How Much is the Office of Historic Alexandria Listening to the Community at Fort Ward Park?

How Much is the Office of Historic Alexandria Listening to the Community at Fort Ward Park?

April 3, 2014

Community interests and government officials have been working hard at Fort Ward Park for nearly seven years now.  The hours, money, meetings and paper generated over time are one indicator of what has been done to date.  Another indicator of what has, or hasn’t, been accomplished is the March 18, 2009 list of “Fort Ward Park Priorities and Issues Identified by Community”.  You may recall that the City of Alexandria sponsored a series of public meetings to seek community input, ideas and interest for what could and should be done with the park to solve problems, protect values, and enjoy recreation pursuits.

The top Historic/ Cultural priorities which were identified during that initial public outreach process included:

African American History 

• Signage of historic African American community, historic markers.
• Restoration of community graves and artifiacts.
• Exhibit for [Fort Ward] museum.
• African American History-Input and Research.

Identification of Historic Areas

• Grave sites, Pre-post Civil War, African American History. Regional significance, others.
• Idenitify w/ signage-visible and clear.

Market Promote “Park Story”/ History

• Recognize historic significance of site. Valuable levels within park.

Interpretive Trail

• Interpretive trail of natural, cultural and African American resources.

As you review the voluminous reports, prepared by city staff and their consultants, and listen to comments on the draft management plan for Fort Ward Park and Museum you may want to look and listen for these and other ideas that you have suggested.  Throughout the management planning process there has been a bit of a debate between city government leaders and community interests about “who knows best” and what role citizens should play in helping to make decisions about Fort Ward Park.  The draft management plan is not likely to be revised or redone for another 50-years so it is in everyones best interest to get it right before it goes to the Mayor, City Manager and City Council.

Descendant Graves in Ft. Ward Park

March 11, 2014

To: Chuck Zeigler, chairman of the SAG

From: Frances Terrell, Lena Rainey, and Adrienne Washington, members of SAG

RE: Descendant graves in Ft. Ward Park

In response to your inquiry about the descendants’ and church members’ concerns about the status of the city’s incomplete investigations of the lost graves in Ft. Ward Park, we have listed a number of items which we feel haven’t been and should be addressed in the draft management plan. As we have stated numerous times publicly and in writing, we have asked for three main issues to be corrected: the stormwater runoff, the lost graves and incorporation of “The Fort” African American presence in this historical park.  

1. Continued archeological research in the maintenance –now “utility” – area where numerous oral histories were given with certainty that graves existed. Using better technology and digging below surface fill that city placed over the years.
2. Continued archeological research before any digging to implement the city’s proposed stormwater drainage plan.
3. Continued archeology in other areas of the park which oral histories and documents indicate graves existed, including the Craven site, the Javins site, inside and around the fort on the former McKnight property, the ravine area north of the Oakland Baptist Cemetery, the Shorts-McKnight knoll, the Peters site, Ashby site, and the Good Samaritan cemetery.
4. Reincorporating the graves in the so-called “Old Cemetery” back into the Oakland Baptist Cemetery, where oral history from former OBC trustees indicates they belong.
5. A definitive declaration from city leaders and staff that no structures will be built or placed on redesigned “sensitive areas,” to include the above named sites, without prior notification to descendants as well as members of the Oakland Baptist Church leadership.
6. A final definitive statement about the status of archeological investigations in all of Ft. Ward Park. The management plan states that the archeological investigation is completed and there is a permanent map which designates “sensitive areas” therefore giving city department heads permission to proceed with “ground disturbing action” or plans to dig in the park to plant trees, relocate picnic areas and playgrounds and build other structures such as new parking lots and bus lanes. But at public meetings, as recently as this week, the city’s acting archeologist assured an audience that the archeological work at Ft. Ward is ongoing.” The draft management plan also states that “the city cannot assume there aere no undocumented graves north and west of Oakland Baptist Cemetery.” More contradiction? Which is it? As far as we can tell, there never was a completion of Phase 3 of the city originally investigative agreement. How can the management plan suggest that it is all right for the city to proceed when it acknowledges that there is more research to be done?    
7. In all the archeological investigations thus far, we have been told that inadequate testing methods were used to locate unmarked graves. We would like the investigations to be conducted with modern, acceptable methods and technology.   
8. The original SAG chapter recommendations, which do not appear to be incorporated into the draft management plan, called for specific historical interpretation projects and programs to commemorate the African American presence in Ft. Ward. The draft management plan only mentions suggested options for these items. There should be concrete assurance, as promised, that memorial stones will be placed on the discovered graves, a memorial structure should be placed to commemorate those undiscovered gravesites and a permanent exhibit within the museum about the African American presence at Ft. Ward.
9. We are still interested in the city investigation what happened to the countless number of headstones that oral histories indicate were removed from the park.          

