Riverfront Park
Fredericksburg, Virginia
On behalf of the City of Fredericksburg, Dovetail conducted archaeological and historical investigations for their new Riverfront Park prior to design and construction. Dovetail’s cultural resource responsibilities involved:
- In-depth archival research
- Combined Phase I/II archaeological survey/testing
- Phase III archaeological data recovery
- Architectural analysis
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS) field data collection and historical overlays
- Production of technical reports, public presentations, and interpretive signage
- Consultation with numerous City divisions and outside consulting parties
- Meticulous consultation with park designers
Through all phases of work, the team has uncovered data on hundreds of years of history along the riverfront. The foundations of almost a dozen buildings have been exposed and explored, and tens of thousands of artifacts have been examined. Beyond material culture, the team also discovered the remains of three Union soldiers who were buried in the area after dying of wounds received during the 1862 Battle of Fredericksburg. Dovetail is currently working with the Virginia State Historic Preservation Office and the National Park Service to inter the remains in the Fredericksburg National Cemetery.
Throughout the project, Dovetail has worked closely with the park designers and the City to assure that cultural resource compliance has been completed hand in hand with the design process. Through this partnership, the final park design avoided significant archaeological deposits while crafting a plan that meets the needs of the community. This project highlights Dovetail’s experience working with locality staff on public projects and dealing with unexpected issues to assure that all project goals are met.
