On Nov. 2, 2005, the geophysics class taught by Dr. Andrew Kozlowski visited
the Milton Cemetery, Golf Course Road, Milton PA. The goal was to learn to
use ground penetrating radar to locate disturbances in the soil that would
indicate burial sites. The plot under investigation was used to bury African-Americans,
and only two of the deceased have tombstones. The cemetery, owned by the borough
of Milton, has no records of any burials in this area. The earliest records
were probably lost in the 1880 fire that consumed almost all of Milton. The
cemetery project is in conjunction with Dr. Catherine Hastings, who is writing
a book on the early African-American settlement of Milton and upper Northumberland
County. Her work on the Milton Roots Project can be seen at
www.miltonroots.org
.
The class is composed of Katherine Beem, Angela Dippold, Jennifer Horner,
and Tyson Snader. Tyson will use the data collected at the cemetery as part
of his senior research project.
All photos below were taken by Catherine M. Hastings.
For context, this is looking south at the site. The students at left are
huddled around a surveying transit, which is being used to make a detailed
topographic map of the plot. The white truck at the bottom of the hill belongs
to the Department of Earth and Environmental Science. The plot under investigation
is 65 by 43 feet.
Dr. Andrew Kozlowski in red flannel explains how the machine will be calibrated
to (clockwise) Tyson Snader, Angela Dippold, Katherine Beem, and Jennifer
Horner. The unit is called GSSI SIR-2000 and belongs to Susquehanna's department
of Earth and Environmental Sciences.
Tyson Snader and Angela Dippold make a first pass with the antenna to calibrate
the machine, while Dr. Andrew Kozlowski watches the readout in the foreground.
In the distant background are three Milton Borough workers, who attended the
session to learn more about the equipment and its capabilities. Also visiting
the site but not pictured was Mrs. Leroy Calloway of Milton, 93, a participant
in the Milton Roots Project.
The other crew, Katherine Beem and Jennifer Horner, gets to try the antenna
while Dr. Andrew Kozlowski watches on the monitor. The antenna was borrowed
from Bloomsburg University. Susquehanna has an antenna of its own, but it
is best for detection of large and deep objects, not shallow and small disturbances.
The upper limit of the plot is the Henry A. Fonda family plot. One of the
African-Americans buried here with a tombstone is Bird Hagans, who worked
as a farm manager for Henry Fonda's son-in-law. Dr. Andrew Kozlowski logs
the measurement while Katherine Beem and Jennifer Horner wait at the top of
the plot.
The red box is the antenna, while power and data go through the black cord
to the radar receiver. Katherine Beem pulls the antenna this time.
Jennifer Horner and Katherine Beem demonstrate GPR technique.
