Reinterpreting a Nineteenth Century Dairy Agricultural Landscape

Summary

Site 44FX0543, located in the western Piedmont region of Fairfax County at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, has had a long debated function by archaeologists and historians. A problematic interpretation of the site function as an enslaved African American dwelling dating to an unknown temporal period of ownership was the result of misinterpretation of landscape, previous archaeological investigations, and the likely misinformation gained through second-hand oral histories of the parkland. The research presented here meant to confirm or reject the previous interpretations pertaining to the function of the site. Background research, primary documentary sources, previous artifact assemblages, new artifact collections, and regional site comparisons synthesized to conclude that the building did not serve as an enslaved laborers dwelling. In addition, the research determined that the Machen family (1844-1935) built the structure in the third quarter of the nineteenth century as feeding house to support their growing dairy agricultural operation.                 

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Poster Submission 2018   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2018

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 1067