Flood damages occur when just one inch of water enters a residential household and models of floo... more Flood damages occur when just one inch of water enters a residential household and models of flood damage estimation are sensitive to first-floor elevation (FFE). The current sources for FFEs consist of costly survey-based elevation certificates (ECs) or assumptions based on year built, foundation type, and flood zone. We sought to address these limitations by establishing the role of an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) to efficiently derive accurate FFEs. Four residential communities within Galveston Island, Texas were selected to assess efficient flight parameters required for UAS photogrammetry within the built environment. A real-time kinematic positioning enabled (RTK) UAS was then used to gather georeferenced aerial imagery and create detailed 3D photogrammetric models with ±0.02 m horizontal and ±0.05 m vertical accuracies. From these residential models, FFEs and other structural measurements present in traditional ECs were obtained. Comparative statistical analyses were performed using the UAS-based measurements and traditional EC measurements. UAS based FFE measurements achieved 0.16 m mean absolute error (MAE) across all comparative observations and were not statistically different from traditional EC measures. We conclude the RTK enabled UAS approach is an efficient, cost-effective method in establishing accurate FFEs and other flood-sensitive measures in residential communities.
APT Bulletin: The Journal of Preservation Technology , 2020
This article evaluates the use of digital and analog documentation
approaches to better understan... more This article evaluates the use of digital and analog documentation approaches to better understand their impact on the interpretive and recording processes.
Heritage Justice in the Greater Caribbean is a vital component of the region’s sustainable develo... more Heritage Justice in the Greater Caribbean is a vital component of the region’s sustainable development. Its Early Modern heritage is inextricably linked to the brutal regimes of European colonial expansion that enslaved African and Indigenous populations. Equitable and inclusive narratives, set within a framework of heritage justice, sit uneasily within the tourism landscape and are often erased or hidden in favor of histories that celebrate White colonial achievement. This article examines the port towns of St. George’s Bermuda, and Falmouth, Jamaica, to explore how policies and priorities of heritage tourism and conservation practices, are used to exclude, erase, and diminish the contributions of communities of African descent, their material histories, and disconnect communities from tourism economies. The discussion argues for a more inclusive and equitable approach to heritage tourism that champions heritage justice for under-represented communities. Ultimately, this discussion calls for a transformation of heritage, preservation policy, and tourism in the Greater Caribbean.
Digital technology is transformative for preservation documentation projects and has the potentia... more Digital technology is transformative for preservation documentation projects and has the potential to expand research and teaching in diverse areas of the discipline. As its use grows, it is critical to understand how the scholarly community is deploying the various aspects of this technology. This article provides a snapshot of the state of digital documentation in historic preservation research and education in the twenty-first century and unpacks the programmatic and philosophical implications of these techniques for the field. It outlines the various deployments of digital documentation in historic preservation curricula through an intensive survey of NCPE-registered programs and highlights key areas of applied research where digital technology enhances interpretations and deliverables. The conclusion calls for a critical discussion of the principles of digital documentation in historic preservation. This discussion begins a dialogue about dynamic and flexible best practices in digital documentation deployment in research and education, as these technologies become more accessible to academic programs and preservation practitioners in the years ahead.
The Santee storm towers were a resilience strategy of early nineteenth-century rice planters of t... more The Santee storm towers were a resilience strategy of early nineteenth-century rice planters of the Carolina Lowcountry. Constructed sometime after a devastating hurricane in 1822, these cylindrical masonry towers with conical roofs were designed to protect the enslaved workforce living in the rice fields during tropical systems. More than altruistic, the planters' motives were economic. The storm towers were a manifestation of the desire to protect assets of labor and infrastructure in Lowcountry plantation culture; without the labor of enslaved Africans, planters lacked the vehicles to their Rice Kingdom wealth. This article details recent architectural research on the Santee Towers, explores their construction, and contextualizes them as materializations of environmental hazard planning in the British Atlantic world.
Archaeology is ideally suited for examining the deep roots of urbanism, its materialization and p... more Archaeology is ideally suited for examining the deep roots of urbanism, its materialization and physicality, and the commonalities and variability in urban experiences cross-culturally and temporally. We propose that the significant advances archaeologists have made in situating the discipline within broader urban studies could be furthered through increased dialog between scholars working on urbanism during prehistoric and historical periods, as a means of bridging concerns in the study of the past and present. We review some major themes in urban studies by presenting archaeological cases from two areas of the Americas: central Mexico and Atlantic North America. Our cases span premodern and early modern periods, and three of the four covered in greatest depth live on as cities of today. Comparison of the cases highlights the complementarity of their primary datasets: the long developmental trajectories and relatively intact urban plans offered by many prehistoric cities, and the rich documentary sources offered by historic cities.
