Old Cahawba

08/31/2026

Hello Everyone! Tickets for our Haunted History Tours and our Ghost Stories for Kids Wagon Tour will officially go on sale at noon on Thursday, September 10th, 2026! Our Haunted History Tour is 1.5 hours long and our Ghost Stories for Kids is a 30-minute tour with Trunk or Treat afterwards. See below for more information! Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.

08/31/2026

It’s back-to-school time! While most students have already headed back to classrooms with their laptops, calculators, and backpacks, we thought we’d look back at what “back to school” looked like in Cahaba during the 1850s and 1860s.

The Female Academy at Cahaba, constructed in 1853 on Oak Street, was far more than what we might imagine when we hear the term “finishing school.” At a time when educational opportunities for young women were often limited, the Female Academy offered a surprisingly advanced course of study.

As you can see in the newspaper clipping from 1857, students could study Latin, French, Algebra, Geography, Geometry, Chemistry, and Philosophy. These were serious academic subjects—not simply just lessons in music, manners, and other accomplishments expected of young women at the time.

And the school had something else that really sets it apart: an observatory! 🔭 Students had the opportunity to study the night sky and observe the stars, bringing the study of astronomy right into their education. According to the book “Memories of Old Cahaba” by Anna Gayle Fry, it also contained a “fine library and laboratory for philosophical and chemical research.” We do know that the Female Academy was still operating in the mid 1860’s thanks to several essays and a report card from the school that was shared with us by a descendant.

The top photograph shows the Female Academy as it once stood in Cahaba after the town had become abandoned. It must have been an impressive sight for students arriving for their lessons in the 1850s and 1860s. The second photograph, however, shows what remained of the building a few years later. The Female Academy survived into the early 20th century, but as Cahaba declined, the building was eventually dismantled, leaving only the brick columns of the front porch which are no longer here.

And don’t confuse these columns with the Crocheron Columns that still stand at Old Cahawba today! These were two COMPLETELY different buildings, located in two different parts of Cahaba.

When we walk through Old Cahawba today, it can be easy to see only the foundations and ruins. But archaeology helps us look beyond those remains and imagine the people who once occupied these spaces. At the Female Academy, those people included young women who were receiving an education that was, in many ways, remarkably progressive for their time.

So as students head back to school this year, take a moment to remember the young girls and women of Cahaba who went to school at Cahaba’s Female Academy more than 160 years ago—perhaps carrying their books, preparing for a lesson in geometry or chemistry, or even looking through a telescope at the stars. ✨

08/28/2026

Have you noticed those big, white, silken webs covering the ends of tree branches around Old Cahawba? You’re probably looking at fall webworms (Hyphantria cunea)!

Fall webworms are native North American caterpillars that are especially easy to spot in late summer and early fall. They feed on a wide variety of deciduous trees, but some of their favorite hosts include pecan, hickory, walnut, sweetgum, and fruit trees. Dozens of caterpillars can live and feed together inside their large, communal silk “tent.”

These caterpillars generally remain in their web for about 4–6 weeks. But the web you see isn't built all at once! As the caterpillars grow and consume the leaves, they gradually expand the silk enclosure to cover fresh foliage farther down the branch. They stay inside this protective web while they feed, creating that distinctive, sprawling appearance we often notice in late summer.

Although their webs can make a perfectly healthy tree look like it has been wrapped in spider silk, there’s usually no reason to worry. Fall webworms may cause partial defoliation, but healthy, mature trees can typically handle the damage without any serious long-term effects.

They’re also easy to confuse with tent caterpillars, but there’s an important difference. Tent caterpillars build their smaller webs in the forks of branches, while fall webworms build their nests around the ends of branches, enclosing the foliage they are feeding on.

And these caterpillars have some fascinating defenses! If a webworm nest is disturbed, the mature caterpillars may shake or wag their bodies together in unison. This synchronized movement can startle birds and other predators that might be looking for a meal. Imagine dozens of tiny caterpillars all suddenly dancing at the same time! 😳🐛

But webworms aren’t just a food source for predators—they also help support them. More than 50 species of parasitoid wasps and flies are known to target fall webworms. The web provides a protected nursery where these natural enemies can develop before emerging to help regulate webworm populations.

Eventually, the caterpillars leave their web and find a sheltered place to pupate, often in leaf litter, beneath bark, or in another protected location. They’ll eventually emerge as adult moths as shown in the photos below and begin the next generation.

