"Civil War-era cedar log “corduroy road” found in Virgina" Topic
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| Tango01 | 30 Dec 2015 3:55 p.m. PST |
"A county construction crew in Fairfax County, Virginia, has unearthed a section of a rare Civil War-era cedar log highway. A crew from the Fairfax County Utilities Design and Construction Division (UDCD) was digging for a new road shoulder and sidewalk on Ox Road when workers found a layer of old macadam (a small stone aggregate road surface invented by John MacAdam in the 1820s). Beneath it was a line of cedar logs laid next to each other, a design known as a corduroy road because of its resemblance to the striated fabric. Ken Atkins, senior inspector for the UDCD and avid history buff, made sure the macadam stones were removed very carefully so as not to disturb the wood underneath. Atkins stopped excavation and alerted UDCD engineer Mohamed Kadasi who called the Fairfax County Park Authority's Cultural Resource Management and Protection Branch (CRMPB). They sent archaeologists to assess the site who confirmed that Mr. Atkins' instincts were spot-on. His cautious, thoughtful approach saved a very rare surviving historic Civil War road surface. Logs were a common road surface at the time, especially during the war when the constant tramping of Union and Confederate soldiers turned dirt roads into sucking mud pits. The CRMPB documented the site, taking photographs and planning a more thorough future recording of the historic road. When they were done for the day, Atkins covered the excavated trench with a steel plate to protect the cedar logs and keep members of the public from falling into the pit…"
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Armand |
| A P Hill | 30 Dec 2015 4:39 p.m. PST |
Very cool. Thanks for sharing. |
FusilierDan  | 30 Dec 2015 5:47 p.m. PST |
Good for him. how many others would have just kept on and destroyed or paved over it. |
 ColCampbell | 30 Dec 2015 7:39 p.m. PST |
Armand, Great find – thanks for posting. Eastern cedar, like its western cousins, is very rot resistant. Buried like this for almost 150 years, cut off from air, helped preserve it in this remarkable state. Too bad they had to cover it back again but at least they have "preserved" it digitally for future historic uses. Jim |
| 79thPA | 30 Dec 2015 9:40 p.m. PST |
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| john lacour | 30 Dec 2015 9:43 p.m. PST |
Quick! Destroy it, a REBEL general may have walked on it… |
| John the Greater | 31 Dec 2015 7:58 a.m. PST |
The discovery is about 20 minutes from my house. This definitely made the news around here. |
| Tango01 | 31 Dec 2015 11:13 a.m. PST |
Glad you enjoyed it boys!. (smile) John… have to take your pics?? (smile) Amicalement
Armand |
| Baranovich | 31 Dec 2015 12:50 p.m. PST |
That is just fantastic…a piece of tangible history that Civil War soldiers most likely actually marched over! |
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completes a Confederate river ironclad.