Request to Meet City of Alexandria Officials for Fort Ward's Lost Graves

October 8, 2009

Dear Mr. Mallamo and Mr. Spengler,

I hope this note finds you well.   

I noticed that the City Council is scheduled to  consider approval of the use of the funds that were included in the City’s 2010 budget for archaeological research at Fort Ward Park at their October 13, 2009 meeting.  I also understand that the Fort Ward Park History Group will have it’s first meeting on October 17, 2009.  Both of these and other recent developments, including the process to appoint a Fort Ward Park Ad-hoc Advisory Committee, are viewed positively by many community leaders and residents.  All of us appreciate your leadership and willingness to listen to views outside of city government. 

Given your efforts I thought you should be aware that a group of us have continued to do research on Fort Ward Park and we have found important information about the creation of the park and the family graves that are located within the area.

On repeated occasions we have been told by the City Recreation Department leadership that there is no plan for Fort Ward Park and we should not expect one in the next ten years.  After considerable research we have found the initial plan which was funded by City Council and prepared by the Recreation Department for the park in early 1960's.  The plan set the city’s vision for the park and identified overall use areas.  It also indicates the location of grave sites, outside of the Oakland Baptist Church Cemetery, and plans for their protection and public access.

We have also found correspondence between the attorney for two property owners and City leaders that acknowledges family graves on property that was  being acquired by condemnation for the park.

This, and other information, is contradicts statements that City officials have made about planning for the park and knowledge of African American graves within this area.

Please let me know if you would like to meet.  Depending on our schedules I would like to have 2 or 3 of our research team join us for the discussion.

Thanks again for your willingness to work with us.

Sincerely,

J. Glenn Eugster

Search & Rescue Needed for Fort Ward’s Lost Graves

Search & Rescue Needed for Fort Ward’s Lost Graves

In September noted historian and author C.R. Gibbs made a presentation to the members of the Fort Ward and Seminary African American Descendants Society, Inc. at the Oakland Baptist Church.  His presentation, titled “The Call of Freedom” opened with a horrific 1861 painting by Richard Ansdell called 'The Hunted Slaves’.  The painting depicts the use of dogs to find people trying to escape from slavery.  Mr. Gibbs presentation led the audience on an emotional journey through the Underground Railroad including stops in Alexandria, VA.

The people in the audience have been on another journey to research, locate and properly recognize and protect their ancestors and others who lived and are buried within the land that is now Fort Ward Historic Park.  Although City of Alexandria elected officials and government agency managers and staff have been working diligently to locate the lost graves of Fort Ward some of their work with ground-penetrating-radar and test-pits has not been able to find many of the remaining graves in the park.  

In August, in a decision that suprised descendant family members as well as those serving the city on the Fort Ward Park & Museum Advisory Group and the Fort Ward History Work Group, Lance Mallamo, Director of the Office of Historic Alexandria announced a decision to end the search for additional graves.  Although the City of Alexandria’s press release, which was shared with the media rather than community partners, offered a variety of reasons for the about face, the fact remains that there are more lost graves in Fort Ward Historic Park and community leaders want the city to continue the search.

