The Foster Family – Venable Lane Site
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The Foster Family – Venable Lane Site Report of Archaeological Investigations prepared for The University of Virginia Charlottesville, Virginia prepared by Rivanna Archaeological Consulting Charlottesville, Virginia November 2003 Acknowledgements The archaeological research at the Foster fieldschool and supervised the multi-year family / Venable Lane homesite would not investigations. Allison L. Bell analyzed and have been possible without the support of cataloged the entire material culture a number of individuals and University of collection. Numerous undergraduate and Virginia departments. In particular, the graduate students including Marcus Department of Anthropology, and the Bridges, Jeff Fleisher, Benjamin Ford, Carter G. Woodson Institute for Afro- Jillian Galle, Amy Grey, Lahela Perry, and American and African Studies guided the Mark Warner assisted the field multidisciplinary Venable Lane Task investigations over the course of several Force. Dr. Jeffrey L. Hantman and the years. Department of Anthropology supported and guided the archaeological fieldwork. Lastly, thanks are due to the University of Will Rieley helped to re-establish the Virginia for funding the archaeological historic property boundary lines. M. research at Venable Lane. Without Drake Patten directed the archaeological financial commitment, this research project would not have been possible. i Table of Contents Executive Summary iv Bramham - Fife – 36 Harris Lot Previous Archaeological Research 1 Naming of the Canada 39 Foster Family / Venable Lane 1 Neighborhood Site – 1993 Investigations Summary of Excavated Units 34 B1 / F8 Parking Lot, 5 University of Virginia – 2001 Summary of Identified Features 90 Investigations Discussion and Analysis 110 Research Design and Methods 9 The Domestic Core 110 Historical Context 13 Patterns in the Larger 114 Pre-1833 Site Development 13 Landscape Catherine ‘Kitty’ Foster and 14 Material Culture 115 Family Ethnicity 123 Foster Family Burial Ground 20 Local Racial Contexts 126 Laundresses and Seamstresses 20 Consumption Patterns 131 Post-Foster Ownership and 23 Occupation Recommendations 135 Development of the Historic 28 References 137 Canada Neighborhood Appendix One 139 Perry / Spooner Lot 28 Examination and Relative 139 Widderfield Lot 31 Dating of Trees Appendix Two Artifact Catalog 1-93 ii List of Tables and Figures Table 1: Owners and occupants of 27 Figure 9: Advertisement for John 14 the Foster family – Venable Winn lot, 1828. Lane project area. Figure 10: Division of the Kitty 19 Table 2: Significant increases in the 27 Foster estate between Susan value of buildings as Foster and minor heirs, 1891. reflected in County and City land tax records. Figure 11: Plat of South Gate 24 Terrace area, 1924. Table 3: Features identified at the 108 Foster family – Venable Lane Figure 12: Sanborn Fire Insurance 25 site. Co. map, 1929. Table 4: 1994 Diameter – Breast - 140 Figure 13: 1994 drawing of the 26 Height measurements for Venable Lane area in the White Oak trees at the 1930s by a former resident. Foster family - Venable Lane site. Figure 14: Approximate geographic 28 delineation of the historic Figure 1: Layout of Foster family 2 Canada neighborhood. burial ground, 1993. Figure 15: 1863 survey of the 34 Figure 2: Plan of investigations, 3 division of the James 1993. Widderfield estate, recorded in 1893. Figure 3: Unidentified brick 4 foundation, Area A, 1993. Figure 16: 1885 plat of the Canada 35 vicinity showing the Figure 4: B-1 Parking Lot project 6 Ambroselli lot. area showing its relation ship to the Foster family – Venable Figure 17: 1860 survey of the George 38 Lane site. D. Harris lot. Figure 5: B-1 Parking Lot, project 6 Figure 18: Plan view of Unit 2, 44 area west. bottom of Level A showing Feature 2. Figure 6: B-1 Parking Lot, project 7 area east. Figure 19: Plan view of Unit 2, 45 bottom of Level B showing Figure 7: Foster family – Venable 10 Features 7 and 10. Lane site grid, units and datum location. Figure 20: Plan view of Unit 4, 47 bottom of Level A showing Figure 8: Foster family – Venable 11 Feature 3. Lane areas of excavation, seasons 1994, 1995 and 1997. iii Figure 21: Plan view of Unit 4, 47 Figure 31: Profile view of Unit 17 63 bottom of Level B showing facing north showing Features 4 and 5. Feature 19. Figure 22: Plan view of Unit 5, 49 Figure 32: Plan view of Unit 17, 63 Bottom of Levels B and C Bottom Level C showing Showing Feature 19, brick and Features 27 and 46. cobble paving, and Feature 36. Figure 33: Plan view of Unit 15, 65 Figure 23: Brick and cobble paving, 50 bottom of Level A showing Feature 19, in the vicinity of Feature 25, the eastern Unit 5 looking east towards bulkhead entrance or ‘go-down.’ Venable Lane. Figure 34: Plan view of Unit 18, 67 Figure 24: Brick and cobble paving, 50 bottom of Level A showing Feature 19, in the vicinity of disarticulated brick and stone Unit 5 looking north. pattern. Figure 25: Unit 8 looking west 54 Figure 35: Plan view of Units 19 and 69 towards Venable Lane and 21, bottom of Level A showing showing Feature 49, a brick Feature 13, the brick chimney lined well or cistern. base and fire box. Figure 26: Plan view of Unit 10, 57 Figure 36: Unit 19, Feature 13 69 bottom of Level C showing looking north. Detail of brick disarticulated cobbles and chimney base and fire box. Features 16 and 17. Figure 37: Plan view of Unit 22, 71 Figure 27: Plan view of Unit 11, 57 bottom of Level B showing bottom of Level C showing brick and cobble paving Feature Features 11 and 12 and 48, and Feature 39. Feature 18. Figure 38: Plan view of Unit 23, 71 Figure 28: Plan view of Unit 12, 59 bottom of Level B showing bottom of Level B showing brick paving Feature 48 and Features 8 and 9 and Features Features 38 and 39. 14 and 15. Figure 39: Plan view of Unit 29, 73 Figure 29: Plan view of Unit 16, 62 bottom of Level B showing bottom of Level B showing brick paving Feature 48. the eastern edge of the cobble paving, Feature 19. Figure 40: Plan view of Unit 22, 73 bottom of Level F showing Figure 30: Profile view of Unit 16 62 Features 41 and 42. facing south showing Feature 19. Figure 41: Plan view of Unit 22 75 showing Features 37, 40 and 43. iv Figure 42: Unit 22 looking north 75 Figure 53: Units 25 and 26 facing 86 showing brick and cobble north showing cobble paving Paving, Feature 48. episodes and rock wall and brick pier features. Figure 43: Unit 23 looking north 76 Showing brick paving, Figure 54: Plan view of Unit 28, 88 Feature 48. bottom of Level B showing cobble paving and Feature 30. Figure 44: Units 22 and 23 looking 76 west showing brick and Figure 55: Unit 28 and vicinity 88 cobble paving, Feature 48. showing cobble paving and Feature 30. Figure 45: Plan view of Unit 27, 78 bottom of Level B showing Figure 56: East profile view of 92 western edge of Feature 48. Quadrant 3, Feature 6 showing wood flooring and Figure 46: Unit 24 facing north 78 brick lined hearth area. showing brick and cobble paving, Feature 48. Figure 57: North profile view of 93 Quadrant 3, Feature 6 Figure 47: Unit 24 looking east 79 showing wood flooring and showing brick and cobble ‘wainscoating.’ paving, Feature 48. Figure 58: Feature 6, Quadrants 2 95 Figure 48: Plan view of Unit 25, 81 and 3, facing north showing bottom of Level A showing wood flooring and brick rock wall feature and chimney base and fire box. Features 20, 21 and 22. Figure 59: South profile view of 96 Figure 49: Plan view of Unit 25, 81 Feature 25. bottom of Levels H, I and J showing cobble paving, rock Figure 60: Feature 25 facing south 96 wall feature and Features 21 showing north section of and 30. bulkhead entrance on eastern side of Feature 6. Figure 50: Plan view of Unit 26, 85 bottom of Level A, B, and Figure 61: Feature 19, area of cobble 99 C showing Feature 23. paving looking north. Figure 51: Plan view of Unit 26, 85 Figure 62: Feature 47, stairway 106 bottom of Levels J and K entrance, looking north and showing Feature 27 and showing relationship to brick brick pier. chimney base. Figure 52: Units 25 and 26 facing 86 Figure 63: Detail of Feature 47 106 west showing cobble paving looking east and showing episodes and rock wall and relationship to brick facing brick pier features. of subsoil cut. v Figure 64: Plan of project area 112 Figure 77: Glass bottles with 121 showing Feature 6 and embossed raised lettering. significant surrounding features. Figure 78: Bone awl and straight 121 pin fragment. Figure 65: Shell edged pearlware 117 and whiteware. Rococo Figure 79: Ceramic, glass, bone, and 121 design on top. metal buttons, both sew through and shank. Figure 66: Hand painted pearlware. 117 Figure 80: Doll parts. 121 Figure 67: Annular decorated 117 pearlware. Figure 81: Personal items including 122 a purse clasp, hair pin, brush Figure 68: Sponge decorated 117 fragment and bead. whiteware. Figure 82: Toothbrushes. 122 Figure 69: Transfer print decorated 118 whiteware. Figure 83: Clay and glass marbles. 124 Figure 70: Annual decorated 118 Figure 84: Spoon. 124 whiteware. Figure 85: Cowrie shell and shell 125 Figure 71: Bennington teapot 118 with drilled hole. spout. Figure 86: Detail, Charlottesville 129 Figure 72: Annular decorated 118 Land Co. plat of the yelloware. University neighborhood, 1890. Figure 73: Decal decorated 119 whiteware. Figure 87: Map of Fry’s Spring 129 Railroad and Jefferson Park, Figure 74: Stoneware.