From: Alain Outlaw <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2021 11:10 AM To: Tammy Rosario <[email protected]> Subject: [External] Fwd: Amblers Property Tammy, It has been a long time since 2006, when I prepared a requested document for James City County regarding the currently named Amblers property near the Jamestown Ferry landing. Much has been accomplished over the ensuing years and so I think the email below could be useful in view of the ongoing Future Land Use/Open Space planning endeavors in the county. Please feel free to disseminate this email, since it provides detailed information on Amblers. It offers my views on this significant county asset which I want to be taken into account, as a county resident and as a historic preservation advocate. Sincerely, Alain C. Outlaw (757) 561-1156 -----Original Message----- From: Alain Outlaw <[email protected]> To: [email protected] <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]> Cc: [email protected] <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]> Sent: Mon, Jan 18, 2021 4:44 pm Subject: Amblers Property Gentlemen, I am writing in response to various recent telephone calls and indications of interest in the Amblers House and property at Jamestown Beach Event Park. Known interested parties are copied to convey this information, as well. As a 28-year citizen member of the James City County Historical Commission, whose purpose is to "document, commemorate, preserve, protect,and promote the rich heritage of James City County," I want to insure that information on the importance of the site is available for planning purposes. At one time, in the 2015-2017 time frame, I was a member of a county planning group for the property, headed by Jody Puckett. As well, since 2006, my work at Amblers for James City County has included: preparation of text for the acquisition; Phase I and Phase II Cultural Resources surveys; seeking funds for and writing the Virginia Landmarks Register and National Register of Historic Places nominations; writing a grant to the Garden Club of Virginia; seeking and obtaining funds for the architectural conditions report and budget; providing the DirtDiggers program; conducting a Tree Study; installing signage and public art; and securing funding, writing text, and dedicating Historic Highway Markers at the entrance to the property. My episodic work in the immediate vicinity (see attachment:GLAD Map 2017) in the Governor's Land Archaeological District (GLAD), of which Amblers is a part, dates back to 1975 when I inventoried the archaeological sites located in this 2,000 acre tract, near Jamestown. The dwelling and grounds were placed on the state and national registers (see attachment: Amblers NRHP 2014) in 2014 and 2015, respectively. These designations require maintenance of specific standards based on the elements that make the properties eligible for listing. The standards were carefully followed during the recent (2019) exterior restoration. Along with the Norge Depot restoration, the projects were managed by Shawn Gordon. Essentially, beyond Prehistoric and Historic Period archaeological deposits, the visible above-grade features of the property (the buildings and landscape) date to the mid-1800s and the mid-1900s. The rare brick dwelling and outbuildings were constructed in 1852, in the Picturesque Style. A carefully scaled addition built in the 1950s complements the structure, along with a Colonial Revival garden. Given the building sequence, the dwelling could easily be functionally divided between the older (river side) section, for historical exhibits, artifact storage, and educational purposes, and the newer portion, for other county use such as tourism or as leased space. Since 2007, as you know, the property has been an important venue for educational and sports activities. I have led popular archaeological investigations for ages 8 to 80, with the local DirtDiggers programs, regional Christopher Newport University field schools, and the nationwide Road Scholars (Elderhostel) expeditions, focusing on the 1611 Blockhouse archaeological site. Briefly, this location on the river side of the dwelling was where the Jamestown colonists guarded their cows with a blockhouse and earthwork more than twice the size of 1607 James Fort. The James City County Historical Commission has marked one corner of the complex with a life-sized metal bovine profile and a historical plaque. To address other questions regarding the color-coded wooden posts, they partially mark the locations of: the blockhouse (black); enclosures (green); earthwork ditch (red); and a 1680s ditch (white). More information can be found on this site in the "SHA talk 2" attachment, a powerpoint paper I presented at the national meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology in Fort Worth, Texas, in 2017. It was important to make sure that they knew we had "cowboys" centuries before they did in Texas. In closing, I hope that this information will be useful. As it has for over 400 years of history, this property continues to be a crossroads. Presently, from a tourism point of view, I see it as the "Gateway" to the earliest part of the Historic Triangle and to James City County in this exceptional natural and historic setting. The attached map shows that it offers a unique opportunity to anchor our county history from 1607 Jamestown to the restored Norge Train Station by proximity to Jamestown and with the extensive system of trails (Virginia Capital Trail and Greensprings Trail) in a setting of county-owned lands and easements. Please let me know if I can be of service. Alain C. Outlaw (757) 561-1156 GOVERNOR'S LAND ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISTRICT Green Spring Powhatan Creek John Tyler Hwy Route 5 Greensprings Road Route 614 Mainland Farm Church on the Main Site Drummond Site Historical Markers JamestownRoute Road 31 Ambler Site Jamestown Beach Event Park James River Blockhouse James City County Site Marina Colonial National Historical Parkway µ 0 0.25 0.5 Miles Ferry Greensprings Trail Jamestown Virginia Capital Trail Governor's Land Archaeological District Main Roads JCC Property 0 0.5 1 Copyright James City County GIS Office 1/12/2017 Miles M:\Departments\Others\Alain Outlaw\Gov_Land_Arch_District\Gov Land Arch District 2017.mxd by KAH !-it-> rorm IU-yuu UMB NO. 1024-001 M United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Registration Form This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts. See instructions in National Register Bulletin, How to Complete the Nahoml Register of Historic Places Registration Form. If any item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/AV for "not applicable." For functions, architectural classification, materials, and areas of significance, enter only categories and subcategories from the instructions. dq- \2\\\\70\4 1. Name of Property QknP 02\i7 / 231r Historic name: Amblers Other nameslsite number: Coke-Watts House; VDHR #047-0043 Name of related multiple property listing: N/ A (Enter "NIA" if property is not part of a multiple property listing 2. Location Street & number: 2205 Jamestown Road City or town: Jamestown State: VA County: James City County Not For Publication: Vicinity: 3. StatelFederal Agency Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby certify that this X- nomination request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property X meets -does not meet the National Register Criteria. I recommend that this property be considered significant at the following level(s) of significance: national statewide -X local ~KlicableNational ~e~%terCriteria: Signature of certifying officiamitle: Date I Virpinia Department of Historic Resources State or Federal agencylbureau or Tribal Government In my opinion, the property -meets -does not meet the National Register criteria. I Signature of commenting official: Date Title : State or Federal agencylbureau or Tribal Government United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 Amblers James City County, VA Name of Property County and State ______________________________________________________________________________ 4. National Park Service Certification I hereby certify that this property is: entered in the National Register determined eligible for the National Register determined not eligible for the National Register removed from the National Register other (explain:) _____________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Signature of the Keeper Date of Action ____________________________________________________________________________ 5. Classification Ownership of Property (Check