So, while those giant webs might look alarming, fall webworms are a natural part of our ecosystem. They’re busy eating, defending themselves, and providing food and habitat for other insects—all while making some of our trees look like they’ve been decorated with Halloween cobwebs a little early! 🎃🌳

08/24/2026

Sometimes, an artifact doesn’t tell its whole story by itself. Sometimes, we need to look at the old photographs, documents, and other evidence left behind to help us understand what we’ve uncovered.

During this summer’s CRM Professional Training program, students uncovered a part of a singletree—also called a swingletree or whiffletree--where Saltmarsh Hall was located. A singletree is a pivoting bar attached to a horse-drawn wagon, buggy, or plow. It helps equalize the pull of the animal’s traces and keeps the harness from rubbing uncomfortably against the horse’s shoulders as it moves.

At first glance, it might seem like just another piece of an old tool or vehicle. But then we can look at an old photograph of Saltmarsh Hall, a building that no longer stands. Saltmarsh Hall was built in 1856 and was a gathering place for dances, parties, and other community events, making the horse-drawn buggy in front of the building (shown below) an interesting glimpse into the activity that once surrounded it. We also found another piece of a singletree at the Kirkview site, near where the Kirkpatrick mansion once stood, providing additional evidence that these pieces were part of horse-drawn equipment being used at Cahawba during the 1850s.

Suddenly, this artifact becomes a little more meaningful. We can begin to imagine the horses, wagons, and daily activities that once filled Cahawba’s streets.

This is one of the reasons old photographs are so valuable to archaeologists. They can help us connect artifacts to the people, places, and activities of the past. A photograph can provide context that an artifact alone simply cannot.

The singletree piece may be a small discovery, but when we put it together with the historical record, it becomes part of a much bigger story—helping us picture what life at Cahawba looked like more than a century ago. 🔎🐎

08/21/2026

If you’ve ever spotted this little spider while exploring Old Cahawba and thought, “WHAT in the world is that?!”—you’re definitely not alone! 😳

Meet the Arrow-shaped Micrathena (Micrathena sagittata), a small orb-weaver with one of the most unusual—and intimidating—appearances you’ll find in the spider world. But don’t let those spikes fool you! This spider is not harmful to humans.

🕷️ This spider has some serious spikes! Female Arrow-shaped Micrathenas have six sharp, thorn-like projections called tubercles on their abdomen. The largest pair sticks outward at the rear, giving the abdomen its distinctive arrow-like shape. Those rear spikes have even earned this spider the nickname “Pikachu spider” because they look a little like Pikachu’s ears!

Those spikes aren't there to scare people, though. They are part of the spider's defense against predators. The hard, spiky armor can make the female difficult—and probably pretty unpleasant—for a hungry bird to swallow.

And here’s another interesting fact: males and females look dramatically different! Female spiders can grow to about 9 mm long and have striking yellow-and-red coloring with their distinctive spines. Males are much smaller, only about 4–5 mm, and are brownish-black, smooth, and completely lacking those impressive spikes. They are so inconspicuous that you might never realize they were nearby!

🕸️ Like other orb-weavers, Arrow-shaped Micrathenas build beautiful, circular webs. Their webs have an open center, or hub, with a small opening that allows the spider to move quickly through the middle.

They also have an interesting hunting strategy. Rather than wrapping their prey in silk first, Micrathena spiders typically bite and paralyze their prey before wrapping it in silk.

And if you happen to disturb one while it's sitting in the center of its web, don't be surprised if it suddenly disappears! The spider can drop straight down into the leaf litter, seemingly vanishing into thin air. Once the danger has passed, it can climb back up its silk dragline and return to its web.

So the next time you see one of these bizarre little spiders at Old Cahawba, don't be afraid! Take a closer look (without disturbing it, of course) and appreciate one of nature's strange little creations. 🌿🕷️

08/17/2026

08/17/2026

Finding an artifact in the ground is exciting—but that’s only the beginning of its journey! Once an artifact is excavated, there are several important steps archaeologists take to make sure it is properly documented, cleaned, studied, and preserved.

