Students in the Archaeological Field School course, taught by Dr. Nicholaus Pumphrey, associate professor of religious studies, had an exciting opportunity to use high-tech equipment to try to solve a longstanding campus mystery. According to university lore, the remains of Taylor Hall, which burned in 1943, was used to fill in Lake Parmenter near the corner of Sixth and Grove streets.
In September, students conducted a ground penetrating radar (GPR) scan of the open field south of Mabee Hall. The equipment and instructions were provided by Mark DeSchepper, ’03, president of ECHO GPR Services. The scan showed the borders of Lake Parmenter; however, it is inconclusive whether the remains of Taylor Hall are located on the site, which has now been set up for excavation.
