By DEBORAH GERTZ HUSAR

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Chris Fennell points to a key difference between the New Philadelphia site and others with stories to tell.

"Often you have a project that somewhat loses steam, where you feel like you've gathered all the data possible," said Fennell, co-director of the National Science Foundation's Research Experiences for Undergraduates field school and an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Illinois. "This one keeps growing, having more to say."

Still to come, for example, are:

* A hearing, slated for October, on national historic landmark status for the site of the first community established and platted by an African American, Free Frank McWorter, in 1836.

* Further analysis of the aerial thermal survey, combined with ground-based geophysics work, to highlight a variety of features on the site and potential dig sites in the future.

* A redesigned Web site using new rapid technology to boost communication between people with an interest in New Philadelphia.

* And the report of this summer's work, expected by early September.

"We'll get the initial report done of here's what we excavated and keep refining that next year as we have more detailed analysis of artifacts," Fennell said.

"We anticipate we'll have another cumulative report that takes in all three years."

Researchers continue to find new documents concerning New Philadelphia. A lead drawn from tax records led students to dig beneath an already-discovered 1870s house to find an earlier dwelling.

"It looks promising. We need to get the artifacts fully cataloged and processed," Fennell said. "We're hopeful it will date with artifacts to the 1840s, 1850s. That would be very exciting, one of the earlier occupations at a time when Frank McWorter still owned the lot."

Looking ahead, people interested in the site discuss by e-mail and phone where to focus each summer's work and develop a list of around 12 sites, which is narrowed to a more manageable three or four.

Greater use of thermal survey data, combined with ground-based geophysics, will help select promising excavation sites. "We may be trying to move out and explore the area east of the main excavation area more intensely next summer with all the different technologies," Fennell said.

Fennell also expects next year's efforts to target another possible site for a school for African-American children that predated an integrated school built in 1874. Previous efforts to locate the school, including one this season by the "Time Team" television show crew, were inconclusive.

-- dhusar@whig.com/221-3379