Sidewalks

Sidewalks can a fascinating subject for archaeological study for the things one buried under them. It isn't practical to pry up large concrete sidewalks, but brick sidewalks are an altogether different matter. Students can easily pry up bricks to see what is under them. Of course, one must have permission from city or private owner to do this sort of thing.

Here are some sidewalks in Brunswick which might yield interesting information. Time needed for field trip: 2 hours.
Sidewalk in the historic shopping area of Brunswick
Brick sidewalk in Hanover Square. Notice how grass the grass has overgrown the sidewalk and hides it. This area of town and its park is little used.
Sidewalk in front of the Historic Glynn County Courthouse. Notice the careful weeding and maintenance--appropriate for this vitally important judicial institution serving the needs of the entire county and symbolizing the effectiveness of the county's judicial system.
Sidewalk near corner of Union and Howe Streets

In addition to these are some privately owned sidewalks. One possibility is the old, unused brick sidewalk in the parking lot of the St. Francis Roman Catholic Church in downtown Brunswick. There are doubtless many other brick sidewalks waiting to be photographed, measured and explored to see where they start, where they end and how they serve the public. You could contrast them with the private walks leading up to homes or through private gardens. The Millionaires Club area of Jekyll Island has many walks where the use of materials is more various.

Walks are fascinating artifacts frequently identifiable by aerial photography decades and even centuries after they have gone out of use. Over time, the earth under a walk is tamped down by many feet (humans, animals--horse and cattle) and wheels (bicycles, and carts). The materials used to construct walks are varied:

The materials used to make walks are increasingly sophisticated. Compare the simple rectangular bricks in Hanover Square and Howe Street with the elaborate linking bricks used in the Historic Shopping District and in front of the old Courthouse.