Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

Introduction

This archaeological briefing and testing plan has been prepared for the Magazine Interpretive Planning Team. Its purpose is to analyze the property in terms of previous disturbances to archaeological resources, usually in the form of early archaeological investigations and post-colonial building episodes. The resources used in the preparation of this document included 18th and 19th century map information, Colonial Williamsburg research and archaeological reports, historic photographs, and archival material pertaining to the property.

Current Property Appearance

The Powder Magazine and its associated outbuildings are located in Market Square on Block 12. The property is bordered to the north by Duke of Gloucester Street, to the south by Francis Street, to the east by the Market Square Tavern property, and to the west by the Greenhow-Repiton property (Figure 1).

The Powder Magazine is an original building which has been restored through the efforts of the APVA and the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Archaeological investigations of the property have provided information for the reconstruction of the high brick wall enclosing the Magazine, and that of the guardhouse located to the southeast. A path leads from the door in the northern facade of the Magazine to Duke of Gloucester Street, with two sentry boxes flanking the path.

Map Research

Frenchman's Map The Frenchman's Map of 1781 shows three structures in association with the Powder Magazine. These are shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Rochambeau Map A Rochambeau Map from the late 18th century also shows three structures located to the east of the Powder Magazine (Figure 4).

Bucktrout Map The Bucktrout Map, dating to the beginning of the 19th century, only shows the Magazine standing in the center of Market Square. This map, however, only showed major structures, and probably would not have included the ancillary buildings.

Figure 1. Current Property Appearance

Figure 2. Frenchman's Map of 1781.

Figure 3. Detail of the Frenchman's Map

Figure 4. Rochambeau Map

There are also numerous illustrations and photographs of the Magazine, dating from the 19th century to the present. These sources help document changes to the property over time. A list of these sources is provided in Appendix A.

Prior Archaeological Investigations

Archaeology was conducted in the vicinity of the Powder Magazine in 1933, 1934 and 1948 in Archaeological Areas B and C (Figure 5). These separate excavations will be described below.

In January of 1933, excavations at the Powder Magazine (Block 12, Archaeological Area B) had been completed under the direction of Herbert Ragland. Photographs of this excavation show trenching to expose the remnants of the wall which had surrounded the magazine, but the remainder of the interior Magazine yard appears undisturbed (Figure 6). This wall was reconstructed in 1935. Archaeology indicated a brick path between the wall gate and the north entrance and no other paths were indicated in this enclosure (Kendrew 1935). The excavations also located a "modern" well just inside the Magazine wall, directly west of the northern entrance. This well was most likely associated with the Magazine's use as a livery stable.

A cache of over 300 cannonballs was located 10' south of the Magazine wall, and photographs suggest that portions of this feature were not excavated in 1933. James Knight, who worked on the project, remembers that part of the feature was left untouched, and is most likely still extant underground (Knight 1985). Apparently the cannonballs were presented to the APVA in April of 1936 in exchange for some other items (Goodwin 1936). T. R. Goodwin, in a letter to A.P.V.A. member Mrs. A. D. Jones, stated that he planned to clean the cannonballs in a concrete mixer.

After locating the wall surrounding the Magazine, further archaeological excavations were conducted in the latter part of 1934 in an attempt to locate the Guardhouse. The Frenchman's Map of 1781, depicting structures to the east of the Magazine was used to plan the areas excavated. Figure 7 shows archaeological features uncovered in this excavation in relation to information from the Frenchman's Map. The report for this excavation has not been located, but the map contains a sizeable text portion which describes the foundation located through the investigation. Three structures were located and these are described below.

Figure 5. Block 12 Archaeological Areas

Figure 6. Excavation of the Magazine Wall (1933)

Figure 7. Block 12 Archaeological Features

Other Disturbances to the Property

In addition to disturbances created through previous archaeology, later building episodes on Block 12, plus landscaping in connection with the Colonial Williamsburg restoration, must be taken into account. Following are descriptions of each of the structures which were known to have stood on Block 12 in the vicinity of the Powder Magazine. Their location and probable impact on archeological resources pertaining to the magazine is examined (Figure 8).

Buildings 1 & 3 Building 1 was an eight room frame bungalow located on the north side of Francis Street, between South England and South Queen Streets. During the 1930s it was used by the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company as a telephone exchange office. Correspondence dating to the period when C & P occupied the building indicates that there were large amounts of cable laid in connection with the building's use as an exchange office (Lecky 1929). These quarters were vacated by the telephone company at the end of August, 1934 and wrecked within 21 days (Geddy 1934). Specifications for the wrecking of the building indicated that the brick foundations were to be removed. Building 3 was a garage associated with the telephone exchange.

