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The
earliest known historic elements within the Main Unit are plantation house
sites and road traces that date from the second half of the eighteenth
century. Other house sites
were initially occupied during the first half of the nineteenth century.
Some sites were reoccupied following the Civil War and were
inhabited into the twentieth century.
The greatest number of sites and standing earthwork remnants date
to the Civil War. Other
features of military origin reflect the training earthworks and camping
areas developed by the U. S. Army during the First World War when a
portion of Camp Lee lay on lands currently within the Main Unit.
Areas
within the Main Unit
The
Main Unit has been divided into four geographic areas, based on natural or
cultural features, for the purpose of this study.
These areas are defined as follows:
Northeast: The portion of the Main Unit from the northern boundary of the park
extending southward across Route 36 to the trace of the former Prince
George Court House Road, and extending westward to Harrison Creek.
The following sites and earthworks are found within the northeast
area:
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Plantations
and farms: Jordan (18c.-1864) and Friend house (18c.-20c.) sites, and
site marked "Gibbon" on the 1864 Union Engineer map (O.R.
Atlas 1864a) located on the low terrace below the 100 foot bluff. |
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Road
and railroad traces: boundary lane between Jordan and Friend sites;
traces of Jordan's Point and Prince George Court House roads; trace of
U. S. Military Rail Road from City Point to Union siege lines. |
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Confederate
earthworks and sites: Dimmock line batteries 4 through 9. |
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Union
earthworks: improvements to Dimmock batteries 5 and 8. |
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World
War I works: zig-zag trenches and bombproofs associated with Camp Lee
training facilities. |
Southeast: This area extends from the Prince George Court House Road trace to the
southern boundary of the park along Route 109, and west to Harrison Creek.
The following sites and earthworks are found in the southeast area:
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Plantations
and farms: Dunn (date?) and Gibbons (1856-1864) house sites. |
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Confederate
earthworks and sites: Dimmock line batteries 10-13. |
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Union
earthworks and sites: linear earthworks south of Gibbons site;
encampment areas west of Dimmock line batteries. |
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World
War I works: prepared encampment areas, World War I (and II?)
fortifications. |
Central: The central area consists of that portion of the Main Unit between
Harrison and Poor creeks.
The following sites and earthworks are found within this area:
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Plantations
and farms: Hare (18c.-1864) and Taylor house (c.1760-1864; reoccupied
into 20c.) sites. |
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Road
traces: portion of Prince George Court House Road and lane extending
southward toward former site of Shand house. |
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Confederate
earthworks and sites: remnant of Harrison Creek line and Colquitt's
and Gracie's salients of main line; Gracie's Salient actually is
located west of Poor Creek but is included within the central area due
to its physical proximity to Colquitt's Salient and Union Fort
Haskell. |
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Union
earthworks and sites: main siege line from Battery X and Fort Stedman
south to Battery XVI; assorted artillery emplacements and secondary
linear entrenchments between the park tour road and Harrison Creek;
possible encampment areas, particularly east of Battery XIII. |
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World
War I works: roads and possible encampment areas north of Prince
George Court House road and west of Harrison Creek. |
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Civilian
Conservation Corps: site of 1930s CCC Camp No. 1364 and concrete
structure north of Prince George Court House Road possibly associated
with CCC. |
Western: The westernmost portion of the Main Unit lies between Poor Creek and
the western boundary of the park along Crater Road.
The following sites and earthworks are found in the western area:
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Plantations
and farms: Griffith house site (1857-1864). |
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Road
traces: Sussex Road trace along southern boundary of park. |
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Railroad
trace: right-of-way through park for modern Norfolk and Western Rail
Road, using route established by Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad in
1850s on land purchased from William Byrd Taylor in 1856. |
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Confederate
earthworks and sites: trenches and rifle pits of main line west of
Poor Creek; the Crater (on site of Elliott's Salient); subterranean
remains of secondary trenches behind the Crater. |
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Union
earthworks and sites: subterranean front line trenches near Crater;
communication trenches to rear line near Taylor site; subterranean
mine tunnel leading to the Crater. |
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