Second Proposed Bus Turnaround Site Archaeological Report, Block 34

Second Proposed Bus Turnaround Site Archaeological Report, Block 34Originally entitled: "Recent Archaeological Investigations at the Site of the Second Proposed Bus Turnaround, Block 34"

J. Stephen Alexandrowicz

1985

Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Library Research Report Series - 1619
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Library

Williamsburg, Virginia

1990

RECENT ARCHAEOLGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AT THE SITE OF THE SECOND PROPOSED BUS TURNAROUND, BLOCK 34.^{Carl:

Best Wishes,

Steve}

by
J. Stephen Alexandrowicz

Department of Archaeology
Office of Excavation and Conservation

Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

May 31, 1985

LIST OF FIGURES	3
LIST OF TABLES	5
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS	6
INTRODUCTION	7
HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND	8
Prehistoric Occupation	8
Middle Plantation: 17th-century Occupation	8
Williamsburg: 18th-century Occupation	9
Williamsburg: 19th and 20th-century Occupation.	14
EXCAVATION PROCEDURES	19
RESULTS OF THE TEST EXCAVATIONS	22
Test Excavation Units 1 and 3	22
Test Excavation Unit 2	34
Shovel Test Pit 1	36
Shovel test Pit 2	42
SUMMARY	45
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MITIGATION	46
REFERENCES CITED	47
APPENDIX 1: THE ARTIFACT INVENTORY	51

Figure 1. Plan of the proposed Bus Turnaround 2 Project, Block 34	7
Figure 2. Hypothetical conception of the 17th-century horse path and building foundations located in Middle Plantation	10
Figure 3. Plan of the City of Williamsburg in the late 18th-century	11
Figure 4. Planview map of the 18th-century chimney foundation found during the 1947 archaeological excavations in the southeast corner of Block 34	12
Figure 5. Photograph of the 18th-century chimney foundation located in the 1947 archaeological excavations	13
Figure 6. Plan of Block 34 during the early 20th-century. Note the locations of the houses and associated outbuildings	16
Figure 7. Photograph showing the houses situated on Block 34 in 1927	17
Figure 8. Photograph showing the houses situated on Block 34 in the 1930's after the reconstruction of the Palace	18
Figure 9. Location of the test excavation units with respect to the project area	20
Figure 10. General view of the project area from the Palace. Note the highlighted areas denote Bayberry Trees. The concrete pad is in the center of the photograph	21
Figure 11. General view of Test Excavation Units 1 and 3, facing north. Note the depression under the north arrow	23
4
Figure 12. General view of Test Excavation Units 1 and 3, facing south toward Scotland Street. Note the depression in the left foreground. Horizons A, B, and C, and Features 1, 1a, 2, and 3 are denoted by tags	24
Figure 13. Profile of the well fill, Feature 4: 1.55' to 2.0' BAL, Feature 5: 2.5' to 3.0' BAL. Photo shows the north wall of Unit 3, and the position of the ground surface	25
Figure 14. Profile map of the south wall of Units 1 and 3, partially excavated	27
Figure 15. Planview of Units 1 and 3, partially excavated	28
Figure 16. Planview map of Units 1 and 3, partially excavated	29
Figure 17. Profile map of the north wall of Units 1 and 3, partially excavated	31
Figure 18. Profile of the south wall of the well, Feature 1a. Note shell and sand mortar bonding the upper four courses of brick	32
Figure 19. Profile of the south wall of Test Excavation Unit 2. Note a portion of Feature B-1 is evident in the right hand corner of the unit	37
Figure 20. Profile map of the south wall, profile map of the west wall, and planview map of the top of Feature B-1, Test Excavation Unit 2	38
Figure 21. Profile of the south wall of Shovel Test Pit 1	40
Figure 22. Profile maps of the south and west walls of Shovel Test Pit 1	41
Figure 23. Profile of the south wall of Shovel wall of Shovel Test Pit 2	43
Figure 24. Profile maps of the south and west walls of Shovel Test Pit 2	44

Table 1. List of title changes for Colonial Lot 179, Block 34

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Fieldwork was primarily conducted by the author, with the assistance of Nathanial Smith and Greg Brown on two occasions.

