Existing comment:
Historical Archeology at Emory Church
Fort Stevens and the Development of Brightwood
What remains of Fort Stevens? Archeology of the Civil War
Fort Construction on the Emory Church Property, 1861-1862
Archeologists are searching for portions of Civil War fortifications that have survived under the ground at the Emory Church property. These include portions of the defensive earthen walls of the fort, and a bombproof magazine that once stood underneath the current stone church.
The Seventh Street Turnpike (Georgia Avenue) was fortified as part of the defense of Washington during the Civil War. Fort Stevens, originally called Fort Massachusetts, was built on the property of Emory Methodist Church in 1861. The fort was enlarged over the later part of 1862, expanding west onto property of Elizabeth Thomas and her family.
Built from brick in 1856, Emory Church stood within Fort Massachusetts until it was demolished during the 1862 expansion, to enlarge the bombproof magazine in this section of the fort. A portion of this magazine, as well as the defensive earthworks north and east of the church, remain intact under the ground and are one focus of the archeological research taking place during the autumn of 2016.
Refugees, Contrabands, and Shelter at Fort Stevens:
During the Civil War, enslaved people escaped to Union fortifications for protection. Fort Stevens and nearby Camp Brightwood were no exception. African-American refugees, referred to as "contrabands" if escaping from states in rebellion, were sheltered and employed by soldiers at Camp Brightwood, and in some instances left with them when Union troops moved to other theaters in the war.
Adequate shelter, for families and individuals, is an immense problem in the District of Columbia and the Brightwood neighborhood today. The Beacon Center of the Emory Fellowship will soon be under construction, observes this legacy by providing shelter and services, as part of its core mission. |