Excavating a 19th-Century Detroit Saloon
A filmmaker highlights the work of urban archaeologists who are excavating the site of a woman-owned business that opened in the late 1800s.
In this short documentary, Wayne State University archaeologist Krysta Ryzewski and her students excavate the remnants of a saloon in Hamtramck, Michigan, a 2-square-mile city almost entirely surrounded by Detroit. Opened in the late 1800s, the saloon and its stories were once lost to history.
Now the team is working to rescue the site’s memories. Over footage of the researchers recovering artifacts, Ryzewski, the film’s narrator, reflects on what it means to be an urban archaeologist and the sense of kinship she feels with Katherine Hoppes, the saloon’s woman owner.
Produced by Aaron Martin.
Aaron Martin is a filmmaker based in Detroit, Michigan. He has produced work for international publications, national news shows, and local theaters
