Virginia Archaeologists Unearth Mysterious Ruins of America’s Oldest Schoolhouse for Black Children—A Hidden Chapter of History Revealed
Since being moved to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, the original school building has undergone restoration, and experts are working on identifying the descendants of the students who were once taught there.
Now, with the discovery of the building’s original foundation and cellar, there is even more that researchers can learn about the site’s history.
“The roots of our city and university entwine here,” said William & Mary’s president Katherine A. Rowe. “Every layer of history that it reveals gives us new insights into our early republic, from the Williamsburg Bray School through the generations that followed, up through the early 20th century.”
The Artifacts Uncovered In The Cellar Of The Historic Williamsburg Bray School
William & MaryButtons and slate pencil fragments were some of the 18th and 19th-century artifacts found at the site.
The college discovered the historic building’s original foundation and the cellar during a renovation of Gates Hall, the university building that currently stands at the site of the old schoolhouse’s initial location.
According to archaeologist Tom Higgins, the cellar was likely dug shortly after the foundation was laid, and it is not lined with bricks. Additionally, the 36-by-18-feet cellar potentially consisted of two different levels.
Within the cellar, archaeologists found numerous artifacts, dating from the 18th century, 19th century, and even the 20th century, including jewelry, fragments of slate pencils, and buttons.
Also among the recovered artifacts were handmade ceramics, likely originating from various enslavement sites and Indigenous groups.
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