Linda Derry, Andrea Foster, and Patricia Samford provided excellent research briefings. Patricia Samford conducted additional background research on the property owners on Block 34.

Joane Bowen conducted the faunal analysis for the project.

Edward Spencer and Gertrude Daversa were helpful with local oral histories.

INTRODUCTION

Plans for the construction of a second proposed bus turnaround at Block 34 are currently under consideration. The project area is located in the southeast corner of the Palace Pasture, northwest of the intersection of Scotland and North England Streets (Figure 1). Basically, the planned turnaround will extend from the intersection of the Colonial Parkway access road and North England Street, west and then south around the knoll in the southeast corner of pasture, connecting with Scotland Street.

Figure 1. Plan of the proposed Bus Turnaround 2 Project, Block 34 (C.W.F. Architecture Department 1985).

Construction of the turnaround will entail both grading and filling operations in the project area (Hollowell 1985, personal communication). These land moving operations will be focused on the east, north, and west perimeters of the extant knoll. In some areas it appears that grading will remove approximately two feet of soil in order to conform to the existing street grades, particularly at the intersection of the proposed turnaround and North England Street. In addition, at least two trees are slated for removal, one tree is located at the proposed intersection of the turnaround and North England Street, while the other tree is situated at the proposed intersection with Scotland Street (C.W.F. Architecture Department 1985) (Figure 1). Hence, it appears that these construction activities will adversely affect the existing topography and general setting of this particular area.

HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

Prehistoric Occupation

Environmental and ecological conditions during the terminal Wisconsin glaciation (ca. 10,000 years ago) and up through the 17th century were favorable for settlement and resource exploitation by the Amerind populations that inhabited the peninsula. Numerous archaeological investigations (e.g., Virginia Research Center for Archaeology or the Archaeological Society of Virginia) have produced conclusive evidence of successive occupations from the terminal Paleo-Indian, Archaic, and Woodland periods. Recently, prehistoric remains have been found in the vicinity of Williamsburg during the Camp Peary West Parcel Archaeological Survey (Alexandrowicz n.d.) and the Route 199 Archaeological Survey (Hunter and Higgins n.d.). However, no evidence has been found to verify the prehistoric occupation in this specific project area during our investigation.

Middle Plantation: 17th-century Occupation

Patricia Samford (1985) has indicated that following the massacre of 1622 the Middle Plantation palisade, which connected College Landing and Capitol Landing, probably was constructed across this general area. Likewise, Frank Grimsly (1985, personal communication), suggested that the palisade might have been situated in this area, based on the independent research that he has undertaken over the past few years. A portion of the palisade was found lying north of the Historic Area during an archaeological testing 9 project for the Second Street extension (Hunter, Samford, and Brown et al. 1984). Unfortunately, the present archaeological excavation conducted at the proposed bus turnaround locus has not recorded the remains of the palisade.

Habitation sites attributed to the Middle Plantation occupation are unknown in this project area. James Knight (1942) produced a map that illustrated the approximate location of a 17th-century horse path that went through Williamsburg, as well as the location of several probable 17th-century building foundations (Figure 2). The proveniences of these foundations were outside the immediate project area. Hence, a paucity of archival and archaeological data prohibits further discussion of the pre-Williamsburg era occupation of this area.

Williamsburg: 18th-century Occupation

One structure was depicted on the Frenchman's Map (1782) in close proximity to this specific project area (Figure 3). Andrea foster (1984), Linda Derry (1985), and Patricia Samford (1985) have all noted that the rectangular building was located at the northern end of North England Street, on Colonial Lots 179 and 180, in the 18th-century. Other contemporary buildings in this vicinity were situated at a distance from the project area and appear to be associated with the Palace complex.

