Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern: Leathercraft Workshop

Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern is hosting a presentation and workshop on Sunday, September 21st, 2025, at 12:00pm at Pope’s Tavern Museum, 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL. This is one of a series of workshops at Pope’s Tavern that will explore history and archaeology.  

Denise Anderson of Gathering Moss Studio in Huntsville will be on hand to provide a brief exploration of the history and process of leathercraft in the 1800s.  Denise will discuss historical methods of tanning leather, contrast and compare them with contemporary tanning, and look at a few examples of items that would have been common during that time period.  

Denise Anderson is a Leatherworker that enjoys using traditional methods to create beautiful and functional leather goods inspired by nature.  You can find her at her leather workshop in Huntsville, Gathering Moss Studio.

After the workshop, Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern will continue its excavation of Test Unit 7. The program is free and is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums, with support from the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. Pope’s Tavern Museum is a museum dedicated to the early (1800-1870) history of Florence and Lauderdale County. Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern is a free, public archaeology program that has been documenting the history of the site since 2022. Pope’s Tavern is located at 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL and is open, Tuesday - Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call 256-760-6439 for more information.