Situated some 600 mi (965 km) east of North Carolina, the island of Bermuda is Britain's oldest s... more Situated some 600 mi (965 km) east of North Carolina, the island of Bermuda is Britain's oldest surviving colony. While much of the British Empire has been dismantled, Bermuda remains within the Imperial fold, and is today designated a BBritish overseas territory.^ Within this framework, Bermuda's heritage tourism landscape perpetuates an institutionally imposed colonialist narrative that neglects to explore the contributions of the island's under-represented communities. This article explores these issues with respect to the island's tourism plan. It concludes by highlighting new archaeological research centered on the material lives of enslaved Bermudians.
Emerging digital documentation technologies facilitate conservation assessments of historic sites... more Emerging digital documentation technologies facilitate conservation assessments of historic sites and structures. What we term 'hybrid methodologies', these approaches merge traditional onsite inspection and conservation analyses with the new digital abilities to analyse and visualize historic structures. To explore these new approaches, Clemson conservators undertook concurrent digital documentation and conditions assessment at Old Sheldon Church Ruins in Yemassee, South Carolina. The site was laser scanned using a FARO Focus 330 system which accurately and efficiently documented both the ruins' form and existing conditions. The system merged raw point cloud data with high resolution color photographs, resulting in a colorized 3D model that is accurate within two millimeters. At the same time conservators identified and notated mortar campaigns through on-site visual inspection. In all, eight separate mortar campaigns were identified that were then mapped onto the 3D model. Laboratory analysis of samples identified as the earliest lime mortar campaign found on site was conducted. The laboratory process included standard acid wash and optical microscopy analysis. This hybrid process combines standard analysis and assessment procedures with cutting-edge digital technologies that pushes the field of historic mortar analysis forward.
Flood damages occur when just one inch of water enters a residential household and models of floo... more Flood damages occur when just one inch of water enters a residential household and models of flood damage estimation are sensitive to first-floor elevation (FFE). The current sources for FFEs consist of costly survey-based elevation certificates (ECs) or assumptions based on year built, foundation type, and flood zone. We sought to address these limitations by establishing the role of an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) to efficiently derive accurate FFEs. Four residential communities within Galveston Island, Texas were selected to assess efficient flight parameters required for UAS photogrammetry within the built environment. A real-time kinematic positioning enabled (RTK) UAS was then used to gather georeferenced aerial imagery and create detailed 3D photogrammetric models with ±0.02 m horizontal and ±0.05 m vertical accuracies. From these residential models, FFEs and other structural measurements present in traditional ECs were obtained. Comparative statistical analyses were performed using the UAS-based measurements and traditional EC measurements. UAS based FFE measurements achieved 0.16 m mean absolute error (MAE) across all comparative observations and were not statistically different from traditional EC measures. We conclude the RTK enabled UAS approach is an efficient, cost-effective method in establishing accurate FFEs and other flood-sensitive measures in residential communities.
APT Bulletin: The Journal of Preservation Technology , 2020
This article evaluates the use of digital and analog documentation
approaches to better understan... more This article evaluates the use of digital and analog documentation approaches to better understand their impact on the interpretive and recording processes.
Heritage Justice in the Greater Caribbean is a vital component of the region’s sustainable develo... more Heritage Justice in the Greater Caribbean is a vital component of the region’s sustainable development. Its Early Modern heritage is inextricably linked to the brutal regimes of European colonial expansion that enslaved African and Indigenous populations. Equitable and inclusive narratives, set within a framework of heritage justice, sit uneasily within the tourism landscape and are often erased or hidden in favor of histories that celebrate White colonial achievement. This article examines the port towns of St. George’s Bermuda, and Falmouth, Jamaica, to explore how policies and priorities of heritage tourism and conservation practices, are used to exclude, erase, and diminish the contributions of communities of African descent, their material histories, and disconnect communities from tourism economies. The discussion argues for a more inclusive and equitable approach to heritage tourism that champions heritage justice for under-represented communities. Ultimately, this discussion calls for a transformation of heritage, preservation policy, and tourism in the Greater Caribbean.
Digital technology is transformative for preservation documentation projects and has the potentia... more Digital technology is transformative for preservation documentation projects and has the potential to expand research and teaching in diverse areas of the discipline. As its use grows, it is critical to understand how the scholarly community is deploying the various aspects of this technology. This article provides a snapshot of the state of digital documentation in historic preservation research and education in the twenty-first century and unpacks the programmatic and philosophical implications of these techniques for the field. It outlines the various deployments of digital documentation in historic preservation curricula through an intensive survey of NCPE-registered programs and highlights key areas of applied research where digital technology enhances interpretations and deliverables. The conclusion calls for a critical discussion of the principles of digital documentation in historic preservation. This discussion begins a dialogue about dynamic and flexible best practices in digital documentation deployment in research and education, as these technologies become more accessible to academic programs and preservation practitioners in the years ahead.
