
DATE: Sunday, March 30, 1997                TAG: 9703300054
SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY HOLLY WESTER, CORRESPONDENT 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   72 lines

VOLUNTEER TRIES TO DIG UP HISTORY AROUND FERRY PLANTATION HOUSE

Like many folks across Hampton Roads, 26-year-old Chris Eckard took advantage of Saturday's near-perfect weather by indulging in his favorite pastime.

But unlike many - who could be found flying kites, cruising convertibles or planting gardens - Eckard was digging for buried treasure.

For more than eight hours, the amateur archaeologist and Coast Guard marine science technician used a shovel and trowel to explore the grounds around Ferry Plantation House in hopes of finding pieces of history that might be buried there.

The 167-year-old house, located on Old Donation Farm a stone's throw from the Lynnhaven River, is being restored, and Eckard wants to see if there are any artifacts before the mass clean-up begins.

``If there's something here, we want them to be careful,'' said Eckard, referring to crews that will come in and remove asbestos and rubble from the house's crawl space.

Marked off with white string and red-and-white stakes, the hole he explored measured 5 feet square, a standard size. The solid-brick rubble just beneath the surface told him it was a good place to start.

Eckard, president of the 63-member Nansemond Chapter of the Archaeology Society of Virginia, was ``hired'' by Friends of the Ferry Plantation House, the nonprofit group heading up the restoration.

``There is so much history here,'' said Jo Howren, the group's president.

Eckard is searching for the foundation of the original manor house that was built in 1780 and burned down during the early 19th century, as well as any artifacts. He hopes to find an untouched, datable layer, to get a clue as to how far back occupancy of the area goes. Then the Friends group can move on with the project.

Ownership of the house, which is one of the most elaborate Federal period homes remaining in the city, had been in limbo until June 1996, when the last owners - a group of investors, who, because of a deed restriction, weren't able to use it as a private residence - donated it to the city.

In October, the City Council unanimously approved plans for the Friends group to restore and maintain the three-story house, which Howren hopes to convert into a home for Princess Anne County history, as well as work space for nonprofit groups, artists and writers.

Howren would like to display the artifacts found during the last dig in the area, in 1987. At that time, archaeologists uncovered the largest known collection of 18th century artifacts ever found - including a punch bowl and copper shoe buckles - which are now in Colonial Williamsburg.

``We don't want a museum where the velvet ropes hold people back,'' she said. ``This would have a more living presence, something that it hasn't had in years.''

There is a mound of work to be done - from the asbestos removal to hole-patching - but it cannot begin until the group is sure there is nothing left to save.

By 6 p.m., Eckard had uncovered some nails, pieces of pottery and what looked like a septic tank from 1920, but nothing as old as he hoped to find. The most interesting structure uncovered was a toppled brick wall, composed of broken and whole bricks - a curious find, indeed.

He and Howren will continue exploring that today.

``I'll finish it this weekend,'' Eckard said, ``whether I die or not.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo

JIM WALKER/The Virginian-Pilot

Chris Eckard hunts for traces of history in a 5-foot-square hole

beside the foundation of Ferry Plantation House. By the end of the

day Saturday, he had found some nails, pieces of pottery and old

bricks.

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