You are going to become a Time Detective on a case - a case that started over 200 years ago!

A few years ago, archaeologists found the location of an old house in Birchtown, Nova Scotia. They think that this house may have belonged to Colonel Stephen Blucke (pronounced like "luck," but with a "B" in front of it). Your job is to look at the clues and decide whether or not you think the house the archaeologists found belonged to Colonel Stephen Blucke.

Here are the facts:

• Colonel Stephen Blucke was an important leader in the Black Loyalist community of Birchtown, Nova Scotia.
  
  
• During the American Revolution, he served in a British military unit. In 1783, he was asked by Governor Parr to set up the community of Birchtown. This community was the largest Black Loyalist community in Nova Scotia.
  
  
• Colonel Stephen Blucke was still involved with the military while in Birchtown. He was the leader of the Black militia in Birchtown.
  
  
• He had a wife named Margaret. She came from a family with some money.
  
  
• The Blucke couple was unusual in the Black community, because they had some money. Stephen had some power too, since he was an officer in the militia.
  
  
• He was a teacher in Birchtown.
  
  
• He was last seen in Birchtown in 1796, and was never seen again.
  
  
• Some people say he was killed by wild animals, since all they found was one of Blucke's shirts. It was ripped and bloody.
  
  
• Others say he and his family ran away because of money problems. What actually happened to him is still unknown.

Clues have been activated! Find the clues on the pages below:

Acker site Excavation | The Book of Negroes | Monument at Birchtown
Pit house | Regimental Buttons | Survey of Birchtown

Be sure to return to this page after you find a clue!