The Santee storm towers were a resilience strategy of early nineteenth-century rice planters of t... more The Santee storm towers were a resilience strategy of early nineteenth-century rice planters of the Carolina Lowcountry. Constructed sometime after a devastating hurricane in 1822, these cylindrical masonry towers with conical roofs were designed to protect the enslaved workforce living in the rice fields during tropical systems. More than altruistic, the planters' motives were economic. The storm towers were a manifestation of the desire to protect assets of labor and infrastructure in Lowcountry plantation culture; without the labor of enslaved Africans, planters lacked the vehicles to their Rice Kingdom wealth. This article details recent architectural research on the Santee Towers, explores their construction, and contextualizes them as materializations of environmental hazard planning in the British Atlantic world.
Archaeology is ideally suited for examining the deep roots of urbanism, its materialization and p... more Archaeology is ideally suited for examining the deep roots of urbanism, its materialization and physicality, and the commonalities and variability in urban experiences cross-culturally and temporally. We propose that the significant advances archaeologists have made in situating the discipline within broader urban studies could be furthered through increased dialog between scholars working on urbanism during prehistoric and historical periods, as a means of bridging concerns in the study of the past and present. We review some major themes in urban studies by presenting archaeological cases from two areas of the Americas: central Mexico and Atlantic North America. Our cases span premodern and early modern periods, and three of the four covered in greatest depth live on as cities of today. Comparison of the cases highlights the complementarity of their primary datasets: the long developmental trajectories and relatively intact urban plans offered by many prehistoric cities, and the rich documentary sources offered by historic cities.
Situated some 600 mi (965 km) east of North Carolina, the island of Bermuda is Britain's oldest s... more Situated some 600 mi (965 km) east of North Carolina, the island of Bermuda is Britain's oldest surviving colony. While much of the British Empire has been dismantled, Bermuda remains within the Imperial fold, and is today designated a BBritish overseas territory.^ Within this framework, Bermuda's heritage tourism landscape perpetuates an institutionally imposed colonialist narrative that neglects to explore the contributions of the island's under-represented communities. This article explores these issues with respect to the island's tourism plan. It concludes by highlighting new archaeological research centered on the material lives of enslaved Bermudians.
Emerging digital documentation technologies facilitate conservation assessments of historic sites... more Emerging digital documentation technologies facilitate conservation assessments of historic sites and structures. What we term 'hybrid methodologies', these approaches merge traditional onsite inspection and conservation analyses with the new digital abilities to analyse and visualize historic structures. To explore these new approaches, Clemson conservators undertook concurrent digital documentation and conditions assessment at Old Sheldon Church Ruins in Yemassee, South Carolina. The site was laser scanned using a FARO Focus 330 system which accurately and efficiently documented both the ruins' form and existing conditions. The system merged raw point cloud data with high resolution color photographs, resulting in a colorized 3D model that is accurate within two millimeters. At the same time conservators identified and notated mortar campaigns through on-site visual inspection. In all, eight separate mortar campaigns were identified that were then mapped onto the 3D model. Laboratory analysis of samples identified as the earliest lime mortar campaign found on site was conducted. The laboratory process included standard acid wash and optical microscopy analysis. This hybrid process combines standard analysis and assessment procedures with cutting-edge digital technologies that pushes the field of historic mortar analysis forward.
Architectures of Slavery: Ruins & Reconstructions, 2020
Natchez, Mississippi, arguably boasts the largest concentration of surviving dependencies associa... more Natchez, Mississippi, arguably boasts the largest concentration of surviving dependencies associated with enslaved life in North America. Unlike the more typical urban- or plantation-based spatial patterning, Natchez and the surrounding estates of Adams County present an idiosyncratic suburban model of 19th-century life. The surviving built environment, construction, circulation systems, and architectural finishes indexes a focus on hospitality, entertainment, and commensality without an underlying adjacent plantation economy.
This paper first presents the results of the pilot survey from thirty-six sites from Natchez and Adams County interpreting the ways that the architectures of enslavement reinforced this hospitality-centric life. This venture is being undertaken as a joint research project by Texas A&M University, the Historic Natchez Foundation, the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, and Natchez National Historical Park.
Second, we present the first draft of a systematic framework for the recording of the dwellings of enslaved persons in the Western Hemisphere. This framework, once deployed in a database, will provide the first means to undertake comparative, inter-site analysis of vernacular buildings. Still too, this database will provide open access to building information to owners, stakeholders, and interested publics through a web portal. Building on this pilot data, the project hopes to build a wider and comparative dataset to better understand the myriad parameters of the historic built environment.
