Residents of Gloucester and Mathews counties are proud of their hometowns. And rightly so.

There is something about our area: the waterfront, friendly people, the old buildings. When you go away and come back home again, that feeling tugs at your emotions. It’s called “sense of place.”

Perhaps everyone feels something similar, but Gloucester, which included Mathews until 1791, really is a very special place. When the English arrived in 1607, this was the home and headquarters of Chief Powhatan. Today, Werowocomoco is one of the most significant archaeological sites in North America. During the colonial period, Gloucester experienced its Golden Age and was the most populous county in the Virginia colony. As a result, the wealthiest people had large plantations and houses built for them.

These days, with another spurt of population growth happening all around, our rich sense of place is threatened. Fairfield Foundation to the rescue!

This archaeology, preservation, and educa...