Archaeological excavations conducted in 1942 in the property northwest of the North England and Scotland Street intersection did not encounter the remains of any 18th-century foundations (Derry 1985, Samford 1985). The area directly adjacent to the intersection (southeast corner of Block 34) was not tested at that time for some unknown reason.

In 1947 James Knight conducted excavations in the properties directly adjacent to the intersection of North England and Scotland Street, in the southeast corner of Block 34 (Knight 1947a). Although the Frenchman's Map (1782) does not show a building within this area, the test excavations conducted by James Knight produced positive results. Knight's excavations culminated in the identification of an apparent 18th-century chimney foundation (Figures 4 and 5). The foundation was located 71' 10" north of Scotland Street and 39' 6 ¾" west of North England Street (Knight 1947b). This chimney feature is the only documented remnant of the 18th-century occupation within the project perimeters.

Figure 2. Hypothetical conception of the 17th-century horse path and building foundations located in Middle Plantation (Knight 1942).

RR161903 Figure 3. Plan of the City of Williamsburg in the late 18th-century (Frenchman's Map 1782).

Figure 4. Planview map of the 18th-century chimney foundation found during the 1947 archaeological excavations in the southeast corner of Block 34 (Knight 1947b).

Figure 5. Photograph of the 18th-century chimney foundation located in the 1947 archaeological excavations (Knight 1947c).

Williamsburg: 19th and 20th-century Occupations

A map entitled "Plan of the City of Williamsburg from the...Benj. Bucktrout August 1800" lists the Peachy family as owners of Colonial Lot 179 (Bucktrout 1800). The southern portion of the lot is within the project area. This property was retained by that family until 1845. After that time the land was sub-divided and changed hands until it was purchased by W. A. R. Goodwin in 1928 (Samford 1985). Refer to Table 1 for a list of property owners of Lot 179. Figure 6 illustrates the spatial configuration of the properties, as well as the location of three houses and related outbuilding structures as they appeared in 1929 (Waddill 1929). These houses are evident in a photograph taken in 1927 (Figure 7), and in a photograph taken during the 1930's restoration of the Governor's Palace (Figure 8). All of these residences continued to be rented by Afro-American families after their purchase by the Williamsburg Holding Corporation (Deversa 1985, personal communication). The last of the structures was eventually razed by September 1940 (Crutchfield Rent File 1929-1933; Harris House General File 1940).

As stated above, the 1942 archaeological excavations conducted in the major portion of Block 34, as well as the 1947 excavations undertaken in the southeast corner of Block 34 (Knight 1947a, b, c) were focused on the 18th-century cultural components, Thus the 19th and 20th-century components were not recorded, until now.

During the hiatus between 1947 and 1985 the portion of Block 34 between the Palace and the southeast corner was used as a parking lot and pasture. In the 1960's, the central portion of the block was modified and used as an employee and visitors parking lot (Spencer 1985, personal communication). Later, during the 1970's and through the present, the property has functioned as a horse pasture.

Subsequent archaeological investigations in Block 34 were not undertaken until 1985. In February, archaeological monitoring of a construction trench for the placement of an electric line in the Palace Pasture produced interesting results (Alexandrowicz 1985a). Stratigraphic profiles attested to the 19th and 20th-century occupations in the southeast corner of the block. In addition, a concentrated matrix of building debris was found directly adjacent to Bus Stop #9, on the west side of North England Street. The brick rubble most likely represented the rubble of the eastern house situated on the Joanna B. Harris Estate, as detailed by Waddill in 1929 (Figure 6).

