Archaeological Data Recovery at the Cherry Valley Tavern/ Pointville Hotel Site [28-Bu-413] Fort Dix, New Hanover Township, Burlington County, New Jersey

Summary

This report describes and discusses archaeological data recovery at the site of the Cherry Valley Tavern/Pointville Hotel Site [28-Bu-413], located on the Fort Dix Military Reservation in Burlington County, New Jersey. Data recovery was undertaken to enable a Determination of No Adverse Effect to be made in respect of proposed wastewater treatment facilities which would adversely effect the remains of the tavern. Phase 2 investigations had previously determined that the tavern was eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion D.

Phase 3 studies involved detailed background research on the tavern property and on comparative material from other tavern sites. Fieldwork was designed to uncover the full ground plan of the building and immediately adjacent yard areas, but not to investigate documented but unaffected outbuildings.

The investigations revealed a purpose-built tavern, initially constructed as a single-roomed structure in 1799-1800 to take immediate advantage of the construction of two roads which improved communications between the extractive industries of the Pinelands and the established agricultural economy of the Inner Coastal Plain. Analysis of the foundations and associated stratigraphy showed that the building was successively enlarged through the 19th century, the final major addition being made just after the Civil War. During the 1840’s the building began to be referred to as a ’hotel’ rather than a tavern. This change of name implies improved facilities for a new clientele, but this could not be documented archaeologically.

The study revealed that taverns are a neglected source for the study of material culture. Although many individual taverns have been studied from a local historical standpoint, a number have been partially investigated archaeologically, and some surviving examples have been subjected to detailed architectural recording, there has been little synthesis or common approach to the study of taverns. Some suggestions are made in the final chapter for an approach to future tavern investigations, using their close relationship with transportation networks as a basis.

This file is a draft of the report.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Fort Dix Archaeology and Cultural Resources Archive

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Air Force Base

Contributor(s): George D. Cress; Frank Dunsmore

Lab Director(s): Harriet Kronick

Principal Investigator(s): Ian C.G. Burrow

Prepared By(s): Hunter Research, Inc.

Submitted To(s): U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District

Record Identifiers

New Jersey Pinelands Development Application(s): 87-0801.01

Contract (s): DACA61-92-C-0061

File Information