The Man Who Found Thoreau: Roland W. Robbins and the Rise of Historical Archaeology in America (Revisiting New England) Review

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The Man Who Found Thoreau: Roland W. Robbins and the Rise of Historical Archaeology in America (Revisiting New England) ReviewToday we visit historic spots like Colonial Williamsburg and Plimoth Plantation and we take their configurations for granted. If their buildings were not already standing when decisions about preservation or re-creation were made, then someone had to determine exactly what originally stood and where. To those of us who haven't given it much thought, we might not understand what that process entails. In fact, the field of historical archaeology is relatively new, having developed during our Baby Boomer lifetimes.
One-time window washer and handyman Roland Robbins was an unlikely figure in that occupation, having neither high school diploma nor advanced degree. After he uncovered the exact position of Henry David Thoreau's house at Walden Pond in the mid-1940s, he began to make a career of digging around historic properties, unearthing what had been covered by soil for decades. His work contributed to the restoration of the Saugus Iron Works in Massachusetts, the Philipsburg Manor Upper Mills in New York, and other mostly northeastern sites. While Robbins' meticulous note-taking has proven to be a researcher's delight, his intrusive excavation methods and personal disposition didn't always make for good relationships with his colleagues. According to Linebaugh, Robbins had a habit of abandoning a dig whenever he encountered insurmountable disputes with local officials or others associated with the place. He was a good lecturer, was charismatic and had a great sense of humor; but he wasn't what we would now call a team player. (In all fairness: It seems only natural that an archaeologist would feel some connection, even ownership, of a site after he put so much of himself into the work of revealing its footprint and operational purpose.) And when the realm of historical archaeology grew to be dominated by academicians, Robbins was left out on the edge as a mere "Pick and Shovel Historian," in spite of his past successes.
This book offers a look at one person's career as considered from the greater view of an evolving professional community. It makes for an educational and enjoyable read, not only for devoted Thoreauvians but also for anyone interested in American history, historic preservation, cultural anthropology, or archaeology.The Man Who Found Thoreau: Roland W. Robbins and the Rise of Historical Archaeology in America (Revisiting New England) OverviewA thorough new accounting of the work of the controversial archaeologist Roland Robbins.

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