Chain of Title for Lot 179

Table 1. List of title changes for Colonial Lot 179, Block 34 (Samford 1985).
1845	Land conveyed to Jacob Shelton and John Maupin by the executor of Mary and William Peachy.
1846	Shelton and Maupin conveyed land to Robert Armistead. Sometime during this period Armistead extended Chesapeake Avenue (N. England Street) through the property.
1877	Armistead conveyed land to Alexander Dunlop.
1889	William Morecock was appointed Special Commissioner and was directed to convey this land in the suit of John A. W. Jones against Alexander Dunlop.
May 1889	Morecock conveyed land to John Carey.
June 1889	John and Sarah Carey conveyed to John M. Dawson.
1907	Land involved in a Chancery suit.
1907	Joanna B. Harris, unmarried, was conveyed land by a Deed of Trust.
1916	Joanna Harris, widow, conveyed land by Deed of Trust.
1920	Joanna Harris, deceased, left land to son Samuel Harris.
1924	Samuel Harris et al. conveyed land to Letty Warburton.
1928	Letty Warburton and T. W. Crutchfield (who apparently owned the property but did not yet possess the title to the land) conveyed the property to W. A. R. Goodwin.

Figure 6. Plan of Block 34, southeast corner, during the early 20th-century. Note the locations of the houses and associated outbuildings (Waddill 1929).

Figure 7. Photograph showing the houses situated on Block 34, southeast corner, in 1927 (C.W.F. Audio-visual Department, Negative No. 79-1409 1927).

Figure 8. Photograph showing the houses situated on Block 34, southeast corner, in the 1930's after the reconstruction of the Palace (C.W.F. Audio-visual Department Negative No. 79-1265 n.d.).

EXCAVATION PROCEDURES

Parameters for the project area were determined from the project map that was supplied by the Architecture Department (Hollowell 1985) (Figure 1). Project boundaries were staked in the field in order to ascertain the extent of the area that was to be tested.

A site datum was established at the southeast corner of the Palace Pasture fenceline (Figure 9). Fencelines running north/south and east/west from the datum were used as baselines. Proveniences for the test excavation units and shovel test pits were established from these baselines. Granite curbing and their respective axes along the north margin of Scotland Street and along the western border of North England Street served as permanent landmarks for the datum. In addition, these curbs served as reference points when measurements were taken to relocate the 18th-century chimney foundation that was found in 1947 (Knight 1947b).

Time, money, and scheduling would not permit lengthy test excavations. Therefore, we strived to obtain the most information available, without expending out limited resources. With this in mind the decision was made to perform test excavations at both ends, and in the center of the proposed turnaround. In choosing the exact location for the test units, variables such as surface scatters of artifacts, extant topographic and hydrologic characteristics, and vegetation (ground cover) were used. Initially, a pedestrian survey of the project area located the remains of a concrete pad, as well as scattered building debris on the northwestern margin of the knoll, near the curve in the proposed roadway. Two clusters of Bayberry trees, situated in the midst of lush ground vegetation, were visible (Figure 10). However, these clusters were in the central island that was not planned to be developed. A depression, filled with lush ground cover, was evident in the center of the eastern end of the proposed roadway. Topographically, this depression was on the northern border of the knoll, situated in the southeast corner of Block 34 (Figures 9 and 10). Thus we had two clues that something had occurred in this spot in the past and that this was a promising location to test. Likewise, these variables were incorporated into the research design used earlier this year during the Camp Peary West Parcel Archaeological Survey (Alexandrowicz n.d.).

Two types of test excavation units were used during the project. Test Excavation Units were 2.5 feet square, while the Shovel Test Pits were 1.5 feet square. Three Test Excavation Units, denoted 1, 2, and 3 were dug (Figure 9). 20 Figure 9. Location of the test excavation units with respect to the project area. 21 Figure 10. General view of the project area from the Palace. Note the highlighted areas denote Bayberry Trees. The concrete pad is in the left center. 22 Units 1 and 3 were contiguous, while Unit 2 was isolated. Shovel Test Pits 1 and 2 were placed 18.5 feet apart (Figure 9).

Methods of excavation included careful shovel scraping and troweling. Excavation was very meticulous and resulted in the location a well feature, and a well-head feature within a couple of inches of the ground surface, without any adverse damage to the feature. All soil was screened through 1/4 inch mesh screen.

