We’re so excited to be working with the Friends of Herring Run Parks on the Heritage Trail at Herring Run Park! If you haven’t heard about the project, please look here for more information, and take a look at the story map that guides you through thousands of years of history at the park.

We’ve spent the last year completing research about some of the families who lived at Eutaw Farm in the 18th & 19th centuries, and are now ready to begin identifying descendants to participate in the oral history project. This will be a huge step forward for the Heritage Trail. We have discovered so much through archaeology, archival data, and written and printed records and media, but even with this wealth of information, we only have part of the story. Oral histories can provide details about people’s lived experiences, memories, and families that we simply can’t find anywhere else.

In addition to providing new avenues of exploration, connections between seemingly disparate information, or context for written information, oral histories can also inspire further exploration of documentary and archaeological evidence. Our hope is that the oral history project will offer opportunities for descendants to pose questions, guide research, and contribute their perspectives to the interpretation of the history of Herring Run Park.

At the moment, we’re seeking members of the Distance and Gittings families who might be interested in participating in the project. The public family tree we’ve created for these descendants can be found on Ancestry right here. Anyone interested in more information can reach out to us at herringrunarchaeology@gmail.com, we’d be delighted to hear from you!

If you’d like to experience the Heritage Trail for yourself, why not join us for a tour? You can find upcoming dates and register here.