As workers stabilize tabby building that survived burning of Darien, a scene in the movie 'Glory,' another team finds a Civil War bullet

A view of the archaeological project (Courtesy of Marion Savic)

[Updated Nov. 30]  -- Crews have worked for months to stabilize the Adam Strain building in Darien, Ga. They shored up the walls and installed steel supports, tie rods and plates – all aimed at strengthening the picturesque structure that survived the port town’s burning during the Civil War.

While most of the attention has been focused on the fragile tabby structure, Milan and Marion Savic -- who bought the Adam Strain and plans to host businesses and a museum after it is restored – recently brought in an archaeological team to see what’s under the building and buried on the bluff just behind.

Among the items found was a Civil War-era bullet -- likely an Enfield round. The team found it on a bluff that overlooks water, Marion Savic told the Picket.

The so-called Pritchett bullet was used in the Pattern 1853 Enfield rifle. The Enfield was used by both sides during the conflict, and the Confederacy imported thousands from England.

Civil War bullet found during archaeological dig (Courtesy of Marion Savic)

It’s too early, of course, to surmise how the bullet came to be there, when it was deposited and to whom it belonged. 

The Adam Strain was used to store cotton prior to shipment in 1861 and 1862 before the Union naval blockade clamped down on Georgia’s coast. Darien was destroyed in 1863 by black troops, under orders from an anti-slavery white officer. The incident was recounted in the 1989 movie “Glory.” The Strain survived the fire.

The Picket first wrote in April about efforts to save the circa 1813 building after decades of deterioration. At one point in a long campaign to save the Strain, it appeared the beloved piece of history might be demolished. Made of oyster shell tabby and stucco, the oldest structure in Darien is beloved by its 2,000 residents.

Support system used during stabilization (Marion Savic)

Savic said she hopes to soon get an inventory on what was recovered during the dig; she was uncertain whether there were other Civil War-related artifacts. The archaeology was led by Dr. Nicholas Honerkamp, who has done extensive research on coastal Georgia.

"The bullet was found at the bottom of a trench that we excavated in the lower bluff, next to the road. I recall that it was identified by Dr. Carolyn Rock, who is on the crew," Honerkamp wrote in an email to the Picket. "Precious little was present in that feature, which was filled with bricks, brick bats, and tabby plaster fragments."

The crew was working near a tabby foundation of some sort. The material could have been the result of a wall or roof collapse, "which seems to be extensive at (the) Strain," the archaeologist said.

"I did see some burned plastic near the bottom. We were working in mud most of the time, and artifact IDs will be considerably enhanced when we finish cleaning the assemblages in the lab."

On a Facebook page devoted to the project on Broad Street in historic Darien, Savic wrote:

“It was an exciting two weeks and all the cool finds will go to the lab at Coastal Georgia Historical Society for further examination and cleaning. The oldest find is the Native American prehistoric pottery, likely 3000+ years old. The report and artifacts will be on display in the museum planned for the second floor of the Adam Strain.”

The Savics have big plans for the Adam Strain: a nano brewery that will serve house-brewed and other local beer, local non-alcoholic beverages and light snacks. There will be retail space on the first floor; the second floor will feature a museum and event space.

The museum will include artifacts and information from the dig. It  will convey the Strain’s and Darien’s history -- including shrimping, timber and the story of thousands of enslaved people who were the backbone of the economy in McIntosh and neighboring counties.

The Facebook page has chronicled the journey, with locals and others interested in the project posting comments and questions.

One find during the work was the discovery of Savannah grey bricks behind the walls of a one-story building that adjoins the Strain. It had been used as a bank and law offices following the Civil War.

Savannah grey bricks (Courtesy of Marion Savic)

“These bricks date to the early 1800s and were handmade by slaves at the Hermitage plantation, once located on the Savannah River west of the city. The grey clay was rare and not suited for crops but turned out to be ideal for making bricks,” the post says.

The Savics, who have experience in operating retail businesses in metro Atlanta, have turned to an array of contracted expertise to bring back a building that was at risk of being toppled by strong winds.

The stabilization phase is nearly complete. Besides the supports, tie rods and plates, crews removed the heavy slate roof, relieving stress on the building. Interior wood framing has been erected throughout the building.

(Courtesy of Marion Savic)

“We will soon begin an interim period when the steel supports will be jacked to push against and reverse some of the deflection in the walls,” Marion Savic wrote in an email. “The installed supports and tie rods will hopefully hold the building together as this occurs. We will also be repairing the roof joists and rafters and setting those back in place.”

Restoration will begin after the building is secure and fully supported. The Strain, which was burned in the 1863 fire, was repaired and saw a rebirth for several decades before it was used for storage following World War II and then shuttered. 

The building interior will have the appearance of its immediate post-Civil War days. Crews will recover the tabby with smooth, white stucco.

“The end goal is to have a fully restored tabby building honoring its history. It will look like it did in the 1800s,” Savic wrote.

The Adam Strain before work began this year.