Field Work
The industrial site and its interpretation is central to the practice of industrial archeology. Through fieldwork, "industrial monuments" such as mills, factories, railroad terminals, workers' housing, ships, canals, bridges, and other structures--or their remains--are explored, measured, photographed, and recorded. Such fieldwork, in combination with study of documentary resources, enables sites and artifacts to be identified and placed in historical context.

The Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) has contributed greatly to the documentation of industrial sites. Created in 1969 to identify, photograph, and make measured drawings of historically significant engineering sites, the HAER program remains an active component of the National Park Service today. The many thousands of measured drawings prepared by HAER form an invaluable record of America's industrial heritage.

How do Archeologists document Industrial Activity?