Research Experience for Undergraduates at Elizabeth City State University in Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets in Ocean, Marine, and Polar Science
2014

Title: Ground Penetrating Radar Survey of Edenton Green for Early Structural Remains.

Keywords: GPR, DOQQ, Geo-registration

Abstract

The town of Edenton was established in 1712, however there are indications of earlier colonial presence, perhaps dating back to 1658.   The nearby Chowan River was a favored habitat of local Native-Americans for over 13,000 years. Recent excavation by a utility company on Edenton Green, unearthed the presence of a layer of thin red bricks, presumably the flooring or fireplace apron for a former structure at the site.  Local histories describe an official structure related to local government, perhaps a courthouse or contemporary jail that predates the current building located at the northernmost head of the Green and dates to 1767.  The thin nature of the bricks themselves seems to indicate a very early manufacture date that may correspond to Edenton’s founding.  Local historians and archaeologists have requested the assistance of Elizabeth City State University’s Center of Excellence in Remote Sensing Education and Research to determine the size and form of any artifacts or structural remains located below the Green’s surface that might be correlated with early records or histories of the town.  To accomplish this, early maps and aerial photos will be examined to determine whether Edenton Green was the site of more recent, post-colonial structures that are not now known.  Geo-registration with modern aerial Digital Ortho- Quarter Quad (DOQQ) imagery and high spatial resolution satellite imagery, if available, will be performed to establish, with high accuracy, the location of such structural remnants that may appear in old maps.  Once the presence or absence of post-colonial structural remains is determined, a geographically defined grid will be created on the Green to enable a ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey to be performed to examine and interpret its subsurface character. The digital results will be presented to appropriate town officials.