Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

ARCHAEOLOGICAL REPORT

Submitted herewith is a drawing showing all foundations found by excavation at this site, as well as the foundations of the existing house.

As you know, the records found by the Research Department give us the names of a number of owners of this property and record that buildings were there as early as 1746, perhaps earlier, but supply no information about the appearance, or architecture, of the buildings in colonial days, nor dates when the evident alterations and additions to them were made.

Consequently it is practically impossible to date with any accuracy the numerous foundation walls there, so I have shown on the drawings, by distinct hatchings or markings, only the chronological order in which I have concluded the various walls were built. This order, I determined, by careful examination and study of the foundations, and buildings--comparing brick sizes, noting patches in the walls, the bond, the mortar, in fact every evidence of alteration I could find--considering at the same time the information recorded on the "Frenchman's" Map, on the Rochambeau Map and in the records files in the Research Department. The changes in the foundations, or additions to them, deduced in this manner, are shown on the drawing.

When the house was first built, it had no basement, for the outside foundation walls were not built deep enough to accommodate one, and there are also evidences of patching around each present basement opening, showing that the openings were cut in the walls after the house was built. However, the fact that the two original main chimney foundations were built deep enough for a basement, when no basement was dug out originally, has to be explained. I can give only one reason for that and that is, the chimneys are so large and heavy that it was necessary to excavate to greater depth than the outside walls to find sure foundations for them. No basement could have been planned when the chimneys were built however, for there are no flues in them to the basement, and the footings stop approximately at the basement floor level, instead of below it as would normally be the case if the basement had been planned originally.

The first alteration in the building (the second period of construction) appears to have been making a basement by excavating under the house to a depth about two feet deeper than the outside walls, leaving a bank of undisturbed earth about two feet wide along the inside of the outside walls to avoid weakening the foundations.

Evidence of patching in the brickwork shows that basement entrances No. 9 on the south side of the house, No. 14 on the west side and No. 21 on the north side and all basement window openings were cut through the original walls at this time, (2nd period.)

The retaining wall, No. 13, was built during the next, or third period of construction to prevent earth sides of basement from falling and weakening the house foundations. The "veneer" brick wall, No. 10, was also built apparently at this time, or very shortly afterwards, 3 perhaps simultaneously.

Walls Nos. 10 and 13 closed entrance No. 14, a small window being built in wall No. 10, in the center of what had been the entrance.

It is probable that the building of the retaining wall, No. 13, and veneer wall No. 10, was caused by settling of the foundations, the earth sides of the basement perhaps having shown indications of slipping and undermining the outside walls. Water evidently had begun to accumulate in the basement, for at this time drain No. 37 appears to have been built, as the original wall is underpinned around and above the drain, whereas the veneer wall No. 10 is not underpinned, showing that drain was built before or simultaneously with wall No. 10.

The additions on the north and south sides of the original house, which additions stood on foundation walls Nos. 7, 8, 21, 24, 28, 45, 46, 47, and 48, I have concluded were added during the second period of construction, for the following reasons. On the south side of the house near the front corner, and on the north side of the house near the front corner there are saw cuts in the original weatherboarding, indicating that gabled roofed one story additions were built on foundations Nos. 7, 24, 28 (2nd period). The original foundation is patched on both sides of basement door No. 21, showing that this opening was cut at this time (2nd period.)

The Rochambeau Map of 1782 shows the Dinwiddie house with wings on both sides, the northern wing connecting with a long out-building, and the southern one large enough to include smaller connecting outbuilding. The "Frenchman's" Map of 1786 shows the house, with no wings and separate outbuildings on both sides of it, the northern one appearing as long in its east and west dimension as the corresponding outbuilding shown on 4 the Rochambeau Map. The Frenchman's Map also shows what looks like walls connecting the main house with outbuildings. The connecting passageways must have been there at the time, instead of walls. Therefore it seems to me that the addition on walls Nos. 24 and 28 (2nd period) connected with outbuilding on foundations No. 45 (a chimney) and No. 46, which outbuilding also connected with outbuilding No. 51, the connecting walls being No. 47 and 48. Porch foundation No. 22, on the north side of the house, also was built during the 2nd period of construction, for the original weather-boards are chopped and cut out, where the porch joined house. This porch may have remained in adjusted form after "veneer" wall No. 10 was built, as the outside door is still there.

I have not found any evidence to determine the date of foundation No. 23, except that it was as early as wall No. 10, for addition on wall No. 31 built during the 4th period of construction covered it and was not supported by it.

It is evident that basement steps No. 9 were built during the 2nd period for paint marks on the original weather-boarding above the entrance show that the entrance was there prior to the building of wall No. 10. When wall No. 10 was built in the 3rd period, patches in the brickwork show that the entrance was repaired and altered, the retaining walls on both sides of the steps being bonded into wall No. 10. Later, this entrance was altered again, by the building of wall No. 11, (4th construction period). Wall No. 12 was built still later (5th period) 5 but for that purpose I have been unable to determine, unless it was built for waterproofing reasons.

I cannot explain the depth of foundation No. 52, but the basement entrance at that location made by enlarging the window, was cut during the 4th period, for 3rd period retaining wall in the basement was cut out in making it.

Wall No. 26 does not bond with wall No. 24. Therefore it was built later, either during the 3rd or 4th periods. Because of the color and texture of the brick I place its construction during the 4th period, and have concluded it was built as a part of the vault, and simultaneously with arch No. 25. The basement passage between walls No. 28 was cut off by the construction of the vault, and a new entrance was made into it by the building of steps No. 29 (4th period) which are built of larger bricks than wall No. 28.

The outbuilding on foundations No. 45 and 46 was destroyed or removed many years ago, for an old post card picture of the house of a period 30 or more years ago shows an outbuilding nearer the main house, and connected with it by a passageway. This later outbuilding or addition must have stood on foundations Nos. 41, 42, 43, and 44 (4th period) the passageway connection having been remodeled at that time. The post card picture shows also an addition on the north end of the house, extending from the front to the back. The picture shows no chimneys in this addition, which recent addition at the location had, and I think it must have been removed at the time that outbuilding on foundations 41, 42, 43 & 44 and passageway connection on walls 24 and 28 were removed.

The recently removed addition which had chimneys 30 and 32 and stood on walls 27, 31, 33, 34 was built during the 5th period of construction for the fourth period wing was removed to make room for it. Rear porch apparently was built during the 5th period for door opened on it from the addition just mentioned. Different kinds of brickwork and bond show that outbuilding No. 51 was originally a one-story building.

Walls no. 5 and 6 are retaining wells, built during 4th period to support foundations of original wall and wall No. 10.

Foundations of four front porches or entrances were found, which probably came in the order shown on the drawing. Porch No. 2 was supported on wood posts. Porch No. 4 was the one, with large brick columns recently removed. The front portion of foundation No. 4 has been removed also.

Three sets of paving were found in front of the front entrance, at different elevations, the second layer of paving resting on the first and the third resting on the second, as shown by numbers on the drawing.

I am submitting also drawings, showing the plans, as I have determined them, of the foundations in use at the different periods I have found.

FORM NO. 430
INTER-OFFICE MEMORANDUM
ARCHITECTURAL DEPARTMENT

This report should be revised as of 1952 work and previous archaeology.