City archaeologist retiring

Posted on April 12, 2017 by mlane1950 in History, St. Johns // 0 Comments

Carl Halbirt. Photo by DARON DEAN, St. Augustine Record

By MARCIA LANE

SAINT AUGUSTINE – Carl Halbirt, the city’s first and only full-time archaeologist, is retiring Sept. 30.

The announcement was made Monday at the St. Augustine City Commission meeting.

He was appointed 27 years ago shortly after the city developed the archaeology ordinance that has governed construction in certain areas of the city and made it possible to preserve the city’s history and add to knowledge of that past.

More than 800 boxes are filled with items found during his tenure and hundreds of pages of information have been collected. Halbirt says he plans to update project files, readying for his successor.

Artifacts unearthed over the last 27 years by Halbirt, members of the St. Augustine Archaeological Association and other volunteers are part of an exhibit at the Visitor Information Center.

St. Augustine – America’s Enduring Colony 1565-1821 was officially dedicated recently.