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Taking control of their story is important to Davis and his
congregation. He and his parishioners want to know more about the
people who persisted in the pursuit of their faith.
“These are people who never gave up on their God,” he said. “They
never gave up on their country. We have to look back to gain wisdom.
“We want to help tell the story of people who were brought here …
and in spite of it all, people who wanted to be part of this democracy.
They want equality under the law. We want what America has to offer.
That’s why people come here.”
The Foundation plans to reconstruct the original church structure
and open it to the public by the fall of 2026 to coincide with the 250th
anniversary of the congregation’s founding in 1776. When it opens, it
will not require an admission ticket to ensure that this vital piece of the
First Baptist Church community’s story remains accessible to all.
“The history of this congregation is a story that deserves to be at the
forefront of our interpretation and education
efforts,” said Fleet. “We are honored to play a part in
Artifacts unearthed at the historic site of First Baptist bringing that story to light.”
Church’s first permanent location in Williamsburg,
Virginia, during processing in Colonial Williamsburg’s Evaluating History
Archaeology Lab. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
From start to finish, the First Baptist Church
project followed the lead of the contemporary First
In October 2021, after a year of excavation, Baptist Church congregation and the broader
Gary and his team announced the discovery of a descendant community.
small brick building foundation that sat along- Bobby Braxton, former city councilman and
side a brick paving and on top of a layer of soil longtime community activist, said he made near-
that dated to the early 1800s. In addition to the daily visits to the Nassau Street site as the work
foundations of buildings, the team found what progressed so he can see the discoveries for himself.
appeared to be steps and brickbats, which may His interest is understandable. He also serves on the
have indicated a path to the street. First Baptist Church’s history committee.
Additional archaeological evidence, including “I don’t understand [the archaeologists’] business,
an 1817 coin and a straight pin discovered under but they get so much excitement about it, and when
the paving, indicated that the foundation was they explain it, you get caught up in it too,” Braxton
constructed sometime in the first quarter of the said. “To say it’s exciting – that’s putting it mildly.”
19th century. Tax records suggest that by 1818, Harshaw said families who have long been
the congregation was worshipping on the site in members of the church are especially involved in the
a building known as the Baptist Meeting House, project. “One of the things we’ve done for Nassau
and, in all likelihood, the congregation’s first Remnants of brick paving at the historical Street is involved the descendant community,”
permanent structure. site of the first permanent location of Harshaw said. “What do you want the nation to
Williamsburg’s First Baptist Church. know about this sacred space?”
The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation The excavation comes at a pivotal time in the
The Congregation Links to its Past American conversation about race. Harshaw and Davis see an
“The early history of our congregation, beginning with enslaved and opportunity to contribute to that conversation.
free Blacks gathering outdoors in secret in 1776, has always been a part “Right now, as we talk about the timing for this, there is no better
of who we are as a community. To see it unearthed—to see the actual time in history than now to do this,” Harshaw said. “This is a national
bricks of that original foundation and the outline of the place where our treasure. It’s not just a church. It’s something that should be shared
ancestors worshipped—brings that history to life and makes that piece with the nation.”
of our identity tangible,” said Dr. Reginald Davis, pastor of the First Sharing the church with the nation also means sharing an
Baptist Church. uncomfortable chapter in the country’s past. But without confronting
Over the course of the excavation process, archaeologists also
discovered a total of 63 burials on the site. At the request of the First it and acknowledging the wrongs of slavery, Davis said, there can be no
reconciliation.
Baptist Church descendant community, archaeologists excavated three “We have not gotten rid of ghosts of the past,” he said. “We want
grave shafts over the summer of 2022, launching an extensive process to to move to a future that is bright. The beauty of adversity is something
unearth information about who was buried there and the lives they led. that ought to be celebrated not tolerated.”
In April 2023, experts from Colonial Williamsburg, William &
Mary, and the University of Connecticut presented the results of the
archaeological, osteological, and DNA analyses of three burials excavated A version of this
at the site of the church’s original structure. Combined, the evidence article first
confirmed that the individuals buried there are the ancestors of the First appeared in the
Baptist Church community, which extends well beyond the current winter 2021 issue
Scotland Street congregation. of Trend and
“This is what we were praying that we would hear,” said Harshaw. Tradition.
“To know for certain that these are our people and that this was our
congregation is such a powerful step forward in the ongoing work of
reconstructing our history and telling a more complete story.”

Williamsburg’s historic
Let the Analysis of the Discoveries Begin First Baptist Church,
While the excavation of the site is now concluded, the work continues. present day, on
Archaeologists will now turn their attention to the lab where they Scotland Street
will analyze the over 200,000 artifacts found at the site in search of First Baptist Church
additional clues about the lives of the people who worshipped there.

34 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles