COASTAL LAND TRUST SAVES “SITE X”

SALMON CREEK and Site X
Where Natural and Cultural History Converge

“This is one of the most exciting things I’ve heard about in a long time,” stated Alan Craig, as he listened to Clay Swindell, an archaeologist with the Museum of the Albemarle, explain the possible significance of a fragment of pottery he held in his hand. Alan, one of the Coastal Land Trust’s Conservation Ambassadors (advisors), along with Board members and staff took a tour of a 1,000-acre property in Bertie County in May, 2017.

Michael Flannelly, one of the property owners, guided half the group on a boat trip along 3.5 miles of Salmon Creek, the property’s southern boundary. While Michael and his group observed an impressive array of wildlife, Bald Eagle, Wood Ducks, Prothonotary Warblers, along a scenic backdrop of towering cypress trees, the others stood with Clay on another portion of the property transfixed on the pottery shard. Clay explained that on this point of land situated at the confluence of the Chowan River and Salmon Creek, archaeologists such as himself and Dr. Nicholas Luccketti, with James River Institute for Archaeology and the First Colony Foundation, have uncovered artifacts that may reveal clues to a 400+year old mystery – the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island.

Excavation work on this site, now known as “Site X,” has revealed not only numerous Native Algonkin artifacts, but also English artifacts attributable to the pre-Colonial period and indicative of settlement by the Roanoke colonists, such as Surrey-Hampshire English Border Ware (e.g., the pottery shard). Based on the archaeological findings, historical site description, documentary and cartographic (John White’s c. 1585-1587 Virginea Pars map) evidence, First Colony Foundation believes this is where a group of survivors from the Lost Colony may have relocated after arriving at Roanoke Island in 1587.

Why does Clay believe that the pottery found at Site X was from the Lost Colonists versus later settlers to the area? He pointed out that “the pottery is a good time marker because the English supplier changed in the 1620’s making it easy to distinguish between older and newer makes.” And this early English pottery has only been discovered at a few sites— Roanoke Island, Jamestown, and Site X—centuries after the colonists disappeared. Could the pottery simply have been traded with Native Americans? Not likely, according to Clay, as Native Americans made their own pottery. Other artifacts discovered at Site X such as a 3-inch aglet (covers the end of a 16th Century shoelace), a Snapuance Firing Pan (a type of flint lock) and pieces of North Devon plain baluster jars (used to preserve dried fish or other perishables on a sea voyage), also serve as indicators of the early colonists’ presence according to the archaeologists.

Equally intriguing is Site X’s location in relation to Roanoke Island where the 117 colonists first landed with Colonial Governor John White. Site X is a finger of mainland that juts into the Chowan River at Salmon Creek and lies approximately 55 miles from Roanoke Island. John White, who mapped this region from an earlier exploratory expedition in 1584, advised the colonists to be prepared “to remove from Roanoak 50 miles into the maine” prior to his setting sail back to England for much needed supplies.

A SECRET HIDDEN IN A MAP

And there is the 2012 British Museum’s discovery (using X-ray spectroscopy and other light imaging technology) of a hidden fort symbol located under a patch on John White’s map at this general area suggesting possible plans for an English settlement there. Finally, the Chowanokes, Native Americans living along the western bank of the Chowan River, were apparently friendly to the colonists. A Chowanoke village, Metacuuem (Metaquem), was believed to have been situated on this very property along Salmon Creek. Would it not make sense for the beleaguered and poorly provisioned colonists to seek refuge in a place previously known to John White and where potentially helpful Native Americans were thriving?

While theories abound as to what happened to the Lost Colonists of Roanoke, the First Colony Foundation believes their case is convincing that some of the survivors came to Site X for an uncertain period of time. They agree more evidence is needed.

First Colony Foundation’s archaeological work at Site X was initiated in 2007 as part of due diligence work by the owners who were planning a large-scale development of the property. The mantra of many real estate developers is “location, location, location;” and this property is uniquely situated. Across the river from the historic Town of Edenton, easy access to Highway 17, scenic deepwater access on Salmon Creek and the Chowan River, as well as considerable high, dry and developable ground are the many amenities of this 1,000+acre property. With permits in hand for 2,800 residential units and a 212-slip marina, the owners planned a major development in 2006, but the economic recession put plans on hold. As the real estate market continued to struggle up through 2016, Michael Flannelly, a real estate broker by trade but a history buff by heart, decided to reach out to the Coastal Land Trust in hopes of recouping some of the owner’s investment while also realizing his dream that at least some of the land, Site X in particular, might be permanently conserved.

COASTAL LAND TRUST VISITS SITE X

“Exciting indeed!” thought Lee Leidy and Janice Allen of the Coastal Land Trust who visited the property in July 2016 then quickly reached out to possible partners that might assist with an acquisition strategy, namely, Misty Buchanan, Executive Director of NC Natural Heritage Program, who advocated for protection of the mature cypress-gum swamp and bottomland hardwood wetland forests along Salmon Creek that their biologists recognized as a state significant natural heritage area; Denise Evans, of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base (SJAFB), who identified the property as being within a mission essential training route that leads to the Dare County Bombing Range, SJAFB’s primary training range for F-15E aircraft crews; State Parks Director, Mike Murphy, who was hooked on the property after visiting in November 2016 and said State Parks would like to own and manage it as a new State Natural Area, pending approval of enabling legislation; and Bertie County Manager, Scott Sauer, who expressed his enthusiastic support as he saw a future ecotourism destination with a concurrent economic boon to this Tier 1 County. A plan developed.

MOVING QUICKLY TO SAVE SITE X

At the Coastal Land Trust’s May 4th, 2017 Board meeting, staff presented a proposal for the land trust to purchase the property which included raising a combination of private, state and federal funds. The property would then be transferred to State Parks and managed as a new State Natural Area open to the public for historic and ecological interpretation as well as opportunities for passive recreation (hiking, canoeing/kayaking).

However, unlike Coastal Land Trust’s typical low risk business model of purchasing land after all grant funds were in hand (up to a 2-year process), staff proposed a new paradigm–act quickly and take out a loan. Staff had already reached out to The Conservation Fund (TCF) and gotten official approval for a multi-million dollar loan in April 2017, subject to Board approval. After much lively discussion, the Board voted unanimously to proceed with the acquisition. And with the assistance of a TCF loan and a $200,000 grant from the Enviva Forest Conservation Fund, the Coastal Land Trust moved ahead and on August 30, purchased the 1,000+acre property! Now, the work begins to pay back the loan (with interest) so that the property may be transferred to the State to officially become the Salmon Creek Natural Area.