We believe that the past is best understood through hands-on activities – by participating in discovering the lives of everyday people. Archaeology is the cornerstone of the Fairfield Foundation’s research and outreach activities. Our goal is to learn about the past through the physical examination of the landscape and the recovery of artifacts from every period of human occupation.
Preserving physical elements of the past is crucial to maintaining our community’s identity. Here at the Fairfield Foundation, we love sharing stories of history, as well as the buildings, landscapes, and archaeological sites that played witness to those stories. History creates a sense of belonging: a connection to those who have come before us and left their marks on our community. But in this constantly-changing world, history must be protected.
The Fairfield Foundation is dedicated to involving the community in our efforts to discover and preserve local history. We offer hands-on activities to people of all ages who want to experience an archaeological dig, get their hands dirty in the lab, or help to preserve and restore historic structures. Our outreach programs include public dig days at sites like Fairfield Plantation and New Quarter Park, preservation workshops, summer camps, cemetery clean-ups, and more! We also host public lab nights every Tuesday evening at the Center for Archaeology, Preservation and Education in Gloucester Courthouse.