When you mention the Carters of Lancaster County, or Virginia in general, the typical Virginia history buff thinks of the remarkably wealthy and powerful Robert “King” Carter, wealthiest man in Virginia at the beginning of the 18th century. Unbeknownst to most, though, is an unrelated but important family of Carters who also settled in Lancaster, not […]
Tales from the ground at Rosewell
Over the past year and a half we have been doing limited archaeological testing around the Rosewell ruin in preparation for the installation of new interpretive signs as well as for tree plantings. We do this work because the Rosewell site is under a protective historic easement held by the Department of Historic Resources, and […]
Expanding the Boundaries of Preservation at Walter Reed Birthplace
One of the most satisfying moments for any preservationist is knowing, beyond a doubt, that they have preserved a part of the past for the benefit of future generations. At the Fairfield Foundation, we look at preservation in the broadest sense possible – whether saving a building, preserving an old document, or recording stories through […]
Fairfield Foundation: 15 Years and Going Strong
In 2015, the Fairfield Foundation celebrated its 15th anniversary as a non-profit dedicated to archaeological research and education at Fairfield Plantation in Gloucester County and at historic sites across the Middle Peninsula and beyond. In January and July of 2015, we shared in the Gloucester-Mathews Gazette-Journal a selection of our favorite artifact finds and a sample […]
Beneath the overgrowth: Rediscovering forgotten history at East End Cemetery
We had a profound experience when we volunteered at the East End Cemetery in Richmond last weekend. This historically black, privately-owned cemetery was established in 1897 but largely abandoned by the late 1970s. Currently the subject of a community-led preservation effort, it is a place of awe and mystery. Thousands of the city’s residents are […]
Toddsbury: Rediscovering a Lost Plantation Landscape
Five buildings in one day. Not even a full day – maybe half a day. In the span of about four hours our entire perspective of Toddsbury, one of Gloucester County’s best known and most beloved historic properties, changed completely. Alongside residents Mollie, Mary and Carter (grand-daughter, mother and grand-mother), whose personal history at this […]
Finding a 17th-century farmstead in Mathews County
The 17th century was a dynamic time in Virginia history. The arrival of English settlers at Jamestown in 1607 initiated a massive transformation of the landscape, both natural and cultural. The constant influx of European immigrants from the 1620s onwards resulted in large amounts of land opened for settlement. As the colonists pushed the local Virginia Indian tribes out […]
New Quarter Park: Award-Winning Volunteer Involvement in Archaeology!
Following our fourth public archaeology dig at New Quarter Park in York County, we are as excited as ever about the amazing archaeological discoveries that volunteers are helping reveal at this site. At New Quarter Park we have enjoyed tremendous success excavating and finding remarkable things, partnering with several community organizations (including New Quarter Park, York County […]
A Look at Colonial Drains
Archaeologists are always finding remarkable features that provide new insight into the colonial world. One type of feature that shows up with some regularity, yet receives very little attention, is the lowly drain. Serving a strictly utilitarian, though very useful, purpose and intentionally buried upon completion, drains are rarely remembered and generally forgotten. On many […]
Locating North End Plantation
For several years the Fairfield Foundation and the Middle Peninsula Chapter of the Archeological Society of Virginia (MPCASV) have been slowly compiling research and initiating archaeology on one of the largest historic plantations in Mathews County. An advertisement for the property in 1830 states that it was “deemed unnecessary to describe this well known estate, […]
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