MOUNDSVILLE, W.Va. — Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex in Moundsville will continue its 2013 Lecture & Film series at 7 p.m., Thursday, June 27, with a documentary film titled “Lincoln’s Secret Weapon.” The film is part of the NOVA series produced by PBS. Admission is free and the public is invited to attend.
“Lincoln’s Secret Weapon” tells the story of the USS Monitor, the Union’s first ironclad war ship created in response to the South’s CSS Virginia. In 1862, the Monitor and the Virginia fought to a standstill in the Battle of Hampton Roads in the first confrontation between ironclads. The film follows a team of historians, archaeologists, and U.S. Navy divers on a dangerous mission into 230-foot deep waters as they assess the condition of the Monitor and attempt to raise its giant propeller. The Monitor’s propeller, thick iron hull and rotating gun turret were innovations that changed naval warfare forever.
“In recent decades, archaeology has been able to contribute to our understanding of the Civil War in unique and varied ways,” said David Rotenizer, site manager at Grave Creek Mound. “Underwater archaeology is just one aspect for examining the war through scientific eyes.”
The documentary is part of a three-part summer film series held in conjunction with the Upper Ohio Valley Chapter of the West Virginia Archaeological Society. The series will continue at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 25, with “More than Bows and Arrows.” This award-winning Camera One production shatters stereotypes as it celebrates Native American contributions to modern-day political systems, medicine, diet, sports, architecture, and more. Operated by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, Grave Creek features one of the largest conical burial mounds built by the Adena people between 250-150 B.C. Exhibits and displays in the Delf Norona Museum interpret what is known about the lives of these prehistoric people and the construction of the mound. The complex also houses the West Virginia Archaeological Research and Collections Management Facility. The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. It is closed on Mondays. Beginning July 1, the museum’s new operating hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. It will be closed on Sundays and Mondays.
For more information about the lecture or other programs at Grave Creek Mound, contact Andrea Keller, cultural program coordinator, at (304) 843-4128 or email her at Andrea.K.Keller@wv.gov. Indicate in the message if you are interested in receiving information about upcoming events at the mound.
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History is an agency within the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts with Kay Goodwin, Cabinet Secretary. The Division, led by Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith, brings together the past, present and future through programs and services focusing on archives and history, arts, historic preservation and museums. For more information about the Division’s programs, events and sites, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
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