Georgia Southern University’s Camp Lawton Archaeological Project has been selected by the American Association for State and Local History as a 2012 Award of Merit winner by the Leadership in History awards committee.

The Leadership in History Awards is the nation’s most prestigious competition for recognition of achievement in state and local history.

The Award of Merit recognizes excellence in projects, individual achievement and organizational general excellence. Dr. Sue Moore, the Camp Lawton project director, will receive the award at a special banquet Oct. 5 in Salt Lake City.

“This is an honor for the entire team — Georgia Department of Natural Resources Historic Preservation Division, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, Millen/Jenkins County and Georgia Southern University,” Moore said. “Without the help of all the partners, this project would not have happened and been the success it has been.”

The Camp Lawton Civil War site was discovered by members of Georgia Southern’s Department of Sociology and Anthropology in 2009 in Jenkins County. Though it was assumed that most of the artifacts would have been removed from the site, the team discovered — and continues to unearth — numerous objects that have provided new information about life in the prisoner-of-war camp. The project has received local and national media attention.