Artifacts were separated by respective horizons in each unit (Appendix 1). Soil samples were obtained from individual horizons/features for lab analysis. Mapping techniques included standard planview (horizontal axis) and profile (vertical axis) mapping applications. In addition, an alternative mapping technique (Alexandrowicz 1985b) was used. All measurements were taken with tapes or rulers marked in tenths of feet increments. Azimuth readings or bearings were taken with a Silva (Ranger Model) pocket transit. Photographs were taken in both color. (35 mm.), as well as black and white (120 mm.) formats.

RESULTS OF THE TEST EXCAVATIONS

In general, the archaeological testing operation produced conclusive evidence of the 19th to 20th-century occupation of this portion of Block 34. Three contemporary 19th to 20th-century cultural features were recorded. They included a brick-lined well (Feature 1a), a well-head or building foundation (Feature 1), and a post hole (Feature 3). Feature 2 represented the late 19th to early 20th-century builders trench associated with Feature 1. Eighteenth-century artifacts recovered during the testing operation were found in disturbed and undisturbed contexts.

Test Excavation Units 1 and 3

As mentioned in EXCAVATION PROCEDURES, Test Unit 1 was placed at the edge of a ca. 4 ft. diameter depression (approximately one-half foot deep), located on the northern margin of the knoll, in the southeastern corner of Block 34 (Figure 11). Vegetation, primarily grass, was fairly sparse in the general area of the depression. However, the grass inside the depression was very lush and thick. This vegetation indicated a high moisture content in the soil and thus reflected an organic soil deposit. An initial perception or explanation of this surface anomaly was a possible well. In order to determine the constituent 23 elements of the feature lying within and outside the depression, Test Excavation Unit 1 was placed on the southwestern margin of the depression (Figure 11). Test Excavation Units 1 and 3 contained Horizons A, B, C, Feature 1, Feature 1a, Feature 2, Feature 3, Feature 4, and Feature 5 (Figures 12 and 13).

Figure 11. General view of Test Excavation Units 1 and 3, facing north. Note the depression under the north arrow.

Figure 12. General view of Test Excavation Units 1 and 3, facing south toward Scotland Street. Note the depression in the left foreground. Horizons A, B, C, and Features 1, 1a, 2, and 3 are denoted by tags.

Figure 13. Profile of the well fill, Feature 4: 1.55' to 2.0' BAL, Feature 4: 2.0' to 2.5' BAL, Feature 5: 2.5' to 3.0' BAL. Photo shows the north wall of Unit 3, and the position of the ground surface.

HORIZON A

Horizon A (Figures 12 and 14) consisted of a very dark brown (10 YR 2/2) (Munsell Color 1975), loamy sand. Artifacts recovered in this stratum included: cinders, bone, coal, macadam, brick, bog iron, gravel, shell, nails, ceramics, concrete, clinkers, mortar, wire, and glass (Appendix 1). Several 18th and 19th century artifacts were recovered. However, this horizon represented a topsoil that was deposited sometime after the destruction of the houses that were located in this vicinity of the block, ca. 1940 up to the present.

HORIZON B

Horizon B (Figures 12 and 14) consisted of a very dark brown (10 YR 2/2) (Munsell Color 1975), loamy sand. Inclusions in the soil were nodules of brownish yellow (10 YR 6/8) (Munsell Color 1975), loamy sand. The inclusions in this matrix differentiated it from the superimposed Horizon A. Artifacts that were extracted from Horizon B included: brick fragments, cinder, shell, gravel, ceramic, coal, clinker, gravel, mortar, nails, and glass (Appendix 1). Although the horizon contained 18th and 19th-century artifacts, this horizon represented the late 19th to early 20th century occupation grade in this area.

