Of Wharves and Watercraft: Exploring the Maritime Archeology of Theodore Roosevelt Island

Summary

Situated in the Potomac River within the District of Columbia, Theodore Roosevelt Island serves as a living memorial to the 26th president of the United States. Secluded from the bustling capital city, the island’s rich history extends beyond the memorial itself. It served as a site of American Indian occupation in the pre-contact era, hosted John Mason’s plantation beginning in the late eighteenth century, was the training ground for the 1st U.S. Colored Troops during the Civil War and then home to African American refugees fleeing the South, and finally used for various recreational purposes through the early twentieth century, all prior to becoming a presidential memorial. Tightly woven into this history is a distinctly maritime thread, as the island could only be accessed by water prior to 1807. Even afterwards, water-based transportation and recreation continued to take place within the island’s unique landscape. Remarkably, remnants of these maritime components are still preserved on the island today. From wharves to watercraft, this presentation summarizes the maritime history of the island and highlights two maritime archeological features.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 21507