The Cave Spring Historical Society is asking people to get dirty as they attempt to uncover history.

A five-day archaeological excavation at the two-story log cabin in downtown Cave Spring discovered two years ago will begin today and last through Friday.

Professional archaeologists will direct the project funded by the historical society, with Pat Garrow of Rome serving as the field director.

“I’m so excited I can’t stand it,” said Peggy Allgood, president of the Cave Spring Historical Society.

“Two years ago, the log cabin revealed itself. Our goal was to get this process started and find a way to raise the money to do it.”

The structure was found underneath the outer shell of the Green Hotel — which dates back to the 19th century — during a renovation project.

Now Allgood and the organization are putting a call out to members of the community and anyone else to volunteer for part of the excavation.

“We’ve had quite a few people call wanting to volunteer, and I’m sure we’ll have a lot of walk-ups and that’s not a problem,” Allgood said.

Volunteers will help dig and sift through the soil that is removed from the site around the back door area of the structure.

The dig will be active from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, and between six and eight volunteers will be needed for each one-hour shift.

Allgood said, from what she understands, the project will happen rain or shine so volunteers should plan appropriately.

Information from what is found will hopefully lead to discovering exactly how old the cabin is and what happened there.

A special ceremony will take place today between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. to mark the occasion.

Cave Spring Mayor Rob Ware and City Councilmembers, as well as fifth graders from Cave Spring Elementary, will be on hand to officially open the dig.

Ware is scheduled to put the first shovel in the ground and Allgood said she wants the whole town to come out for it.

“This is an opportunity for the kids as well as adults to see an archaeologist at work,” Allgood said. “While the historical society is organizing this and raising the money for it, the project is for the entire city and, really, for Northwest Georgia and Northeast Alabama.”

So far, the organization has raised a little more than $1,000 to fund the project. Allgood said they are still trying to collect the total cost of $6,400 and she is hopeful that they will.

A reception will take place Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Hearn Classroom Building in Rolater Park where Garrow will present some of the team’s findings up to that point.

Allgood said the public is invited. Dates for future excavations at the cabin will be decided on after they assess the report from this week’s progress.

Those who wish to pledge money for the project may write to Cave Spring Historical Society, P.O. Box 715, Cave Spring, Ga. 30134. The Cave Spring Historical Society is a 501c3 nonprofit organization.

For more information about how to become a volunteer, contact cabin committee chairman Billy Wayne Abernathy at 707-777-9447 or Allgood at 706-237-1334.