Abstract:
It has been argued that historical archaeology began in North Carolina with the work of Talcott Williams in the 19th century in search of the Roanoke settlements or with the work of James Sprunt at Russellborough near Brunswick Town. Beaman argues that historical archaeology did not flourish in the state until the mid 20th century, when Morely Jeffers Williams conducted the first archaeological investigation into the opulent pre-Revolutionary home of William Tryon in New Bern.