Colonial Williamsburg Research Division Web Site

James Wray Site: Archaeological Excavations at the James Wray Site

by Jameson Harwood, Julie Richter, and Tom Goyens

(Author’s Note: The section on carpentry, timberyards, and tools was condensed from Gaynor and Hagedorn 1993; Marzio 1972; and Poirier 2001.)

In October 2002, Colonial Williamsburg archaeologists completed a nine-month excavation at the James Wray Site prior to the construction of a parking facility for the City of Williamsburg. The archaeological evidence spans the centuries from seventeenth-century Middle Plantation to the modern era. The archaeological research, in conjunction with historical documents such as maps, deeds, accounts, and inventories, are beginning to elucidate the rich and varied history of the artisan activities undertaken at the Wray Site during the eighteenth century.

Depiction of completed parking garage.