The National Trust for Historic Preservation names Jamestown one of the 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in the US
Jamestown was England’s first permanent settlement in America and a place of sustained cultural encounters among different peoples, which laid the foundations of modern America’s richly diverse society. As such, it is a historic site of incalculable national and international significance. The challenges faced by the Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation are multifaceted. The effects of sea level rise, increasingly severe storms, and climate change are most visible on the surface, in the form of flooded landscapes and pathways. Hundreds of thousands of visitors come to Jamestown Island each year to explore the landscapes where Virginia Indians, European colonists, and Africans created the foundations of modern America. The challenges posed by climate change threaten not only the visitor experience, but the archaeological and built resources that reveal the entangled and elegant history of America’s Birthplace.
Owing to the rapidly worsening impact of climate change, Jamestown Island is under imminent threat. Documented sea level rise in the tidewater region shows that water levels have risen nearly 1.6 feet in the last 100 years, and NOAA projections show that this rate of rise is accelerating. In the next 50 years this will inundate the low-lying portions of the island, including approximately 14 acres of Preservation Virginia’s 22.5 acres, surrounding the 1607 James Fort and Statehouse Ridge. Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation’s public archaeology program has continually revealed unparalleled discoveries for the past 30 years, and is now analyzing mitigation strategies, addressing deficiencies, and turning its attention to salvage archaeology due to sea level rise. More frequent and severe storms are compounding inundation issues. Rainfall rates of one to two inches per hour and nuisance flooding associated with these events overwhelm an antiquated existing infrastructure designed in the 1950s. These severe storms are overwhelming an out-of-date drainage infrastructure resulting in recurrent flooding and damage to the site’s priceless archaeological assets.
Rising waters below ground, though harder to see, pose no less of a threat to Jamestown Island. The island overall is low-lying, with groundwater several feet below the ground surface. As rainwater and rising tides raise groundwater levels, previously dry archaeological features become inundated. Moisture — particularly intermittent moisture associated with rising and falling groundwater levels — can be extremely damaging to archaeological resources. Bones, both human and animal, are susceptible to water damage, and may dissolve completely. Human remains are one of the most informative types of artifacts examined by archaeologists, as they have the potential to reveal detailed information about the biology, environmental conditions, diet, disease, and life experiences of past people. This biological profile will be irrevocably lost if burials become inundated due to rising groundwater levels, robbing us of the ability to truly understand and connect to our shared past.
Jamestown after a Nor’easter in October, 2021
Environmental conditions related to water have always been a challenge on Jamestown Island. The colonists adapted to the lack of potable water on the island. Drought led to hundreds of deaths in the region. Erosion over the last 400 years erased a significant portion of the historic landscape. Past preservation efforts, such as the installation of the seawall, and infrastructure improvements attempted to address these problems. Unfortunately, water is once again a challenge to be dealt with, as sea level rise and climate change threaten to drown Jamestown Island. When addressing these issues, the Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation must balance its responsibility to investigate and understand the past via archaeology and historical research, its mission to preserve the site, and the need to engage with the public in an educational capacity. All site resiliency interventions require archaeological excavation before implementation. Jamestown Island is not just an archaeological site, a public park, or an outdoor classroom. It is all of these and more, and will demand creative solutions and significant investment to maintain.
The Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation has been combating these issues since 1994, gaining experience managing the archaeological excavations and public interaction on Jamestown Island. The Foundation has adapted to challenging weather conditions in the past, fostered partnerships with domestic and international organizations, and implemented cutting-edge technologies to support its research. The Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation will use all this technology, its connections, and innovative approach to combat the damage from climate change. The Foundation will be resilient and flexible in the face of these dangers but cannot succeed alone. Climate change and sea level rise are not limited to Jamestown Island and will be insurmountable obstacles without support.
The next five years are critical. If we miss this window, the challenges going forward will become exponentially more difficult to mitigate. Infrastructure urgently requires upgrading, essential maintenance, and the design and adoption of engineered solutions. The Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation’s project team has developed a plan of action to address climate change summarized by five strategies:
Repair the Existing Historic Seawall
Elevate Buildings
Improve Infrastructure
Elevate Roads, Pathways, and Landscape
Install Flood Berms
Combined, these measures will mitigate the worst effects of high tides and frequent storms for the next 50 years. As these mitigation strategies are implemented, the visitor experience will need to adapt as well. A proposed Discovery Center will provide a new entry point to the historic area, educating visitors not only about the last 400 years at Jamestown, but also articulating preservation efforts for the future. While a price tag in the tens of millions to protect the island and advance archaeology may seem daunting, it is achievable. Recent local, state, and federal funding opportunities to address climate change, coupled with bipartisan support in Washington D.C., will enable the project to move forward and save America’s Birthplace. It is imperative to start the permitting, compliance, design, and engineering processes immediately. A comprehensive approach including detailed environmental assessments, hydrology and geophysical studies, and regulatory agency coordination is required to commence the development of a construction plan to carry out the five strategies outlined and implement a reimagined visitor experience. A well-designed solution is necessary to adapt to climate change and provide unparalleled visitor amenities to this extraordinary historic site. The future of Jamestown hangs in the balance.
An aerial photograph of the southwest portion of Jamestown. The encroachment of a branch of the Pitch and Tar Swamp threatens the Jamestown Rediscovery Center (top center) on three sides. The flood-prone Smith's Field is surrounded by a circular road at the top left and the reconstructed palisade of James Fort is on the left.
Photo by Anna Shackelford of the Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation (Preservation Virginia)
