Serving Barnwell County and it's neighbors since 1852
Dr. Larry Stone holds a spearhead from his collection.
Dr. Larry Stone, a professor emeritus at USC Salkehatchie who is also an amateur archeologist, will present a program titled “Prehistoric Cultures of Allendale County” on Thursday, Sept. 28, at 6 p.m. in the iCarolina Lab and Academic Support Building on the USC Salkehatchie Allendale Campus. The event is free and open to the public.
His program relates to a set of exhibits in the Library and Academic Support Building. One exhibit, “Searching for our Beginnings: Public Archeology at the Topper Site,” consists of artifacts in a display case, informational posters mounted on the walls, and an electronic kiosk that plays videos relating to the Topper Site. The exhibit at USC Salkehatchie is the first permanent display of artifacts from the Topper Site. The exhibit was prepared by the South Carolina Archeological Public Outreach Division under the direction of Dr. Al Goodyear. This exhibit contains artifacts crafted by the first human beings to live in the southeastern part of the North American continent.
Another exhibit in the lobby features Dr. Strong’s own collection of artifacts found in the Salkehatchie Region. A display case contains examples of the 17,000 specimens that he donated to the South Carolina Institute of Archeology and Anthropology.
“The Strong Collection is the largest single collection of Paleoindian artifacts in South Carolina, and includes Clovis, Redstone, and Dalton points, as well as hundreds of other stone tools,” says a poster in the display case. “The artifacts provide vital information about prehistoric human life in the southern Coastal Plain of South Carolina and will serve as a significant resource for future studies by scientists, students, and the avocational community.”
The other exhibits are “Prehistoric Chert Quarries of South Carolina” and “Native American artifacts contributed by John Winthrop of the Winthrop Foundation and Groton Plantation.”
Dr. Strong, who taught math at USC Salkehatchie for nearly 50 years, has been named an Amateur Archeologist of the Year by the South Carolina Institute of Archeology and Anthropology. He has participated in the research of the Topper Site and has donated money to support the research. Dr. Strong also has provided some of the artifacts in the exhibit “Prehistoric Chert Quarries of Allendale County” in addition to the artifacts in the Strong Collection exhibit. He has presented many programs on archeology in general and the Topper Site specifically.
