Arlington Public Library, Center for Local History
Arlington Public Library, Center for Local History© 2020 Arlington Public Library, Center for Local History
Heather Crocetto
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Archeological Investigation of Fort C. F. Smith, Collection # RG 1, Arlington Public Library, Center for Local History
Donated by the Arlington County Community Improvement Division of the Department of Community Planning, Housing and Development in August 1989.
Fort C. F. Smith was an important part of the Civil War defenses for the City of Washington. It stood on a bluff overlooking the Potomac River near the Aqueduct Bridge on the road to Chain Bridge. Its purpose was to cut off hostile advances up the Potomac River, and was considered to be an excellent example of a semi-permanent field fort.
RG 1, Archeological Investigation of Fort C. F. Smith, consists of one notebook containing the report by Engineering Science, Inc., to Arlington County, Division of Community Improvement, dated July 1987, and measures .5 linear feet. The study was conducted in cooperation with the Arlington County Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board and the Arlington County Community Improvement Division. This investigation was undertaken to locate and identify any archeological artifacts, both prehistoric and historic, east of the fort on land which was to be developed.
RG 1 consists of one notebook containing the narrative description of the investigation, a complete list of artifacts, photographs of some of the artifacts, a few maps and a small section describing the claim of the Jewell family for compensation for personal property after the end of the Civil War.