportation
Awards
Council of Texas Archeologist, E. Mott Davis Award for Excellence in Public Outreach, 2021
Beyond the Road, TxDOT Designation

Services

Markets

How a road project helped a family uncover their history

When the Texas Department of Transportation had to widen FM 455, our archaeologists helped keep the project on schedule while working with the community to bring to light an untold story.