NLM Home Page We Were Here First: The History of the NLM Site, 1000 BC - 1955 AD
First Peoples
Winona
The Gingle Family
Woodmont Country Club

First Peoples

The site on which the National Library of Medicine now sits has been the scene of human activity for thousands of years. In 1983-4, prior to the construction of the Woodmont Avenue extension, archeological excavations were carried out in the area just south of NLM, across the small brook. There, evidence was uncovered of extensive tool-making activity from the Late Archaic through the Late Woodland periods (approximately 1000 BC-1600 AD).

stone projectile points stone projectile points stone projectile points
Stone tools in use
Illustrations from Edwin Tunis. Indians. Rev. ed. New York

Text copyright © 1959 by Edwin Tunis
Copyright renewed © 1987 by Maryland National Bank
Published by Thomas Y. Crowell
Text reprinted by permission of Curtis Brown, Ltd.

The area, not far from an ancient trail (present-day Wisconsin Avenue/Old Georgetown Road) and near a source of water, is thought to have served as a temporary hunting camp and a stopping place for groups traveling between western Maryland and the Potomac River. Among the objects found are stone projectile (i.e. spear and arrow) points, hammerstones, and daggers, and thousands of stone flakes and fragments, indicating a long history of tool and weapon manufacture.

excavation site excavation site
Daniel Koski-Karell, et al. Technical report. Phase 2 Archeological Evaluation for the Woodmont Avenue Extension Project. Washington, D.C., 1986.
Courtesy Montgomery County Department of Public Works and Transportation, Division of Engineering Services.

Charts of the excavation site show the distribution of prehistoric artifacts and the distribution of specific types of projectile points. The stream running from upper left to lower right is now covered by Woodmont Ave. The NLM site is off the charts to the right. (B.P.=before present).

artifacts
Courtesy DeWitt Stetten, Jr., Museum of Medical Research, National Institutes of Health
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Last updated: 18 October 2006