Archaeology provides vital information about Newport News history. Excavations yield information about local land use and cultural practices of former residents stretching back for centuries. Analysis of a site’s historic uses as well as found objects provides a tangible link to our shared past. Archaeology is especially valuable in exploring the lives of people who had little or no voice in historical records.
Tasked with preserving and protecting the archaeological history of Newport News, the City’s senior archaeologist performs excavation and analysis and monitors new construction to mitigate risk to archaeological sites and features.
A recent archaeological exploration and analysis of the Warwicktowne site (located in current-day Riverview Farm Park) has provided fascinating insights into this early town—as well as revealing a Confederate encampment on the banks of the Warwick River.