Heritage Tourism and Community Outreach: Public Archaeology at the Thaddeus Stevens and Lydia Hamilton Smith Site in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA

Abstract

Historic sites serve as windows into the past that rely on material culture to narrate the past to the public. This narration serves as a dialogue between archaeologists and the public, creating a relationship that shapes community and individual awareness of heritage. However, heritage is a mediated and constructed concept that expresses particular histories to support specific agendas, ranging from scholarly archaeological research to urban renewal and redevelopment. The Thaddeus Stevens and Lydia Hamilton Smith Historic Site in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA, provides an opportunity to examine how the creation and interpretation of a heritage tourism destination combine to create a form of public archaeology.