Brawner Farm, once the scene of bloody combat and now in a quiet corner of Manassas Battlefield, has been investigated multiple times by archeologists, who uncovered the sites of several structures and unearthed thousands of artifacts. This assemblage of domestic and military objects has provided valuable information about the people who lived and fought there. Excavations revealed the foundations of an earlier house partly beneath the current structure, and that earlier house stood during the Second Battle of Manassas. A chimney pile is all that remains of a large outbuilding believed to have served as a combined kitchen and slave quarter. Surveys of the yard produced evidence of former inhabitants, both free and enslaved, including pottery, dishes, tools, jewelry, and children's toys. Mixed among these household items were heavy concentrations of military artifacts that have contributed to understanding the positions and movements of units during the battle. Together these discoveries illuminate the rich history of Brawner Farm and the war's impact on local residents.
