Groundhog Archeology's

Mary Street Midden Project

Our Mission
We excavate the past to reveal how we value memory, place and waste.

Our Vision
Groundhog Archeology’s Mary Street Midden Project strives to inspire action toward a sustainable future for Kentuckiana and beyond.

mid•den: noun
a heap (= large pile) of waste
material thrown away by
human beings in the past

Groundhog Archeology's Mary Street Midden Project (MSMP) collection will celebrate the excavated, reconstructed, now revered artifacts from the past. Visitors will discover 1920s artifacts from everyday household items to pre-Prohibition bottles featuring familiar brands that continue to endure as well as those who faded from memory. More than a museum—"The Mid" invites you to explore waste through the lens of former Louisvillians using their stories to inspire the way you create, discard and live your everyday life.

From midden to meaning, support our transformative educational experience uncovering Louisville's buried history in the heart of Germantown.

Your Gift

We are excited not only to share with you what has been uncovered but join the unique and enduring Louisville Museum community. The Portland Museum graciously exhibited pieces of our collection, the Filson Historical Society hosted a lecture and we look forward to establishing relationships with other museums, the community but most importantly, you.

The Mary Street Midden concluded its service to waste management in the early 1920s and soon after became the home of the structure you see today. This building is remembered as a moving and storage warehouse, a studio for artists, and now has been reclaimed as a museum that will display cultural treasures once seen as trash that share narratives about the memories of former Louisvillians , bringing new meaning to the word midden.

Your donation will contribute not only to the restoration of this structure but
it’s reimagined purpose to unearth the past and honor it’s legacy.

Join us as we
DIG DEEP
this Give for Good season and watch your dollars give
more meaning to the word midden.

Dig Deep & Donate

By Mary Street Midden Project

Dig Deep & Donate

Mary Street Midden Project

Team Members