Castles and Courthouses: Creating an Interactive Self-Guided Tour of Germanna

Summary

This is a poster submission presented at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Originally founded by Alexander Spotswood as a small German settlement in 1714, Germanna quickly grew into an active frontier town in Virginia. By the mid-18th century, Fort Germanna, Alexander Spotswood’s home (known as the Enchanted Castle), and a bustling town with a courthouse had all resided in the area at one point or another. In addition to these structures, various groups of people occupied the land including Spotswood’s family, Germans, enslaved Africans, and the Native Americans that had long inhabited the area. However, none of the structures remain, making it difficult to interpret the site for the public and learn about the lives of the people who lived there. In order to combat this, Germanna archaeologists are using digital media in creative ways. This includes a self-guided tour of the archaeological site that incorporates history, archaeology, and technology to teach the public about the groups of people living at Germanna.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2023   •
• 2023 SHA Poster Submissions

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow