Centuries-old Revolutionary War Bake House Discovered Underground

WHO:

NY Post - Archaeologists are involved in the excavation.

Fox News - Sarah P. Sportman is the Connecticut state archaeologist.

WHAT:

NY Post - The remains of an 18th-century bake house were uncovered.

Fox News - The bake house was used to bake bread for French troops during the American Revolution.

Fox News - A burned gunflint dating to the Revolutionary War era was found during the excavation.

Fox News - Other artifacts included late 18th-century ceramic fragments, animal bone pieces, clay smoking pipe fragments, and older bottle glass.

WHERE:

NY Post - The bake house was found on the Lebanon Town Green in Lebanon, Connecticut.

Fox News - The excavation took place in New London County, Connecticut.

WHEN:

Fox News - The bake house was uncovered earlier in June.

Fox News - Additional testing is planned for the fall.

WHY:

Fox News - Historians believed a French bake oven existed on the town green, marked by a commemorative plaque.

Fox News - The excavation is part of a broader archaeological and historical project in Lebanon, coinciding with the nation's 250th anniversary.

HOW:

Fox News - A ground-penetrating radar survey was conducted prior to the dig to identify the structure's features.

(UPDATED July 1, 2026 15:55 UTC)

Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of an 18th-century bake house on the Lebanon Town Green in Lebanon, Connecticut, which was used to bake bread for French troops during the American Revolution. The excavation, part of a broader historical project coinciding with the nation's 250th anniversary, revealed various artifacts, including a burned gunflint from the Revolutionary War era and ceramic fragments. Additional testing is planned for the fall, following a ground-penetrating radar survey that helped identify the structure's features before the dig began.