Town of Halifax, NC

28/10/2026

The Magic of Creamware
As I become more familiar with Historic Halifax, the archaeologist in me notices artifacts and historically accurate antiques that I encountered during my studies at East Carolina University (ECU). One of those artifacts is creamware!
Creamware was developed in Great Britain in the mid-18th century, with early production associated with potter Enoch Booth around 1740. It quickly became popular! Other potters, including Thomas Whieldon and Josiah Wedgwood, helped develop and manufacture these wares. Wedgwood refined the cream-colored earthenware and, in 1762, introduced a successful creamware body with a clear glaze.
Creamware became popular for tea and table wares in England and its American colonies. Some familiar styles and decorations include Queen’s shape, Royal shape, feather edge, and shell edge.
Feather-edge creamware is the pattern I know best. It was especially popular during the second half of the 18th century. During my 2023 archaeological field school at Brunswick Town, I found several creamware sherds with feather-edge decoration. Naturally, I made a point of showing them to the professor leading the field school, Dr. Charlie Ewen. I was hoping they were so significant that we would have to rewrite the history books!
Alas, it was not to be.
Fast-forward to August 2026 at Historic Halifax.
Kristal gave me a wonderful, detailed tour of the Owens House. As we entered the parlor, I noticed the creamware dinner plates displayed on the dining table.
Behold—feather-edge creamware!
If you ever take a tour of the Owens House with me, be prepared to talk about it!
As I walk the grounds at Historic Halifax, I have also noticed several creamware sherds on the ground. These little fragments offer a tangible connection to the people who lived, worked, and gathered here centuries ago. They also remind us how popular creamware became during the colonial period and how artifacts can help us understand daily life in historic Halifax.
For an archaeologist, even a small piece of broken pottery can tell part of a much larger story. Who used it? How did it get here? What can it tell us about the people who lived in this community?
Sometimes, the magic of archaeology is found in the smallest things. And at Historic Halifax, there are still plenty of stories waiting to be uncovered! -SJ
There is so much more to creamware: https://apps.jefpat.maryland.gov/diagnostic/Earthenware/Creamware.aspx

27/10/2026

27/10/2026

Did you know that today is “Back Cat Day?” It’s not an official holiday, just an internet observance, like “Talk like a Pirate Day” or “May the 4th Be With You” day. Unlike those two sillier observances, Black Cat Day has a serious basis. The holiday was founded by an animal welfare organization called “Cats Protection” back in 2011 to bring awareness to the high number of black cats that were euthanized in shelters because they were less likely to be adopted.
Traditionally, black and black-and-white cats face superstition and have been abused simply for their coat color. Black cats were once believed to be creatures of dark magic, a witch’s “familiar”, or a demon in disguise. There are still grown adults in our modern time who will either turn their car around or swerve to run over a black cat to avoid having them “cross their path” and bring the driver bad luck!
Black cats are no different from a tabby, a calico, or an orange cat. They are wonderful pets and make affectionate companions. Our own staff member Kristal Chapman has a black cat named Rainey that she calls her “house panther.” Want your own house panther or just want information on how to help Halifax-area fur babies in need? Contact the Halifax County Animal Shelter at (252) 583-1050 or online at https://www.facebook.com/HalifaxCountyPetAdoptionCenter/
For some statistics about recent studies documenting the “adoption gap” for black cats and dogs in shelters, click on this article from another animal welfare organization called “PAWS.” https://www.paws.org/news/2024/09/the-scary-truth-about-black-cat-and-dog-adoption-rates/
If you already live with one of these beautiful felines and would like to share a picture in the comments, please feel free!

27/10/2026

The 4•12 Burger

Why 4•12? 📜 On April 12, 1776, the Halifax Resolves put our town in the story of American independence. That date is right in our name—and on one of our favorite burgers.

Meet The 4•12: a smashburger with American cheese, grilled onions, pickles, lettuce, and our house 4•12 Sauce. 🍔

If it’s your first visit, this is a good place to start. Who’s tried it already?

27/10/2026

24/10/2026

The Resolve - Grilled Chicken Sandwich

The Halifax Resolves were a bold decision made right here in town. The Resolve is our grilled chicken sandwich named in their honor. 📜

We top it with Swiss, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and honey mustard. It’s a lighter way to explore the specialty menu without giving up flavor.

Grilled chicken fans, this one’s yours. 🍗

24/10/2026

😋 Kitchen 4•12 is now open Monday through Saturday from 10:30am-2:30pm in the Town of Halifax, NC!! 🍔🍟🌭🥪🍗

📶💟 They are hoping to expand their hours in the future, so come out to show your support and help them get started!!

🗺️Visit Halifax 📜Historic Halifax 🏛️Halifax County NC 🇺🇸America 250 Halifax County, NC

24/10/2026

Pipestem Dating: What a To***co Pipe Can Tell Us:
Imported white clay to***co pipe stems and bowls are found at many historic archaeological sites—and occasionally even at prehistoric ones because artifacts can be introduced into older deposits over time. When excavating a colonial home, archaeologists might find a few dozen to a few hundred pipe stem and bowl fragments. If it is a colonial tavern just begging for an archaeological survey, thousands might turn up. (Trust me, I’ve counted!)
Finding a site is great. Excavating it can be fun, too, although it involves a lot of hard work! Photographing, collecting, and bagging artifacts are all important. And don’t forget documenting and recording everything. Finally, there is the excavation report. Without that report, how will anyone else learn what was discovered and what it means?
All of these steps are essential to an archaeological investigation, along with plenty of paperwork and requirements involving state and federal agencies. But how do archaeologists estimate the age of a colonial tavern or a house where someone did a lot of smoking? One method involves a seemingly insignificant artifact: the humble to***co pipestem!
In 1954, archaeologist J. C. Harrington observed that the bore diameters—the diameters of the holes running through the stems—of English white clay to***co pipes changed in a fairly predictable pattern over time. Generally, the bore diameters became smaller from the 17th century into the late 18th century. By measuring these holes using drill bits as gauges, archaeologists could estimate the age of the pipe stems and, in some circumstances, gain clues about the age of an archaeological deposit.
Other archaeologists later developed methods to improve these estimates. In 1962, archaeologist Lewis Binford introduced a straight-line regression formula that used pipe stem bore measurements to estimate dates. Regression is a statistical method that identifies a relationship between measurements and known dates, allowing archaeologists to estimate a date from a new measurement.
Archaeologists Robert Heighton and Kathleen Deagan developed additional methods for dating pipe stems, including a two-part equation. This approach can help refine estimates, but none provides a perfectly precise date for an archaeological site.
Pipestem dating is only one tool in an archaeologist’s toolkit. Researchers must consider other evidence, including ceramics, coins, documentary records, and the archaeological context in which artifacts were found. Together, these clues help build a clearer picture of when a site was occupied and how people lived.
Archaeology is the study of past people through their material remains. Sometimes, the most ordinary objects can make meaningful contributions to our understanding of history. And sometimes, something as simple as a to***co pipestem—and a modern drill bit—can help archaeologists piece together the past! - SJ