Tin City Archaeological Project Celebrates 20 Years at University of Evansville

Evansville, Ind. (09/25/2023) — The Tin City Archaeological Project is celebrating its 20th anniversary at the University of Evansville (UE). Tin City, originally known as Campus Court Apartments, was constructed in 1946 and dismantled in 1962, making way for Wheeler Auditorium and Neu Chapel landscaping. Despite its historical significance, few written records exist about Tin City, and it soon faded into obscurity.

Twenty years ago, Dr. Alan Kaiser and students from the University of Evansville Department of Archaeology embarked on the Tin City Archaeological Project. Over these two decades, more than one hundred students have excavated and screened 727 cubic feet of soil, discovering 4,491 artifacts that tell the stories of people's lives. Remarkably, this project remains the only ongoing, on-campus archaeological excavation in the United States.

The public attended a celebration on Saturday at the Tin City Trenches in front of Neu Chapel. The SOBA Atrium also hosted family-friendly educational activities curated by archaeology majors, providing insights into the university's history as revealed through the Tin City excavation.

For more information, please visit https://www.evansville.edu/majors/archaeology/tin-city.cfm.