Dovetail Cultural Resource Group has located “additional human remains” and thousands of historically significant artifacts from the archaeologically sensitive Riverfront Park land that was excavated on October 8, 2015, in what City Manager Bev Cameron called “a really terrible miscommunication.”
For more, see “Miscommunication” Damages Archaeologically Sensitive Area and Unearths Human Remains
Worked was halted and Dovetail Cultural Resource Group conducted a pro bono archaeological assessment of the damage. “This field effort resulted in the identification of eight archaeological features that had been bisected by backhoe work and the recovery of hundreds of artifacts,” Dovetail said.
It is believed the human remains recovered could represent numerous Civil War soldiers who were interred in the area when the Rowe-Goolrick House — which once stood on the site — was used as a hospital in 1862.
The city subsequently hired Dovetail to conduct an archaeological study of what remained of the mound. Following is Dovetail’s complete summary of fieldwork and archaeological excavation at the Riverfront Site between October 20 and November 3, 2015.
“On October 8, 2015, the City of Fredericksburg was notified that a large portion of an earthen mound within the proposed Fredericksburg Riverfront Park had been mechanically removed by English Construction. This area had been deemed archaeologically sensitive during a Phase I survey completed by Dovetail Cultural Resource Group (Dovetail) in August 2013, and soils were to be left in place during park planning to ascertain its potential use in park design. During the mound removal, several bones became dislodged from what remained of the mound. These bones were given to the Fredericksburg Police Department and later determined to be human.
“Upon discovery of the accidental mound removal and the recovery of bones, the City requested that all work on the site cease immediately. A meeting was held on site on October 9, 2015 to discuss next steps. The meeting was attended by representatives from the City of Fredericksburg, English Construction, Downey and Scott, Dovetail, and the Free Lance-Star. Dovetail stated they would conduct a pro bono archaeological assessment of the mound damage on October 10, 2015.
“This field effort resulted in the identification of eight archaeological features that had been bisected by backhoe work and the recovery of hundreds of artifacts. Using this information, the City elected to hire Dovetail to conduct an archaeological study of what remained of the mound. Fieldwork was conducted between October 20 and November 3, 2015. Analysis of the data recovered during the fieldwork and archival research are still ongoing. This memo presents some preliminary results:
– The mound was a natural feature, formed by accumulations from an ancient riverbed and used by generations of prehistoric and historic occupants. The natural mound was enlarged in 1920 during the construction of what became the Prince Hall Lodge.
– The home that once stood at 607 Sophia Street, referred to here as the Rowe-Goolrick house, was built in the mid-eighteenth century. The rear yard was enclosed with a stone and brick fence, and several outbuildings were located in the yard including a slave quarter built in the eighteenth century and a replacement quarter that was constructed in 1859. The 1859 quarter can be seen on Civil War photographs and it was demolished sometime just after the war.
– 19 features were recorded during the work, including the original eight noted during the initial assessment and 11 additional features uncovered during the backhoe stripping of the circa 1920 fill. The features included numerous post holes and post molds (evidence of previous buildings and structures on the site), a possible cellar from an eighteenth- and nineteenth-century slave quarter, limited remains from the 1859 slave quarter, eighteenth- and nineteenth-century living surfaces, and a linear trench that may have a Civil War connection.
– Thousands of artifacts were recovered during the work, including ceramics, glass, architectural elements, personal items, and prehistoric lithics.
– A dog burial was excavated within the rear yard of the dwelling that once stood at 607 Sophia Street, one of the few historic dog burials explored in this region.
– Additional human remains were recovered during the fieldwork. The remains were not found in formal articulated interments but rather were found throughout the root cellar fill. In addition to over 100 bones, the team also recovered dozens of buttons including union eagle infantry buttons, a pocket knife, and pieces of fabric associated with a Union uniform. Based on the artifacts found within the fill which appear to be directly related to the human remains, it is believed that they could represent numerous Civil War soldiers who were interred in this area when the Rowe-Goolrick House was used as a hospital in 1862. Written accounts from several individuals, including the 14th Connecticut Infantry, described convalescing on the grounds of the home. Research and dialogues with the National Park Service are still ongoing, and the osteological study has not yet been completed. These elements will help interpret the actions that led to the disposition of these individuals in this area and possibly help identify who they are. The majority of the bodies buried elsewhere in Fredericksburg during the war were reinterred at the National Cemetery in 1865. It is possible that the majority of the human remains once interred in the Rowe-Goolrick yard were removed and reburied, but some of the bones were left behind. Ongoing research and analysis will provide additional data.
“Dovetail and its affiliates are currently analyzing the artifacts that were recovered during the work, performing ethnobotanical studies on soil samples taken during the fieldwork, conducting soil chemical analysis on samples taken from several features, working with the Eastern Michigan University to analyze liquid within a small medicine bottle found amongst the human remains, performing identification studies on the dog burial, and conducting an osteological analysis on the human remains. These studies, along with additional archival research, will be synthesized in a report on the investigations.
“Concurrently with this work, Dovetail and the City are also in discussions with the National Park Service to identify the potential for interring the human remains in the National Cemetery. This dialogue is ongoing and recommendations on this action will be disseminated once additional facts have been gathered.”
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