Westmoreland Archaeological Society hosts artifacts display at Bushy Run Battlefield museum

More than a dozen people filtered through the Bushy Run Battlefield museum Saturday morning for their chance to see arrowheads and other artifacts found throughout the region.

Archaeology Day at Bushy Run featured members of the Westmoreland Archaeological Society who displayed cases of artifacts discovered throughout Westmoreland County.

“It gives the public a chance to see some of the archaeological finds that have been found in Westmoreland County and basically throughout our area,” said Shawn MacIntyre, facilitator of the Bushy Run museum. “It gives them an idea of what artifacts are and how they can actually know what to do if they happen to find artifacts in their area.”

Several artifacts were laid out in display cases at the museum, including arrowheads, pieces of dishes from the 18th and 19th century and more.

In addition to viewing the artifacts, visitors also could bring in their own pieces to learn their history.

That was the case for father-and-son duo Ken VanEstenberg, 69, of McKeesport and Justin VanEstenberg, 46, of Greensburg.

For generations, the family has passed down hundreds of arrowheads collected over several decades.

“This is the first opportunity anybody in archaeology will actually look at them and see what’s going on, so we came out today to see what they have to say,” Ken VanEstenberg said.

Doug Plance, 65, of Murrysville attended the event to learn about the region’s history. In 1985, Plance volunteered on a project at Bushy Run with the Carnegie Museum. The project entailed using a proton magnetometer to search for buried items on various parts of the battlefield.

“I kind of lost track of all that, and I came back to see what has transpired since 1985,” Plance said.

In addition to attending the event, guests were able to explore the museum that details the history of the battlefield.

The battlefield is the site of a skirmish between Native Americans and the British during Pontiac’s War. The 1763 battle landed the British a victory that was seen as a critical turning point in the war. It prevented the capture of Fort Pitt while restoring lines of communication between frontier and eastern settlements.

For Plance, being able to view history and ensure its documentation is important because “It’s something that, if it isn’t documented, will be lost forever.”

James Bearno, president of the Westmoreland Archaeological Society, said the event’s goal is to teach people about the importance of the region’s cultural heritage.

“These archaeological sites are non-renewable,” Bearno said. “It’s important to try to protect the archaeological cultural history.”

According to MacIntyre, this is the second time an Archaeology Day has been hosted at Bushy Run. The first took place during the battlefield’s annual reenactment.

“I think you don’t have this in this area too much,” Justin VanEstenberg said. “And I think it’s important to understand the significance of the past, the cultures, and just learn from it.”