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 […]
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 […]
Archaeology in Mathews County: What do we know? Where do we go from here?
“You can’t set foot in Mathews County without tripping over a piece of history.” Many of you have heard this before, and you’d be hard pressed to argue against the sentiment. Mathews County, along with Gloucester, Middlesex, and perhaps the majority of the Old Dominion is so infused with history that it is an important part of how […]
New Challenges and New Discoveries at New Quarter Park
Every research excavation has that moment when you must decide whether to keep digging, or focus your energies on the inside work- whether it’s the artifact washing, cataloging, and report writing that accompanies any archaeology project, or potentially pulling together exhibits, lectures, and other outreach to the public. We say “research excavation” because often archaeologists are salvaging […]
Mathews County Oral History and Folklore: Old House Woods and More!
This week for the first time, University of Florida students, along with Fairfield intern alum Jessica Taylor, will record oral histories and folklore in Mathews and Middlesex Counties. Nine undergraduates, two graduate students, and one senior research staffer are all extremely excited to fall in love with Virginia history. If you see them, say “Hi”! […]
Scouting and Archaeology at Fairfield
Florida. Massachusetts. New Jersey. Yorktown. Throughout the summer season, Boy Scout troops from near and far converge at Fairfield Plantation to try their hand at archaeological excavation under the hot Virginia sun. Many of these Scouts are brought together through the Bayport Scout Reservation in Jamaica, Virginia, where they spend a week working on a variety […]
Another Fairfield Adventure In Preservation!
When people first think about the Fairfield Foundation, they typically think about our archaeology programs, our public outreach, or perhaps our future home: the Center for Archaeology, Preservation and Education (CAPE). But there is something else you should know about us. We love architectural history, too! We love old gas stations (obviously), old houses, and […]
Buried Stories of St. Paul’s Church
St. Paul’s Church stands amidst a serene, tree-shrouded cemetery in downtown Norfolk. It’s tall brick walls, erected in 1739, are monuments to Norfolk’s colonial importance, and its tumultuous history. But even this ancient edifice hides a deeper history: an earlier church, built in 1699, is somewhere beneath the ground surface, and its story has not […]
Virginia Archaeologists converge on the Middle Peninsula
Last Friday, the Fairfield Foundation and the Gloucester Main Street Preservation Trust (GMSPT) co-hosted the winter meeting of the Council of Virginia Archaeologists (COVA). COVA is Virginia’s professional archaeology organization, and is dedicated to the preservation and study of Virginia’s archaeological resources through fostering public awareness, advancing archaeological knowledge, and facilitating interaction between professional and avocational archaeologists and Virginia’s Department of […]
Finding African-American Cemeteries and What to do Once You’ve Found Them
Antioch Church in Gloucester was built by African-Americans who had been slaves at Fairfield and other local farms. While there are many marked burials here, mostly from the 20th century, earlier cemeteries in the area have yet be located. On February 8th we had the opportunity to give a brief presentation to the Middle Peninsula […]