Archaeologists and architectural historians have long argued that Charleston's Town Houses and ur... more Archaeologists and architectural historians have long argued that Charleston's Town Houses and urban landscapes were social stages for the Lowcountry's gentry classes. But beyond their roles as socio-cultural theaters, cities and town played myriad economic, symbolic, and defensive roles in early modern colonial society. The challenge is understanding the intersection of these interpretive themes as realized through material cultural and the built environment. To begin to formulate more complicated understandings of Greater Caribbean urban landscapes, this paper takes a wider view of Charleston's urban landscape through a comparative dialogue with its contemporary British colonial towns in the region. By examining port towns such as St. George's, Bermuda, and Bridgetown, Barbados within the frame of Charleston, scholars can come to be a deeper understanding of not only the varying roles of urban landscapes but also their material connections in the Greater Caribbean region.
At the end of September 1822, a devastating hurricane slammed into the Carolina Coast. Making lan... more At the end of September 1822, a devastating hurricane slammed into the Carolina Coast. Making landfall just south of Georgetown South Carolina, the storm devastated the Santee Delta, an area encompassing some forty-six rice plantations. Newspaper accounts relay the level of complete devastation inflicted on the built environment. In these accounts, particular note was made of the deaths of dozens of enslaved Africans who were forced to ride out the tempest in their isolated settlements on the river delta. In response, planters constructed a series of circular masonry ‘storm towers’ to protect the lives of thesurviving enslaved Africans–lives they viewed purely as labor. These structures were a unique response to the historic climatological conditions of the region. Now neglected and unmanaged, the storm towers were recorded using traditional field techniques as well as new digital technologies. They were then reconstructed in a virtual environment to better understand how they were sited within the natural landscape of the Delta, and the built environment of the enslaved settlements. This paper explores the historical context of Santee Delta Storm Towers, and interprets their existence within the vernacular architecture of the wider Greater Caribbean. It charts their construction as an environmental response by plantation owners as well as their regional architectural precedent. This initial fieldwork anchors a wider project to understand the architectures of enslavement in the Santee Delta; a built environment currently under threat from rising sea levels and increasing number of hurricanes.
Flood damages occur when just one inch of water enters a residential household and models of floo... more Flood damages occur when just one inch of water enters a residential household and models of flood damage estimation are sensitive to first-floor elevation (FFE). The current sources for FFEs consist of costly survey-based elevation certificates (ECs) or assumptions based on year built, foundation type, and flood zone. We sought to address these limitations by establishing the role of an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) to efficiently derive accurate FFEs. Four residential communities within Galveston Island, Texas were selected to assess efficient flight parameters required for UAS photogrammetry within the built environment. A real-time kinematic positioning enabled (RTK) UAS was then used to gather georeferenced aerial imagery and create detailed 3D photogrammetric models with ±0.02 m horizontal and ±0.05 m vertical accuracies. From these residential models, FFEs and other structural measurements present in traditional ECs were obtained. Comparative statistical analyses were performe...
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approaches to better understand their impact on the interpretive and recording processes.
the tourism landscape and are often erased or hidden in favor of histories that celebrate White colonial achievement. This article examines the port towns of St. George’s Bermuda, and Falmouth, Jamaica, to explore how policies and priorities of heritage tourism and conservation practices, are used to exclude, erase, and diminish the contributions of communities of African descent, their material histories, and disconnect
communities from tourism economies. The discussion argues for a more
inclusive and equitable approach to heritage tourism that champions heritage justice for under-represented communities. Ultimately, this discussion calls for a transformation of heritage, preservation policy, and tourism in the Greater Caribbean.
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approaches to better understand their impact on the interpretive and recording processes.
the tourism landscape and are often erased or hidden in favor of histories that celebrate White colonial achievement. This article examines the port towns of St. George’s Bermuda, and Falmouth, Jamaica, to explore how policies and priorities of heritage tourism and conservation practices, are used to exclude, erase, and diminish the contributions of communities of African descent, their material histories, and disconnect
communities from tourism economies. The discussion argues for a more
inclusive and equitable approach to heritage tourism that champions heritage justice for under-represented communities. Ultimately, this discussion calls for a transformation of heritage, preservation policy, and tourism in the Greater Caribbean.
This paper first presents the results of the pilot survey from thirty-six sites from Natchez and Adams County interpreting the ways that the architectures of enslavement reinforced this hospitality-centric life. This venture is being undertaken as a joint research project by Texas A&M University, the Historic Natchez Foundation, the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, and Natchez National Historical Park.
Second, we present the first draft of a systematic framework for the recording of the dwellings of enslaved persons in the Western Hemisphere. This framework, once deployed in a database, will provide the first means to undertake comparative, inter-site analysis of vernacular buildings. Still too, this database will provide open access to building information to owners, stakeholders, and interested publics through a web portal. Building on this pilot data, the project hopes to build a wider and comparative dataset to better understand the myriad parameters of the historic built environment.