THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, August 12, 1996 TAG: 9608120035
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SUSAN W. SMITH AND ELIZABETH THIEL, STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: 79 lines
Before the birth of Christ, Native Americans probably stood on top of the grassy knoll in what is now known as Great Bridge, surveying vast marshes and forests and open lands.
Much later, Colonial Americans likely gathered on the same spot, perhaps to pray or share news or trade goods shipped on the nearby Elizabeth River.
Centuries later, the knoll is the last undisturbed evidence of an area that has recorded the passage of time. But it won't stay that way for long.
The 3-acre lot, situated among parking lots, gas stations and fast food restaurants on the corner of Battlefield Boulevard and Cedar Road, is about to become the site of a bank and a pharmacy.
Racing against time, 22-year-old volunteer archaeologist Molly H. Kerr is trying to unearth the story of Great Bridge's past before the bulldozers overtake it.
Working with a couple of small hand trowels and a few other volunteers, Kerr has spent the past two weekends on her hands and knees digging on the busy corner.
The property's developers, who had refused a city offer to buy and preserve the site as a park, gave Kerr permission to conduct archaeological surveys until it's time to start construction.
What she's found so far has borne out history buffs' longtime assertions that the spot has major historical significance.
Kerr has uncovered the brick foundation of a Colonial-era building, about six inches below the surface. The brick is handmade; the mortar is made of oyster shells.
She can't say for sure whether it's the remains of the pre-Revolutionary War Southern Branch Chapel of the Elizabeth River, believed to have been on or near that site. Historical accounts hold that the chapel was the gathering place for Patriot forces before they defeated the British in the strategic Battle of Great Bridge.
Kerr also has found Colonial-era artifacts, including clay pipe bowls and stems, a clay wig curler, pewter buttons, hand-wrought nails, porcelain, earthenware and stoneware.
She discovered Native-American ceramics that likely date to before the time of Christ - the earliest evidence ever found of people living in this region.
She's photographed each step.
``I think that we have learned a whole lot about this area that we've never known before, and would never have known if we hadn't done this,'' said Kerr, who lives with her family in Great Bridge and works during the week for the College of William and Mary's Center for Archaeological Research.
Kerr began her work in October, when she made an initial survey of the site and uncovered a brick walkway.
Her work then fueled debate about plans to develop the property. City residents lobbied the City Council to deny developers' requests for special permits to construct drive-through windows for the bank and pharmacy. The council offered to buy the land, but developers refused because they said the offer wasn't enough to compensate them for their expenses. Council members, seeing few other options, let the plans proceed.
Residents have continued to protest - some demonstrating with signs alongside the lot - to no avail.
Kerr said there are no local, state or federal laws that would prevent a private owner from developing his land, even if significant historical evidence is found there.
Stuart B. Smith, president of the Norfolk County Historical Society, said his group did all it could to get the City Council to intervene.
``It's out of our hands,'' he said. ``There's nothing we can do.''
Kerr asked developers for permission to dig again this summer, hoping to at least find out what is there before it's lost forever.
``There's still so much more to learn,'' she said.
She plans to write research papers and give talks about what she finds. Her first seminar will take place Sept. 22 at 3 p.m. at the Central Library on Cedar Road.
Kerr will turn over all artifacts and copies of her reports to the Department of Historic Resources in Portsmouth. She'll also send her reports to local libraries. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by Jim Walker
[Molly H. Kerr]
KEYWORDS: CHESAPEAKE GREAT BRIDGE ARTIFACTS by CNB