One alternative that may be a way to compliment the city’s archaeologists, and the family members assisting them, is the use of “search and resue dogs”. Attached is a link with more information on the use of dogs to help archaeologists locate graves.  Also included is the link with information on Ansdell’s painting.

[PDF] 

What Archaeologists Can Learn From SAR Dogs - Bay Area ...

www.bayarearecoverycanines.com/BARC/Articles_files/VAArch.pdf

File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - Quick View

Archaeologists Can Learn From SAR Dogs. Canine SAR Background: .... •Find unmarked graves or cemeteries, including locating 'outliners' near cemeteries & ...

'The Hunted Slaves' 1861 - National Museums Liverpool

www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ism/collections/.../hunted_slaves.aspx

The Hunted Slaves' 1861 by Richard Ansdell. On display in the International Slavery Museum, Liverpool.

Fort Ward News April 11, 2014

Fort Ward News

April 11, 2014

City Staff Visit Cemetery & Maintenance Yard Searching for Answers

Early this afternoon members of the City of Alexandria's Department of Transportation & Environmental Services once again visited the Oakland Baptist Church Cemetery and the Fort Ward Park Maintenance yard looking at recent drainage problems identified during the last two rainfalls. Additional damage from water runoff from city parkland was documented and reported recently and shared with city and elected officials. Unfortunately city staff, and their consultants, seem to visit the cemetery and the park when the skies are clear and the ground is dry. Hopefully the City of Alexandria will take action to restore the damage that was done by the City's Recreation Department which has caused increasing amounts of water to runoff from the maintenance yard into the Oakland Baptist Church Cemetery. A meeting is being considered for May 7, 20104 to present the Draft Fort Ward Park and Museum Drainage Plan to the public. Water from the park continues to erode gravestones and cause burial areas to subside.

City Likely to Hold Fort Ward Stormwater Meeting on May 7, 2014

From: "Brian Rahal" <Brian.Rahal@alexandriava.gov>

Sent: Friday, April 11, 2014 12:07:16 PM

Subject: RE: Fort Ward stormwater meeting

All,

I have received a majority of responses in favor of May 7, 2014. I have a tentative availability for the Library @ Minnie Howard on that day. As soon as I have a confirmation of reservation of the Library, I’ll send out the announcement and get the event on the City’s calendar ASAP. Thank you all for your prompt replies.

As a reminder, if you have any comments on the DRAFT Fort Ward Drainage Master Plan, you can send them to me directly, or you may offer them at the meeting on May 7, 2014.

Thank you,

Brian Rahal, P.E., CFM

Civil Engineer III

Transportation & Environmental Services

City of Alexandria, Virginia

301 King Street, Suite 3200

Alexandria, VA 22314

703.746.4057 phone

703.408.6919 cell

brian.rahal@alexandriava.gov

Boost Post

Jaycee Minstrel Show--Alexandria Journal 1964

New Research at Fort Ward and Seminary

New Research at Fort Ward and Seminary

Francine Bromberg, Acting City Archaeologist

City of Alexandria, Office of Historic Alexandria/Alexandria Archaeology

“Cemeteries and Graves in Fort Ward Park: A Summary of the Archaeological Investigations in 2010 and 2012 [DRAFT] (Alexandria, VA. Archaeology, 2013).

Dr. Krystyn R. Moon, Director of American Studies and Associate Professor, Department of History and American Studies, University of Mary Washington, Spring 2010-Present.

“To “Produce a Happy and Prosperous People:” Work, Land, and Everyday Life for African American Residents at Fairfax Seminary, Virginia, 1870s-1910s,” Southern Regional American Studies Association Conference, February 2013.

“There’s No Place Like Home:” The African American Housing Crisis in Alexandria, Virginia, 1940s-1960s,” Virginia Forum, James Madison University, March 2012.