Work Continues on Elk Run Church Site
February 28, 2001
From The Fauquier Times-Democrat, Wednesday, February 28, 2001 (with permission)
Much work has been accomplished since the project began in August 1999 to preserve the 1750s Anglican Church brick cruciform foundation in the village of Elk Run.
During February the Elk Run Church Site Preservation Committee, Scouts from Troop 1177 and local 4-H Club members met to clean artifacts recovered during summer 2000 excavations. Under the guidance of Dr. John Eddins, volunteer Archaeologist, Scouts are working on their Archaeology Merit Badge requirements and the 4-H Club members are earning Community Service hours.
A total of 27 excavation units were dug in 2000.
Artifacts range from different size nails; broken church window glass; salt glazed pottery fragments; plaster wall fragments; clay pipe stem; 19th Century coins; a Colonial clothing button; some whole bricks and broken brick pieces, and Indian arrowheads dating back 4000 years or more.
Eddins’ archaeology laboratory work consists of systematically cleaning, identifying, numbering, re-bagging artifacts in new bags with ID tags, and placing them in storage bags. The artifacts were then recorded in a site catalog.
The next scheduled Artifact Cleaning is on 10 March, 9AM to 3PM at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church parish house, 8538 Greenwich Road, Catlett, Virginia. Those wishing to participate may call the Church Office at (540) 788-4252 for confirmation and directions.
Also in February, committee chairman, Ed Dandar, and Webmaster, David Buckwalter provided a display and a briefing on Elk Run Church Preservation activities to the Warrenton Rotary Club.
The display included a 3/16-inch scale model created by volunteer Architect Carol Miller that provides a future view of the park layout. Continued community support will be needed to establish this site as a Fauquier Historical Park.
The Elk Run Church Web Site also has been updated with historic map extracts, new photos of recent activities and plans for their “2001 Dig” at Elk Run.