Buildings 2 & 4 The property where these buildings were located was the northeast intersection of Francis and England Streets, directly in the rear of the Bell Hospital. These structures were referred to as "Negro Shacks" in 1930, just prior to their wrecking (WHC 1930). Photographs of the structures shows that both were pier-supported and would have caused little damage to archaeological features in that area. Correspondence indicates that the two buildings were in very poor condition in 1930, with neither having electricity, heat or plumbing. Nevertheless, the houses continued to be occupied by black tenants up until the time they were demolished in December of 1930 (WHC, 11-26-30) . These houses appear to have fronted on South England Street.

Building 14 Spencer and Dana Real Estate Office This two story frame structure was located east of the Stone Store (A & P). It rested on a brick foundation, and was wrecked in April of 1931.

Buildings 15 & 19 Stone Store The Stone Store, leased by the A & P as a grocery, was located east of the Baptist Church parsonage. This was a frame structure on a brick foundation, and associated with it was a small outbuilding, in poor condition according to a 1930 description of the property. Records seem to indicate that the store 13 Figure 8. Block 12 Disturbances 14 had been used by the A & P since around 1912 (Stone Store 1928-1934). The two buildings were demolished in 1934 (Memo 1934).

Buildings 16 & 18 Baptist Church The Baptist Church, located northeast of the magazine, was constructed in 1850. It is believed that the church was at least partially built with bricks salvaged from the wall surrounding the Magazine. When reconstruction of the wall was planned in the 1930s, a question was posed about whether the bricks in the basement of the church were from the original wall and if there would be enough there to rebuild the wall (WHC 1933). The old brick turned out to be unusable, and new brick were fired. The Williamsburg Holding Corporation bought the church in 1933, and it, along with the parsonage, was wrecked in July of 1934 (Todd and Brown 1934). Photographs of the church show that its appeared to have a half basement, which would incur damage to archaeological resources in that area (Figure 9).

Building 17 Williamsburg or Bell Hospital The Bell Hospital, located northwest of the magazine was a 3 story brick building. This building was constructed in the 19th century, and was wrecked in November 1930 (Shurcliff 1930). Photographs show that the structure contained a basement, at least under the northern end of the building (Figure 10) . A fence divided the hospital property from that of the Magazine (Geddy 1931). Records indicate that topsoil was hauled to the site of the Bell Hospital after its removal.

"Toot-an-kum-in" Garage This structure stood directly to the south of the Bell Hospital and can be seen on the 1921 Sanborn Map. Its foundations cut and damaged the brick enclosing wall of the Magazine.

Colonial Parkway The Colonial Parkway tunnel, constructed in 1940/41, passes directly through Block 12. Specifications called for the construction of a reinforced concrete tunnel .517 miles in length. The tunnel was to be built by the "cut and cover" method, involving the excavation of 110,700 cubic yards of earth (Tunnel 1937-39). Figure 11 shows the amount of soil disturbance which was involved with this construction. Topsoil was to be placed over the area disturbed by the tunnel, and landscaped to match the former grades. There is no archaeological potential for the area impacted by the tunnel (Figure 12).

Figure 9. 1850 Baptist Church

Figure 10. Bell Hospital

Figure 11. Tunnel Construction

Figure 12. Area Impacted by Tunnel Construction

Archaeological Potential

Figure 13 shows probable archaeological potential for Block 12, based on the background research covered in this report. Archaeological Area 12B was apparently only excavated in areas where the architects felt they would locate information on structural elements. Therefore, some substantial areas within B do not appear to have been disturbed at all, for example, the interior of the Magazine yard. Also, the outlines for the cannonball cache were not recorded in 1933, and there is a possibility that there may be a structure associated with this feature. These areas are marked in Figure 13 as having good archaeological potential for yielding information on activities around the Magazine.

Area 12C was cross-trenched and the coverage appears to have been fairly good, so no more brick foundations should be expected in this area. Archaeological cross-trenching consisted of placing 1' wide trenches spaced 5' to 6' apart at a 45 degree angle to the property and street lines. This insured that all structures with brick foundations would be located. Cross-trenching does not, however, destroy all valuable archaeological information. Subsequent archaeological investigations in this area could be used to locate traces left by impermanent types of structures, patterns of postholes associated with fence lines and refuse deposits on the property.

We can anticipate the remains of the huge 1850 Baptist Church in the northeast corner of the Magazine lot, and also the remains of the Bell Hospital in the area just north of the Magazine. Figure 14 shows both these structures, along with a number of other buildings west of the Magazine, which should have left archaeological traces and may have destroyed archaeological remains. The areas where the basements of the church and the hospital are expected have no archaeological potential, but the remainder of the structures on the lot are estimated to have left little or no damage to archaeological remains.

