
In 1983 members of the University of Massachusetts Anthropology and Afro-American Studies Departments began archaeological, historical and oral history investigations of this property and the residents of the Homesite. Two seasons of archaeological research uncovered evidence for a working farm and a retreat in the over 10,000 artifacts found at the site. Oral histories were taken from members of the Burghardt family and from town historians in Geat Barrington. Public records in Great Barrington and documents from the Du Bois Papers at the University helped to identify who lived on the site and something about their activites and plans.
In the future, the Homesite will be the focus of further archaeological investigations. These and the associated documentary studies will provide information on the African-American community that nurtured the young Du Bois, information that will be used in planning commemorative buildings and exhibits at the W.E.B. Du Bois Boyhood Homesite.