Archaeological excavations at Highland have identified the 1799 Monroe-era main house on the property, ending a previous assumption that the white Monroe-era guesthouse was a remaining wing of the original home. Investigation began due to a change in leadership at Highland, with the new director questioning previous interpretations of the site.
Excavations at the 1799 Main House began with a survey grid to determine the location of the original Monroe house. Shovel test pits, or STPs, were positive for architectural material in the east yard, or front, of the Massey House. More in-depth excavations have been carried out in the years since, positively identifying the structure as Monroe’s home.
Excavations first set out to get a sense of the house’s footprint. In 2015 and 2016, survey units, the squares archaeologists work in, were dug to identify the extent of and most of the corners of the house. This allowed archaeologists to match the dimensions of the physical house to the dimensions in the archival record. The two matched, both showing a 30 x 40 foot main wing of the house. Other units during this time identified a brick chimney stack providing clues to room layout, and a stone quartz pathway, indicating the front of the building.
Further excavations in 2021, 2024, and 2025 aimed to find out more about the house’s spatial layout. Units were dug in the house’s yard to understand how that space was used. Additionally, units on the interior of the house showed the presence of a cellar on the western side of the building, as well as intense burning in the central portion of the home. In 2025, archaeologists reached the bottom of the cellar.
In addition to what archaeology has shown about the architectural layout of the house, a great deal of artifacts have been found. These include a plethora of architectural materials, like brick, nails, plaster, and window glass. They also include drinking and eating vessels: ceramic plates, bowls, and cups, as well as glass wine bottles and tumblers. Personal artifacts, like buttons, buckles, and marbles, have also been recovered. Taken together, and in their context, these artifacts can tell us about how people lived and worked in the Monroe-era house.