Archaeologist Nicole Isenbarger

For Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site archaeologist Nicole Isenbarger, archaeology is far more than digging in the dirt — it’s about uncovering the human stories hidden beneath the surface and helping people connect with the past in meaningful ways.

Nicole has spent more than a decade with South Carolina State Parks, though her connection to the agency stretches back much further. Her first archaeology internship was at Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site in 1998, where she worked on excavations at the colonial town’s “free school” site. A few years later, she completed another internship at Charles Towne Landing and worked on excavations that identified the earthfast structure in the Town Common. After years of archaeology work with universities, nonprofits, state and federal agencies, and Cultural Resource Management companies, Nicole returned to Charles Towne Landing in 2015 as the park archaeologist. “It made the experience feel very full circle,” she said.

Nicole’s path to archaeology was shaped by a childhood unlike most. Born in Germany, she grew up moving frequently and living in places including Alaska, Italy, Texas, California, New York, and South Carolina. She describes herself as a “third-culture kid,” growing up in a cross-cultural household and constantly adapting to new places and perspectives. “Growing up with a foreign mother in a cross-cultural, highly mobile environment gave me an early awareness of how differently people live, think, and organize their lives depending on their culture and surroundings,” Nicole explained. “That curiosity about how people and places shape identity eventually led me toward anthropology.” Two places left particularly lasting impressions on her: Alaska and Italy. Both deepened her appreciation for the outdoors, architecture, food, and culture, while early classroom experiences using archaeology to teach history first sparked her interest in the field.

Nicole moved to South Carolina in 1993 and quickly fell in love with the state’s culture, landscapes, and history. “While I am not officially ‘from here,’ South Carolina has truly captured my heart and is the one place I chose to put down roots,” she said.

She earned both her Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts degrees in Anthropology from the College of Charleston and the University of South Carolina, respectively, and completed three archaeological field schools to build hands-on excavation experience. Over the years, she has worked on archaeological projects throughout the Southeast and even participated in plantation archaeology projects in the Bahamas. Before joining state parks full-time, Nicole and her husband founded and operated The Archaeological Research Collective, a nonprofit focused on public archaeology and education. Teaching has remained an important part of her career as well. She spent nine years teaching anthropology courses at Coastal Carolina University and the College of Charleston while also helping lead archaeological field schools for several universities.

Today, Nicole’s work at Charles Towne Landing combines science, history, preservation, and public education. Her responsibilities range from conducting excavations and managing collections to researching artifacts, conserving materials, and creating educational programs for visitors. “I am an Anthropologist, which means I study people and human behavior,” Nicole said. “Archaeology is the method I use to study people in the past by examining the physical traces they left behind in their everyday lives.”

She emphasizes that archaeology involves much more than excavation. Once artifacts are uncovered, the real work begins — cleaning, cataloging, researching, conserving, and interpreting what those objects reveal about daily life in the past. “What I love most is that archaeology is basically detective work,” she said. “We piece together clues from soil layers, artifact patterns, historical records, scientific data, and cultural trends to build interpretations about the people who left these remains behind.”

Nicole especially enjoys the challenge of combining different methods and forms of evidence to answer questions about the past. “Archaeology combines history, science, and problem-solving, so every project feels a little like solving a giant puzzle,” she said.

While the research side of archaeology is deeply rewarding, Nicole says her favorite part of the job is public education. “I love sharing archaeology with visitors and helping people understand that archaeology is a science, not just digging for artifacts,” she said. “I enjoy sharing how we use evidence, testing, research, and interpretation to learn more about real people and their everyday lives.” She also enjoys mentoring interns and helping students gain confidence and experience in the field.

No two days on the job are exactly alike. Some days, Nicole is out in the field documenting excavations. Other days, she’s in the lab stabilizing artifacts using techniques like electrolysis, researching historical records, or preparing educational programs and presentations.

Of course, archaeology also comes with its share of unexpected moments. Nicole recalls one particularly memorable summer excavation in South Carolina.

“Archaeologists tend to get a lot of reactions from people who think we have the coolest job in the world,” she said. “But one brutally hot day while our crew was out excavating in the middle of the summer heat, the man servicing the porta-john stopped, looked at all of us digging and sweating in the sun, and said completely seriously, ‘Man, I would hate to have your job!’”

“It still makes me laugh,” she added. “It was a good reminder that archaeology can be fascinating and rewarding, but it’s not always glamorous. Sometimes it’s dirt, sweat, bugs, heat, briars, and a lot of patience.”

Some of Nicole’s most meaningful work involves revisiting “legacy collections” — artifacts excavated decades ago using older methods and documentation systems. Reconstructing context from these older collections can be painstaking work, but Nicole says it often leads to new discoveries and stronger interpretations of the past. Despite the challenges, she wholeheartedly encourages others interested in archaeology to pursue the field. “Yes, I would absolutely encourage others to pursue a career in archaeology,” she said. “It is a field that takes time, grit, patience, and a lot of hands-on experience to truly master.”

She especially recommends public archaeology for people who enjoy sharing discoveries and connecting others to history. “If someone is especially interested in public archaeology and education — sharing discoveries and helping people understand how we know what we know about the past — then South Carolina State Parks is an ideal place to do that work,” she said.

Nicole’s passion for archaeology is rooted in keeping humanity at the center of every discovery. “Without humanity, archaeology is just dry data,” she said. “Its meaning comes from keeping the human story at its center.”

That perspective was shaped even further by challenges outside of archaeology. Nicole is a two-time head and neck cancer survivor. During treatment and surgeries, she temporarily faced the possibility of losing her ability to speak. Recovery changed how she views both life and her work. “After that experience, I went on to build a career teaching undergraduate students and leading public education programs, which has made me especially aware of how meaningful it is to have a voice and to be able to share knowledge and passion with others,” she said. Today, in addition to her work with state parks, Nicole also volunteers with cancer patients and caregivers through outreach programs at her local Hope Lodge.

When she’s not working, Nicole hopes to continue exploring South Carolina’s parks. One experience still high on her list is visiting Landsford Canal State Park when the Rocky Shoals Spider Lilies are blooming.

Until then, she’ll continue uncovering stories from the past and helping visitors understand the people behind the artifacts, one excavation, one discovery, and one conversation at a time. Thank you, Nicole, for your dedication to the South Carolina State Park Service!

Think you might be interested in a job with the South Carolina State Park Service? Click here to see our current full-time job openings or reach out to a park near you for part-time opportunities!

 

Click here to learn more about Archaeology in South Carolina State Parks

Click here to see upcoming programs at Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site

May 2026