Badge Selection for 2019
Spring House at Ebbert Spring
The spring house sits on the site of the Ebbert Spring Archaeological Preserve and Heritage Park. The farmhouse was built in the 1750's by William Allison, father of John Allison, founder of Greencastle.
The artifacts range from prehistoric to early contact with white men. The archaeological artifacts are housed in Allison-Antrim Museum’s climate-controlled storage area.
Trails include archaeological, historical, geological, ecological, and environmental history kiosks throughout the property.
The image will be made into a badge featuring red, white and blue ribbons. It cost $6.00 and provides admission to all events of the 2019 triennial celebration.
Badge committee chair, Brad Barkdoll
Badge design, Andy Barbuzanes
Spring House History
The land, on which the Spring House sits, was warranted to William Allison, Sr. in 1750. He was most likely there some years before the warrant was granted. The immediate needs of the earliest pioneers were shelter and fresh water. The spring house provided both needs.
The Spring House’s lower-level, limestone structure is most likely original, but the upper level would have been constructed of logs. There is no written history of when the upper level was rebuilt with bricks, but the sandy mortar may be a clue that it was constructed in the late 19th or early 20th century.
Within the spring room, "troughs" were constructed below the floor level, through which the spring water flowed and exited via openings in the foundation. Perishables were kept in the troughs because spring water was fresh, clean, cold, and free of leaves and other debris. The temperature of each spring is dependent upon the volume of water and how fast it moves. Generally speaking, spring water is about 50 degrees.
Both the upper and lower levels of the Spring House have fireplaces where food would have been prepared for storage. There would have been no outside stairway, as we see today, from the ground level to the upper level. Inside the original spring house, a ladder may have been the only way to go from one level to the next.
During the French and Indian War and Pontiac War, the Spring House would have provided safety for the Allison family if there had been an attack. The family would have been self-contained with fresh water, food, and shelter.
The site of the Ebbert Spring, over which this spring house sits, “…is one of the most important prehistoric sites in Pennsylvania. It was discovered by former property owner and amateur archaeologist Alfred Bonnell, who collected projectile points and Native American pottery from his yard. This site completely changed how archaeologists understand prehistoric patterns in this region. For years, researchers thought that dense, prehistoric settlements were only along major waterways; however, excavations at the Ebbert Spring site, revealed that large, prehistoric habitation sites could also be found near freshwater springs and not just rivers and streams.” ~A quotation by The Archaeological Conservancy, which is the only national nonprofit dedicated to the preservation of archaeological sites in North America.
