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You are here: Home / Education / The CAPE crosses the finish line!

April 17, 2018 By Fairfield Foundation 4 Comments

The CAPE crosses the finish line!

 

The Edge Hill Service Station in the 1930s
The restored CAPE in 2018

With the recent ribbon cutting at the CAPE we have reached the exciting end of a long journey. In 2010 we purchased the Edge Hill Service Station and embarked on a dream to transform this 1930s gas station into a regional center for the archaeological, preservation and education efforts of the Fairfield Foundation. The building had many problems, but it was a landmark to local history and we wanted to see that it was preserved and once again an integral part of our community.

The Village Star Texaco in 2009
The Village Star Texaco in 2009

So we rolled up our sleeves and got to work, raising the funds and recruiting the many volunteers who turned this dream into reality. The finished CAPE, which thousands of you now pass by on a daily basis, is a testament to the hard work of a tremendous number of people over the last seven years, and is something that we can all be proud of.

CAPE Ribbon Cutting March 2018
CAPE Ribbon Cutting March 2018
CAPE Ribbon Cutting March 2018

One of seven new interpretive signs about the history of the Edge Hill Service Station
Aerial photo of CAPE Ribbon Cutting 2018
CAPE lit at night 2018

The CAPE now serves many purposes. It is a pleasing gateway to Gloucester Courthouse and our historic Main Street. It is the headquarters of the Fairfield Foundation, where you can view exhibits about sites where we work, look at our collections, ask questions about local history and artifacts, and join us for weekly lab nights. It is a preservation success story, turning a defunct and inefficient 1930s building into a sustainable modern office and educational space that will endure for decades to come. And, it is an outdoor museum, with interpretive signs, historic gas pumps, and iconic 1930s architecture that anyone is welcome to come see and enjoy.

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Filed Under: Education, Events, Preservation Tagged With: Architectural Conservation, CAPE, Community, Edge Hill Service Station, education, Engagement, fairfield foundation, Fundraising, Gloucester County, Gloucester Courthouse, local history, Preservation, Restoration, Volunteers

Comments

  1. Tracy Lanum says

    April 18, 2018 at 9:06 am

    The CAPE is simply wonderful, replicating so beautifully the station of 1930. The outside historic signs are most educational for people passing by. Congratulations!

    Reply
  2. Marian clark says

    April 21, 2018 at 8:11 am

    Congratulations. Perseverance pays!! I helped wash artifacts outside the CAPE once in 2012. Outside because no lights inside!! Projects like this take leadership and vision. Koodo’s to all and hope to visit again one day.

    Reply
  3. Jeri Trudeau says

    April 24, 2018 at 1:56 pm

    Very exciting and I plan to stop by soon. Congratulations on a project well done!

    Reply
  4. Diane says

    April 25, 2018 at 9:00 am

    Once again, the Fairfield Foundation proves it is a worthy member in the Gloucester community. Congratulations on completed this amazing transformation. Looking forward to many more anniversary posts from The Cape!

    Reply

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Center for Archaeology, Preservation and Education (CAPE)

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Grounds are open to the public to view our building exterior and signage. CAPE tours are available by appointment only due to the pandemic.
6783 Main Street
Gloucester, VA 23061

News From the Blog

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  • “In death – no! even in the grave all is not lost.”: 19th-Century Coffin Hardware in Urbanna, VA February 16, 2021

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P.O. Box 157 White Marsh VA 23183
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