One of those steps is artifact washing. 🧽💦
At our artifact washing station, students carefully clean artifacts using water, soft brushes, and plenty of patience. Washing away the dirt allows archaeologists to see the artifact more clearly, which can reveal important details such as its material, color, decoration, manufacturing marks, or other features that might help identify and date it.

But washing is just one part of the process. After excavation, artifacts may go through several steps:

🔎 1. Excavation & Collection – Artifacts are carefully removed from the ground, with their exact location and context recorded.

📋 2. Documentation – This is often considered one of the hardest and the most important part of the archaeological process. Archaeologists must carefully record where an artifact was found, its depth, the soil and other artifacts surrounding it, and all of the other details that give the artifact meaning. This is why documentation needs to be done by a trained archaeologist. Once an artifact is removed from the ground, its original context cannot be recreated, so accurate documentation is essential for interpreting the site and understanding what the artifacts can tell us.

🧽 3. Washing & Cleaning – Appropriate artifacts are carefully cleaned so they can be examined and identified. But there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to cleaning! The method used depends on the material and condition of the artifact. Different materials require different cleaning methods and materials, and some artifacts may need little or no washing at all.

🏷️ 4. Labeling & Cataloging – Artifacts are assigned identifying numbers and entered into a catalog so they can always be connected to their archaeological context.

🔬 5. Analysis – Archaeologists study the artifacts to learn about their age, material, function, manufacturing techniques, and what they can tell us about the people who used them.

📦 6. Curation & Preservation – Finally, artifacts are properly packaged and stored so they can be protected and studied for years to come.

So, the next time you see an archaeologist washing a handful of dirt-covered artifacts, remember: they aren't just cleaning them—they're helping uncover the story! 🏺✨

08/14/2026

In last week's Nature Notes, we talked about the Trifoliate Orange and how plants can tell us stories about the people who lived here. This week, we’re continuing that story with another fascinating “living artifact” found throughout Old Cahawba: the Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera).

Also known by names like hedge apple, horse apple, bodock, and bois d’arc, the Osage Orange is a small tree with a big history. Native to parts of Texas and surrounding areas, it was brought east by early settlers and planted in large numbers as a living fence. Its dense, thorny branches made an effective barrier for keeping livestock out of gardens, cemeteries, yards, and other areas. Before the widespread use of barbed wire, an established Osage Orange hedge could be an incredibly effective fence!

These trees are more than just plants—they are living artifacts of Cahawba’s past. Osage Orange was planted here in hedgerows to mark property boundaries and to protect certain areas from wandering livestock. According to the Dallas Gazette in April 1855, the “Town Authorities” planted a hedgerow of Osage Orange around the New Cemetery to help protect it.

The newspaper offered a particularly beautiful sentiment about the importance of caring for the places where people were buried: “The civilization and refinement of the living has no better judge than the condition of the cemeteries of the dead.”

The Osage Orange has an interesting life cycle, too. In spring, the trees produce small, inconspicuous flowers, with male and female flowers occurring on separate trees. After pollination, the female flowers develop into the familiar green, grapefruit-sized fruits. These inedible fruits mature through the summer and begin dropping in late summer and fall—just in time to signal that autumn is approaching at Old Cahawba. Inside the fruit are numerous small seeds, which can be dispersed when animals encounter the fallen fruit. Osage Orange can also reproduce through new shoots that grow from its roots, which helps explain how these trees could form such dense, living hedgerows.

Today, only a few remnants of these historic hedges remain, with many of the trees having grown into much larger specimens. You can find Osage Orange near the picnic area and in several other locations around the park. These trees still serve as reminders of the landscape that once surrounded Cahawba’s streets, homes, and cemeteries. And when their strange, grapefruit-sized fruits begin to fall, local folklore says they can help repel cockroaches and silverfish—though that claim is more tradition than proven pest control!

So the next time you see one of these unusual trees at Old Cahawba, take a closer look. You’re not just looking at a tree—you may be looking at a living piece of Cahawba’s history. 🌳

08/11/2026

08/10/2026

🧭 CAHAWBA UNEARTHED: Choose Your Character! 🏺

Think archaeology is just digging in the dirt? Think again! There are lots of different “jobs” that archaeologists take on in the field, and every role is important.

For this reel, our CRM students show off five essential field roles: Navigator, Note Taker, Sifter, Digger, and Excavator. Each one has a different job to do, but together they help turn a patch of dirt into a story about the past.

So… which archaeology character are you? 👀