A Visit With...

Digging Life In The Dirt

At first glance, her office might resemble an archaeological work site. Scattered about are file folders, photographs, a pink hard hat, a random rock or two. But how could it be otherwise as Anne Bader is an archaeologist and founder of Corn Island Archaeology in Jeffersontown, Kentucky. She started the company in 2006 and has been instrumental in exploring sites around Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, Ohio, and West Virginia.

She has uncovered treasures at the Louisville airport, Beecher Terrace, Locust Grove, Farmington, and the Falls of the Ohio, along with places further afield — Niagara Falls near Buffalo, New Jersey, Alabama, and Missouri.

Closest though is the side yard of her offices located in the Conrad-Seaton House, the site of Valentine Conrad’s pottery. “The house was built in the early 1800s,” Anne says. “The sidewalks out front are being torn up right now, and I am constantly running outside and finding little bits and pieces of pottery. My staff and I are working to reconstruct some of these beautiful pieces — plates, cups, and bowls that were designed by Conrad and are unique to Kentucky.” Jigsaw puzzles, anyone?

“I feel a strong connection and attachment to the community here and my home,” she says. “I like working in my own area and no longer having to fly somewhere to do what I love.”

She became interested in archaeology in the 6th grade when she read an article about the discovery of an ancient Sumerian city some 2000 years old. “I still have the article,” she says. “I wasn't encouraged in high school to pursue this field even though I knew this is what I wanted to do. Eventually, after much coercing, I was allowed to take an anthropology class in my senior year. I then went to the

University of Kentucky for a year, but at the time it was hard to break into the field. I transferred to the University of Louisville and was digging in the dirt right away.”

A vital skill, she says, is an eye for detail. “Some people can look at something and think it's just a piece of nothing. You have to have the ability to recognize what you're seeing. A background in history, languages, and writing skills is also important.”

As busy as she is, “I would most like to have a couple of hours to do my work and to be creative, to take what I've learned and put it together. I love this blend of science and history and the opportunity to share the knowledge.” To that end she founded the Falls of the Ohio Archaeological Society in 2002 where she is able to share knowledge and ideas with others through that organization.

Anne has her own secret stash of historic artifacts: Rat Fink character charms. “They specifically date from 1965-1966. You could get the characters in a gumball machine, and although some of my classmates had many, I only had one. So now I am making up for that and have 178 of them. The characters are very restricted in time, and I would want to be buried with my collection,” she says with a laugh. “If a future archaeologist digs me up they will know exactly what era I came from.”

She keeps her spirits up through the work that she loves. “Every day I find something different. I get energized and excited. I also love being with my grandchildren. And I enjoy being outside. It's always good to go to the trees. And then, of course, there's chocolate.” Her version of vitamin C.

On aging? “Well, the physical part means I don't dig as much as I used to when I was younger. It’s hard on the knees. But now I get to spend time mentoring and teaching and reviewing the work of my staff and together coming up with some creative solutions. I don't have time to get old. There's too much to do.”

By Lucy M. Pritchett | Photos by Patti Hartog

Summer 2023 / Today's Transitions