There is moderate archaeological potential for most of the structures which were investigated during the prior excavations. Excavation usually only uncovered the foundations of the buildings, and left interior fill virtually untouched. Therefore, reopening of these structures could furnish information on the function and dating of these buildings.

The artifact collection from the previous excavations is apparently provenienced only to two very large areas. Data collected in this manner cannot be used to answer current research questions, so the artifact assemblage is of little use. However, we can probably assume that the over 300 cannonballs all came from the sealed cache and have some research value.

Figure 13. Block 12 Archaeological Potential

Appendix B is a proposal for a testing plan at the Powder Magazine. The testing is proposed in two parts, the first being an preliminary survey to see if landscaping on the property has removed all the 18th century cultural fill. The Phase II testing plan is designed to answer specific questions about the property which could aid in the interpretation of the Magazine.

Bibliography

Bucktrout, Benjamin

1800

Plan of the City of Williamsburg. Map on file, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Research Department Library.

Campbell, G. S.

1934

a Archaeological Survey of Foundations Surrounding the Magazine. Foundations in Block 12-12C.

1934

b Archaeological Survey of Foundations Inside the Magazine, 12B.

Frank, E. M.

1946

Magazine Guard House, Block 12, Building 9A, Architectural Report, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

Frenchman's

1781

Plan de la ville et environs de Williamsburg en Virginie, 1782. Map on file, Research Department Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

Geddy, V. M.

1934

Letter to J. F. Slaven dated August 1, 1934. In File on Block l2,Nos. 1 and 3, Rents 1929-1934. Colonial Williamsburg Archives Department.

Goodwin, T. R.

1936

Letter to Mrs. Drewery Jones dated April 17, 1936. In File Block 12, No. 9 Powder Magazine 1935-1941. Colonial Williamsburg Archives Department.

Jones, I. L.

1948

Memo to K. Chorley from I. L. Jones dated December 23, 1948. In File Block 12, Nos. 9 and 9A, Powder Magazine and Guardhouse, Landscaping 1948. Colonial Williamsburg Archives.

Kendrew, A. E.

1935

Letter to Perry, Shaw and Hepburn dated July 19, 1935. In File Block 12, No. 9 Landscaping Powder Magazine 1935-1936. Colonial Williamsburg Archives Department. 23

Knight, James M.

1948

Archaeological Survey of Foundations of Powder Magazine Guard House, Williamsburg, Virginia, 12C.

1985

Personal communication.

Lecky, Robert

1929

Letter to Charles O. Heydt dated October 2, 1929. In File on Block 12, Nos. 1 and 3, Rents 1929-1934. Colonial Williamsburg Archives Department.

Memo

1934

Memo for files dated July 25, 1934. In File Block 12, Nos. 15 and 19, Stone Store 1928-1934. Colonial Williamsburg Archives Department.

Moorehead, S. P.

1946

Letter to Cleverdon, Varney and Pike dated September 30, 1946. In File Block 12, No. 9 Public Magazine 1942-1947.

Ragland, Herbert S.

1933

Archaeological Report on Excavations and Foundations around Colonial Powder Magazine. Report on file at Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

Shurcliff, Arthur

1934

Preliminary Report on Powder Magazine Wall. Report on file at Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

1935

Letter to Vernon M. Geddy dated July 26, 1935. In File Block 12, No. 9, Landscaping Powder Magazine 1935-1936. Colonial Williamsburg Archives Department.

Todd and Brown, Inc.

1934

Letter to Branch Bocock dated July 24, 1934. In File Block 12, Nos. 16 and 18, Baptist Church 1929-1934. Colonial Williamsburg Archives Department.

Tunnel

1937

File on Colonial National Monument-Tunnel, 1937-1939. Colonial Williamsburg Archives Department. 24

1940

File on Colonial National Monument-Tunnel, 1940. Colonial Williamsburg Archives Department.

1941

File on Colonial National Monument-Tunnel ,1941-1943. Colonial Williamsburg Archives Department.

WHC

1930

Williamsburg Holding Corporation. Letter to Perry, Shaw and Hepburn dated December 1, 1930. File on Block 12, Nos. 2 and 4, Goodwin 1929-1932. Colonial Williamsburg Archives Department.

1933

Williamsburg Holding Corporation. Letter to Perry, Shaw and Hepburn dated March 10, 1933. In File Block 12, No. 9 Landscaping Powder Magazine 1935-1936. Colonial Williamsburg Archives Department.

APPENDIX A

Illustrations

Lossing, Benson J.

1860

The Pictorial Field Book of the Revolution. New York: Harper and Brothers Publishers, Volume 2, p. 264.

Granston
Illustration of Magazine circa 1861-1863.

Photographs
Listed by negative numbers and available at Research Library.

APPENDIX B