THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 25, 1996 TAG: 9602230147
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 38 lines
What's in the soil at the foot of High Street?
The city, poised to dig an inlet all the way to Water Street, needs to give some thought to the archaeological possibilities of the area that will be excavated.
That block is at the site of the very beginnings of the city. The home of Colonel William Crawford, founder of Portsmouth, stood nearby. Over the ensuing years, ferry boats, fishing boats, shipping vessels and railroads have used the area.
Even though the site has been reworked a number of times for one use or another, there still are great possibilities for archaeologists when the digging goes as deep and as wide as the proposed inlet.
The city is staking much of its future on its history. For that reason, we should take time to check out what might be turned up in an area where much of importance has occurred.
We cannot afford to remove the soil without taking a serious look at it. The findings not only would produce some interesting archaeological data, but we also could wind up with a small, fascinating collection of artifacts that could be displayed at the Naval Shipyard museum for tourists attracted to Portsmouth because of its history.
The city should move now to require an archaeological study of the area as it is excavated and to give the contractor some very specific instructions. This will be our last chance ever to examine the secrets of the soil where Portsmouth began. by CNB