ARCHAEOLOGICAL, STRUCTURAL AND GEOTECHNICAL PROJECTS FOR CASEMATE MUSEUM HISTORIC STRUCTURE REPORT

Archaeological excavations currently underway will provide valuable information on areas of Fort Monroe’s fortifications used by the Casemate Museum.  This project will address water infiltration and building deterioration.

The Fort Monroe Authority and the National Park Service, with funding from the Office of Economic Adjustment of the United States Department of Defense, NPS and the Commonwealth of Virginia, are conducting a comprehensive investigation into the Casemate Museum facilities.  Principal investigators from the National Park Service are recording the historical use and development of the property, current conditions, and preparing recommendations for the use  and long-term treatment of the site.

The archaeological work is near sensitive historic properties including historic gun positions and the Pet Cemetery.  Work sites were chosen with great care to avoid potential harm.  The area is closed to the public during the project and is an archaeological site on state land protected by the Virginia Antiquities Act.

FMA Casemate Museum and Heritage Assets Department personnel continuously monitor interior structural and environmental conditions.  Monitoring devices are placed throughout the museum in the galleries, offices and storage areas.

Guided tours of the excavation areas will be offered on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during the project duration.  Tours will begin at the Casemate Museum exit and will last about 1 hour. No reservations are required.   We look forward to telling you more during a visit!

HISTORIC STRUCTURES REPORT–STRUCTURAL MONITORING AND TESTING AT THE CASEMATE MUSEUM

As part of a the continuing partnership between the Fort Monroe Authority, the National Park Service’s Fort Monroe National Monument, and the Department of Defense, the Historic Architecture, Conservation & Engineering (HACE) Center for the Northeast Region of the National Park Service will be working on the completion of a Historic Structure Report (HSR) for the Fort Monroe Authority’s Casemate Museum from May 2014 through June 2015, utilizing grant funding from the Department of Defense’s Office of Economic Adjustment. The HSR will provide the Fort Monroe Authority with a comprehensive understanding of the Casemate Museum and Archives section of the fortifications that will be critical to addressing ongoing structural and aesthetic issues in a manner sensitive to the historic fabric and character of the Fort Monroe National Monument and National Historic Landmark.

Key sections of the HSR will:

• Describe the general history of Fort Monroe and the people and events that make the fort a National Historic Landmark, paying particular attention to the history of the casemates in the context of Fort Monroe.
• Focus on the construction of the casemates, modifications and alterations to the structures, and the historical use of the casemates, with particular attention to the Casemate Museum and Archives.
• Focus on the investigation, documentation, and description of the physical elements and characteristics of the Casemate Museum and Archives, discussing the existing conditions and historical integrity of the structures and their architectural elements
• Provide a systematic assessment of material and component deterioration and performance, structural behavior, and interior environmental issues, with classification of condition and treatment priority.
• Provide recommended remedial treatment(s) and impacts related to historic fabric and occupancy requirements in compliance with The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and National Park Service Director’s Order 28: Cultural Resource Management Guideline.

In order to gather crucial structural and environmental data necessary for the systematic assessment described for the HSR, HACE staff has and will continue to install and monitor a variety of measuring and diagnostic equipment, including crack monitors mounted to walls and ceilings. HACE staff will also utilize limited materials sampling methods for laboratory analysis of material compositions and strengths, working with Casemate Museum and Archive management and staff to minimize the visual impacts of these samples and the disruption to both museum operations and visitor experience. Stay tuned for further information as the HSR investigation process unfolds over the next twelve months.

[maxbutton id=”4″] [maxbutton id=”1″] [maxbutton id=”3″]