HORIZON C

Horizon C (Figures 12 and 14) consisted of a brownish yellow (10 YR 6/8) (Munsell Color 1975), loamy sand. Small brick fragments were evident in the soil and appeared to be intrusive from above. No artifacts were recovered from this horizon (Appendix 1), although the small brick fragments were noted. Horizon C appeared to represent a subsoil fill, which was redeposited in this location at an unknown time. Future excavations may aid us in dating this fill deposit.

FEATURE 1

Feature 1 appeared as an "L" shaped construction when it was initially encountered during the excavations. This feature (Figures 12, 15, and 16) was constructed of red colored (10 R 4/8) (Munsell Color 1975) bricks laid end to end (header to header) with the stretcher facets exposed on the interior and exterior of the feature. The bricks were single course in width. Several bricks were found with 27 Figure 14. Profile map of the south wall of units 1 and 3, partially excavated. 28 Figure 15. Planview of Units 1 and 3, partially excavated. 29 Figure 16. Planview map of Units 1 and 3, partially excavated. 30 patches of shell mortar affixed to them, indicating an 18th-century cultural affiliation, while other bricks exhibited sand mortar, a characteristic of 19th-century construction. The author concludes that these bricks were robbed or salvaged from another feature and re-used in the construction of this particular feature. Based on the juxtaposition of Feature 1 and Feature 1a, Feature 1 appeared to represent a well-head foundation that encompassed Feature 1a, the well. A brick and/or wooden well-head structure was probably built upon this brick foundation. Based on the artifacts recovered from the builders trench (Feature 2), which was directly associated with the well-head foundation, this feature was probably constructed during the late 19th to early 20th century. However, we must not ignore the possibility that the well-head foundation could have been constructed at an earlier date and later repaired during the late 19th to early 20th century.

FEATURE 1a

Feature 1a, a brick-lined well, was encountered within the confines of Feature 1, the brick well-head (Figures 12, 15, and 16). Both features were located within one-half of a foot under the ground surface (Figures 12 and 17). The feature was constructed of brick, laid in stretcher courses, one course wide. This method of construction dates to the end of the 19th century in Williamsburg (Noel Hume 1969:23). Pale yellow (10 YR 7/4) (Munsell Color 1975) shell and sand mortar was used to bond the upper four courses of red (10 R 4/8) (Munsell Color 1975) brick, while the underlying courses were dry-laid (Figure 18). Although only a portion of the feature was excavated, the diameter was estimated to be four feet, based on the curvature of the construction, as well as the overall size of the surface depression (Figures 6 and 16). This well probably was constructed during the last quarter of the 19th century or the early 20th century, since it is directly associated with Feature 1, the well-head, as well as Feature 2, the builders trench.

Fill within the well was partially excavated (Figures 13 and 17) and resulted in the identification of two fill deposits, Feature 4 and Feature 5. The fill was excavated in one-half foot increments within each separate deposit, in order to maintain precise excavation control of the individual deposits. Feature 4 represented the uppermost layer of fill. The initial excavation increment of 1.55' to 31 Figure 17. Profile map of the north wall of Units 1 and 3, partially excavated. 32 Figure 18. Profile of the south wall of the well, Feature 1a. Note shell and sand mortar bonding the upper four courses of brick. 33 increment of fill were: brick fragments, mortar, concrete, gravel, clinker, cinders, charcoal, coal, shell, bone, nails, and glass (Appendix 1). Wire nails produced a "terminus post quem" (TPQ) of 1880 for the filling of the upper portion of the feature. In other words, the fill could have been deposited anytime after 1880.

The next excavation increment within the Feature 4 deposit was 2.0' to 2.5' BAL (Figure 13). It was composed of very dark brown (10 YR 2/2) (Munsell Color 1975), loamy sand, with brownish yellow (10 YR 6/8) (Munsell color 1975) mottles. Cultural material in the fill was represented by brick fragments, concrete, cinders, charcoal, slate, gravel, shell, clinker, nails, ceramic, and glass (Appendix 1). A fragment of "Depression Glass" located in this excavation increment narrows the date of deposition for this layer to the circa 1920's through the 1930's.

