The Fairfield Foundation has received a $25,000 matching grant from the Richard and Caroline T. Gwathmey Memorial Trust, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee, to construct an educational pavilion at Fairfield Archaeology Park and conduct pre-construction archaeological work on the site.

A release from the foundation said that the pavilion will facilitate the organization’s work with K-12 students, undergraduate and graduate interns and fellows, and others who participate in archaeological research.

At Fairfield, participants work with professional archaeologists to uncover past stories of Indigenous, European, and African people who once occupied this landscape, the release said.

“The goal of the structure is to provide a welcoming and comfortable location for learning and conversation,” said Thane Harpole, Fairfield co-director. The organization has been offering archaeology experiences at the site of the 1694 plantation manor, quarters, work yard, gardens and stables since 2000.

The shelter will be located near an area where quarters for enslaved people once stood and will promote dialogue about Virginia’s plantation system. Before construction, the area will be carefully excavated, and artifacts related to the people who lived there will reveal more about their history, the foundation said.

Fairfield Archaeology Park will be open to the public on Fridays during the spring.

For more information, email fairfield@fairfieldfoundation.org or call 804-815-4467.