Figure 1: Lead weight from Seneca Village. Image from NYC Archeological Repository: The Nan A. Rothschild Research Center.
The History of Lead Fishing Weights in Seneca Village
Tamia Major
Seneca Village was a predominantly Black community in Manhattan, where Central Park stands today. The people who lived in this village were forced out of their homes in order to create Central Park in the 1850s. Even though most of the buildings and other establishments were destroyed, some artifacts were later found from the Wilsons’ residency. Within this essay I will unpack the importance of the lead weight discovered from the Wilsons’ home and its impact on the villagers.