Feature 5, 2.5' to 3.0' BAL, was found directly under Feature 4, 2.0' to 2.5' BAL, and represented a separate fill horizon within the well (Figures 12 and 17). Feature 5 was composed of a mixture of very dark brown (10 YR 2/2) (Munsell Color 1975) and brownish yellow (10 YR 6/8) (Munsell Color 1975), loamy sand. Artifacts excavated in this horizon consisted of: brick fragments, bog iron, gravel, concrete, clinker, cinder, coal, charcoal, mortar, nails, shell, walnut shell, bone, ceramic, and glass (Appendix 1). Wire nails provided a "TPQ" of 1880 for the deposition of this horizon, although the layer could have been deposited any time after that date.

An interesting fact to note is that the City of Williamsburg passed an ordinance in 1923 which stipulated that all open wells, which incorporated buckets, chains or similar devices, were to be filled-in (Noel Hume 1969: 32). It may be that the residents of the lot at this time, Samuel J. Harris et al., heirs of the Joanna Harris estate (Foster 1984), filled the well in compliance with this regulation. This proposition is predicated on the recovery of the "Depression Glass" in Feature 4: 2.0' to 2.5' BAL, suggesting a date of deposition for the upper strata of approximately the 1920's through the early 1930's, or thereafter. However, we should not ignore the fact that the well could have been filled-in with different soil deposits during one final episode, anytime before September 1940.

FEATURE 2

Feature 2 was identified as a builders trench associated with the construction of the well-head (Feature 1) and well (Feature 1a) (Figures 12, 15, 16, and 18). The builders trench was composed of a black (10 YR 2/1) (Munsell Color 1975), sandy loam, with brownish yellow (10 YR 6/8) sandy 1oam mottles. Due to the brevity of the project this feature was not excavated. Instead, a soil sample was obtained for analysis purposes. Artifacts recovered in this sample included shell, nail, brick fragments, charcoal, gravel, bone, ceramic, and glass (Appendix 1). Wire nails (Nelson 1968) and a sherd of porcelain with liquid gold decoration (Miller 1983) provided a terminus post quem of 1880 for the original excavation of this portion of the builders trench, the associated construction of the well-head, and probably the well. This date coincides with the construction technique used to build the well, specifically, the single width course of bricks that were laid in header courses. As stated in the discussion of Feature 1a, this building technique is attributed to the late 19th century in Williamsburg (Noel Hume 1969:23).

FEATURE 3

Feature 3 was tentatively defined as a post hole (Figures 15 and 16). This definition is based solely on the feature configuration that was visible in planview. The feature was not excavated. A soil sample was extracted from the upper portion of the feature for analysis. Feature 3 consisted of a mixture of brownish yellow (10 YR 6/8) (Munsell Color 1975) loamy sand, black (10 YR 2/1) (Munsell Color 1975) loamy sand, and red (10 YR 4/6) (Munsell Color 1975) brick. Artifacts recovered from the matrix were brick fragments, gravel, shell and cinders. Due to the paucity of diagnostic artifacts a date for the filling of the post hole is not available.

Test Excavation Unit 2

Test Excavation Unit 2 was located in the vicinity of the proposed intersection of the new bus turnaround and Scotland Street (Figure 9). A visual survey of the topography and vegetation in this general locale resulted in the identification of a probable undisturbed area on the southwest fringe of the sloping knoll (Figure 1). The physical characteristics of the adjacent lower area to the west toward the stream, combined with the results of a prior 35 monitoring project conducted there (Alexandrowicz 1985a), indicated that this particular area was disturbed in the past, probably by the construction of the parking lot that was there in the 1960's (Edward Spencer 1985, personal communication). Therefore, Text Excavation Unit 2 was placed in the apparent undisturbed, lower portion of the knoll.