Historic Root Cellar Artifacts

While National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Training Center team (HPTC) was excavating the historic Root Cellar at Minidoka, a South Idaho Parks archeologist was on site to identify, recover, and inventory any artifacts uncovered. Archeologists for South Idaho Parks Tara McClure-Cannon, Tatiana Perrotte, and Heather Alvarado shared a few of the artifacts with Friends of Minidoka.

All photos courtesy of NPS.

Children’s Marbles

The marbles and shooter marbles uncovered during the restoration of the root cellar were likely used by the children of those working in the root cellar of the Minidoka camp site. Most of these marbles were identified as early 19th century Akro Agate and Vitro Agate marbles and were primarily located near the south portal of the root cellar.

Matchbook Fragment

A matchbook fragment dating to the 1940s was uncovered inside the root cellar near the north portal that depicts an eagle perched on the letter V with the text “OUR FIRST DUTY / BUY MORE WAR BONDS - STAMPS.” This matchbook was manufactured by the Universal Match Corporation, New York City, New York. These WWII matchbooks were a strategy used by the government to promote buying war bonds and stamps.

Idaho Potato Sacks

Burlap potato sacks dating to the mid-20th century were located inside the root cellar during restoration work. The potato sacks are made of burlap and display different brands and the regions where the potatoes were produced, such as Idaho, California, and Washington. One of the burlap sacks features an aristocratic man in a black tux, monocle, and top hat with the brand name “SMOOTHIE” in red text above the caricature.