Foundations of Historic School Building Discovered in Williamsburg
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — Archaeologists in Virginia have uncovered the foundations of a building dating back to the 1700s, which was once the oldest continuously operating school for black children in the nation.
According to the university in Williamsburg, the foundation remains largely intact.
Additionally, a basement packed with artifacts from different eras was found, including pieces of slate pencils and various gems.
The Williamsburg Bray School, operational in the 1760s, educated many enslaved children.
Later on, this building served different purposes, including as a dormitory for some of the first women attending American universities.
Katherine A. Lowe, president of William and Mary, remarked, “The roots of our city and university are intertwined here. Each discovery sheds light on our history and the contributions of those from the Williamsburg Bray School to the early 20th century.”
It’s significant to note that the school indirectly played a role in the education of enslaved students, who were often able to read and write, sharing their knowledge with their families.
The building transitioned into private ownership before being absorbed into the expanding campus of William & Mary.
Over the years, it was repurposed for various uses, such as housing for students, and was later relocated from its original site.
Historians traced the structure back to 2020 using scientific techniques that analyze timber rings. It was then integrated into the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, a living history museum that preserves elements of the original city.
The museum is currently focused on restoring the school and learning more about the descendants of its former students.
Recently, as part of a renovation project for a university building, archaeologists discovered the foundational remains and cellar, with contributions from school archaeologists.
Tom Higgins from William and Mary’s Center for Archaeological Research observed that the cellar was not lined with bricks, suggesting that it was hastily excavated.
Researchers have recovered handmade pottery commonly linked to sites of enslavement and indigenous communities.
Among the artifacts were more modern items, including a glass shard featuring Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom, justice, war, and art.
From 1924 to 1930, the structure provided accommodations for a Methodist woman attending William and Mary.
Michele Blumfield, a senior researcher from the university’s Center for Archaeology, mentioned, “I know that the girls at Brown Hall are offered dormitories. Maybe they brought something like this as well.”
