Leesville Dam Archeological Site (44PY30)
About this property
The Leesville Dam Archaeological Site is a prehistoric Native American village site in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, near the town of Altavista. The site is located in the general vicinity of the Roanoke River, and is one of the most important Late Woodland period (c. AD 1200–1600) village sites in the area. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989, at which time the site was covered by an agricultural field. This archaeological site has been known to local residents of the area for some time, and was subjected to amateur collection of surface-level artifacts by the property owners. Human remains were discovered in 1941, and again in 1985. State and federal authorities were first notified of the site's existence in 1979, and the state Division of Historic Landmarks surveyed the site in 1986. At that time the site was determined to measure about 420 metres (1,380 ft) by 80 metres (260 ft), consistent with known sizes for a typical palisaded native village. Among the features identified in this survey was the large midden; artifacts recovered during the survey include ceramic and stone fragments, as well as worked copper pendants, as well as plant and animal remains. The site is of particular importance because a significant portion of the upper Roanoke River watershed has been inundated by the creation of Leesville Lake. It is believed that this site will yield useful information regarding subsistence patterns during the Late Woodland period, especially with respect to the development of more sedentary agricultural villages. Evidence of a palisade would also suggest a level of conflict in the area over limited resources in the area.
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Leesville Dam Archeological Site (44PY30)
This page lists Leesville Dam Archeological Site (44PY30). A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was Leesville Dam Archeological Site (44PY30) listed on the National Register?
Leesville Dam Archeological Site (44PY30) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 2, 1989.
What type of historic resource is Leesville Dam Archeological Site (44PY30)?
Leesville Dam Archeological Site (44PY30) is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Leesville Dam Archeological Site (44PY30)?
The period of significance for Leesville Dam Archeological Site (44PY30) is recorded as the listed era.
Can I research the history near Leesville Dam Archeological Site (44PY30)?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Leesville Dam Archeological Site (44PY30) will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Pittsylvania County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Pittsylvania County.
Explore PittsylvaniaCounty ›More historic places in Virginia
Browse all historic places in Virginia.
View Virginiahistoric sites ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Leesville Dam Archeological Site (44PY30) will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.