Continental Congress Treasure Hunt - The Montana Spade andTrowel

     The next item in the Continental Congress Treasure Hunt is The Montana Spade. This spade is kept in a glass container in the Office of the Historian General, now known as the Department of History and Archives.  It is in the Americana Room to the left of the Historian General's desk.

     This small shovel was a gift from the Montana State Society.  It is beautifully crafted of special materials.  The spade of the shovel is made of Montana copper.  The handle is made of wood cut from the pathway of Lewis and Clark’s expedition when they first explored what is now the state of Montana.  This is to be inlaid with wood from other historic spots and adorned with silver and gold from the mines of Montana along with Montana sapphires of blue and white - the colors of the National Society. 

     The handle inscription reads: “Columbus, Makers of Farm and Garden Tools.”   The streamers of official ribbon decorating the handle and bearing the names of the thirteen colonies the gift of the Mary Washington Colonial Chapter of New York City.

     You may be asking yourself what is the significance of this small shovel.  The Montana Spade has been used for several historic and significant DAR ceremonies.   The first time is was used was on DAR founder Mary Lockwood used this shovel on October 11, 1902 to break ground for construction on Memorial Continental Hall.  The second time is was used was April 19, 1904 at the Ceremonies of the Laying of the Corner Stone Memorial Continental Hall.  This building served as DAR’s headquarters and was the first of the Society’s three buildings to be built on this property.  

     The spade has also been used by The DAR and the Mount Vernon Ladies Association to celebrate the 250th anniversary of George Washington’s birth with memorial tree plantings.  On April 25, 1982 the shovel was used to plant the Mount Vernon Ladies Association’s gift of a Spicebush in the NSDAR Memorial Garden.  Later the same day, DAR planted an American Holly Tree in honor of Washington at Mount Vernon.

     What is the significance of this spade to SCDAR?  You will have to come to the 2018 state conference to find out!  I will tell you this.  With all of the research that I have done thus far, this remains one of my favorite stories to share.  I will share the entire story with you in March and hopefully have something special to reveal as well.  You could say it is the culmination of the story.  Oh my!  I have said too much already.  

     The next item I want you to see that was used during the ceremonies was the trowel used to place the cornerstone into place.  Once the items were hermetically sealed as I described in the blog concerning the corner stone, this trowel was presented to the grand master Mr. A. J. Wetmore who made the following statement: "The trowel will be used in spreading the cement which shall unite this building into one solid mass.  Remembering that we are all the children of our Father in Heaven, who loves and pities all, may the trowel symbolize to us the spreading of the cement of friendship and affection which should unite the brotherhood of man into a sacred band, among whom no contention should ever exist save that noble contention, or rather emulation, of who can best work and best agree."  

     Mr. Wetmore then spread a trowel full of cement on the foundation after which a small quantity of cement was spread by President General Fairbanks, and Founders Desha, Walworth, and Lockwood.  The workmen completed the task of preparing the corner stone with cement; then, they swung it into position and lowered it into its place on the foundation where it proudly remains today.
            Happy hunting!