Uncovering History: A Case of Mistaken Identity

At the Mercer County Historical Society, we are always uncovering new stories from the past—and sometimes, those stories take unexpected turns!

Recently, we came across an intriguing artifact that we believed might have been a ceremonial pick belonging to the Indigenous people who once lived in this area. If true, this would have been an incredibly special find. However, history has a way of surprising us!

To learn more, we took the artifact to an artifact show hosted by the Wayne’s Legion Research Group, where fellow historians helped us properly identify it. It turns out that this object is actually a scythe sharpener from the 1800s! While different from our initial assumption, this discovery is no less important—it reminds us that history is a continuous journey of learning and reinterpreting the past.

This find highlights one of the most valuable aspects of our work: the role of our community in helping us preserve and understand local history. We want to extend our deepest thanks to everyone who helped us identify this artifact. Your knowledge, curiosity, and passion for history make all the difference!

We also want to invite you—our community members—to join us in this exciting work. Whether you have personal stories or insights into artifacts currently on display, we encourage you to visit, volunteer, and share your knowledge. Together, we can continue to uncover and preserve the rich history of Mercer County!