Historical archaeology at Dowden's Ordinary in Montgomery County has used artifacts and excavations to uncover rural tavern life beyond what written records reveal. Historical records indicated when the tavern was built, who owned it, how its use changed over time, and when it was finally torn down, while archaeological excavations reveal aspects of the everyday life of its owners and guests. Archaeological work began in 2002 with a grid mapped in ten-foot squares over the area, and a series of shovel test pits were dug at the corners to search for the tavern foundation and trash pits. Because bedrock was reached within a foot of the surface, the search for the Ordinary's foundations has proved elusive. The stone may have been salvaged, just as the chimneys were taken down and the brick reused. Trenching across the area located some large random rocks possibly related to the foundation. Broken pottery, glass, and metal fragments from the 18th and 19th centuries were found scattered across the site, and artifacts tossed up from a groundhog burrow may even have revealed the Ordinary's cellar. As expected at a tavern site, the largest number of artifacts relate to meal preparation and consumption. Future archaeology will continue to help determine the Ordinary's footprint and the varieties of human activities at the site over time.