LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty University students got the chance to uncover some of Lynchburg's city history.
Mead's Tavern, which sits on the border of Campbell and Bedford counties, has a colonial-era past where archeologists have been discovering artifacts beneath the surface.
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The university purchased the building in 2015 and is currently studying the structure for future renovations.
The students volunteered and worked alongside archaeologists during an excavation under the front porch.
This semester marked the first time they have found coins on the property, two of which have dated back to the 18th century.
Archaeologists also uncovered a button from a uniform for Wayne's Legion, an extension of the Continental Army that featured trained troops rather than militias under the command of Maj. Gen. Anthony Wayne from 1792-1798.
Workers also found two “large cent” coins dated 1798 and 1803, a 5-cent piece believed to be from the 1880s, many 18th- and 19th-century ceramics, as well as cut and wrought nails.
“It’s really cool to go to school in Virginia because there is so much history here,” said junior Lindsay Vanderwey.
“Mead’s Tavern and New London was this forgotten area of Lynchburg. Now Liberty is going there and exposing it to the general public, and it’s been a great opportunity,” said Vanderwey.