Fairfield Foundation Launches The Center for Archaeology, Preservation and Education (CAPE)

This week a plumbing leak in our long-time lab facility covered the floor with an inch of water, making the space temporarily unusable.  Although we were better prepared for this lab flood than an identical one in April 2012, we are left without a fully operational lab.  We are forced once again to shift our operations to a temporary facility, limiting our ability to maintain our educational programs and preventing their expansion just when the community needs them most.  It is clear that now we need to shift our foundation’s home to a larger and more secure facility so that our archaeology, preservation, and education programs can flourish and serve the community.  While a generous donor is providing us with temporary space to continue our daily operations, we need to finish the work we started three years ago on our new, permanent home.  And we need your help – now more than ever.

As you can see, our extensive collections badly need a new, more permanent home.

In 2010, The Fairfield Foundation purchased the Edge Hill Service Station to restore this iconic 1930s building on Gloucester’s Main Street as our future archaeology and foundation headquarters. With immeasurable support from the community, the restoration process continues, moving us closer to our goal of transforming the structure into an important asset for the entire region.  Once completed, the Fairfield Foundation will open the doors to The Center for Archaeology, Preservation and Education (CAPE). 

The name is meaningful. The center is meaningful. The dedication to sensitive restoration is meaningful. And the timing is crucial! This project demonstrates our commitment to both preservation and education. More than 19,000 commuters and tourists pass this corner every day—and the accurate restoration of the building represents our foundation’s commitment to preserving the past for the future. The CAPE will help us keep history alive, aiding students, property owners, educational institutions, and local governments preserve and learn from their historical resources, to ensure they survive for future generations to appreciate and enjoy. Please help us in this effort to preserve and share the history and heritage of the Middle Peninsula.  And please help us soon.  To date we have raised nearly $750,000 toward this goal – but with a total project budget of $1.3 million, we still have quite a way to go to achieve our dream of opening the CAPE by the summer of 2014. Every donation, no matter the size, helps us move closer to completing the restoration and operating this facility for the benefit of everyone in our community.

Become a part of our efforts to make the Center for Archaeology, Preservation, and Education a reality!

The success of the CAPE relies heavily on community engagement, and there are a number of ways for you to get involved! Here are just a few of the fun, educational opportunities  for community involvement:

*excavation of a colonial plantation site
*transcribing old documents
*restoring a 1930s landmark
*recording oral histories
*teaching students about our heritage
*assisting with fundraising and office tasks
*sharing a love for history

Join our ranks as a member, volunteer, intern, donor, board member, or advisor. There are plenty of ways to help out. Be a part of history.

Now more than ever it is crucial to donate to the restoration and operation of the CAPE.  Please help by clicking HERE to donate, and spread the word by sharing our page on Facebook, emailing your friends, or talking with your neighbors! Sign up for our blog mailing list on our website to stay informed of all the latest news and events.  Follow us on Facebook to share in our preservation and education experiences.