Old Town of Yorktown: Being an Exploration of Its Potentialities for Historical-Architectural Restoration-Reconstruction-Clearance
Good AH. 1940. Old Town of Yorktown: Being an Exploration of Its Potentialities for Historical-Architectural Restoration-Reconstruction-Clearance. Historic Structure Report. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Branch of Plans and Design
This report was prepared with knowledge that a report covering Revolutionary fortifications in and around Yorktown was in preparation, and it was the intention that the reports would be circulated simultaneously since the Yorktown of 1781 and the fortifications in and around it were closely related. The purpose of developing both reports is the acquisition of property for a restoration-reconstruction-clearance program for Old Yorktown. The exploration considers the conflicting options of the restoration of nearby Colonial Williamsburg, a reason to set definite limits on any historical-architectural program for Old Yorktown. The following objectives are offered: 1) preservation and restoration of surviving structures from the time of the 1781 Siege; 2) legitimate reconstruction on early foundations of structures that existed in 1781, where the above-ground character can be established; 3) exposure and stabilization or a meticulous tracing of foundations when there is lack of data to justify reconstruction; 4) tempered demolition of post-period construction within defined limits; 5) new construction "in the period" within defined limits to give an approximation of the community's extent; and 6) dating and labeling structures. The report defines priority areas for those objectives, compared to federal land ownership as of January 1, 1940. A brief description is given for each Old Town lot within the proposed zones (first priority, second priority, waterfront) with accompanying photographs.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Good, Albert
- Date of Issue
- 1940-04-15
- Publisher
- U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Branch of Plans and Design
- Units
- COLO , NER
- Keywords
- Ambler House, architectural foundation, church, Civil War, Colonial Parkway, courthouse, customhouse, DAR, Digges House, federal ownership, fortification, foundations, land acquisition, Lightfoot House, Mathew Brady, medical shop, reconstruction, restoration, Revolutionary Period, Sessions House, shop, Siege, surrender, Swan Tavern, Thomas Nelson House, Waterfront, West House, Williamsburg