The Preservation Virginia archaeologists at Historic Jamestowne are currently excavating a well believed to be the well Captain John Smith ordered to be dug in James Fort. The well was completed in 1609 and probably went bad in 1610. It was then used as a trash pit, which has provided tens of thousand of 17th-century artifacts related to the earliest part of America's history. The archaeologists are now at the water table and up to their shins in muck as they work to complete the excavation and screen the muck for artifacts.

Please contact Senior Archaeologist Jamie May at jmay@preservationvirginia.org if you are interested.