1. Cobb’s Point-Culpeper Rebellion Archaeology Team
Member: Donquel Davis
Member: Kevin Brodie II
Mentor: Dr. Malcolm LeCompte

2. Members
Donquel Davis
Kevin Brodie II
Dr. Malcolm LeCompte

3. Abstract
During the decade of 1670 to 1680, political maneuverings were initiated by prominent property owners north of Albemarle Sound with the ultimate intent of obtaining control of the lucrative tobacco trade developing between New England and the mother country. These activities, aggravated by severe weather and low crop yields, and a perception of excessive crown taxation erupted in a bloodless rebellion against the laws and governance of the crown. The rebellion was ultimately resolved peacefully and without significant bloodshed. The center of activities during these events was the courthouse and customs house reported to be located on the Pasquotank River at Cobb’s Point, South of the current center of Elizabeth City. Early maps show a building near the shore with another rumored to be nearby, not far from the foot of a dock at which shipments of tobacco were sent to customers. Anecdotal evidence and local tradition hold the two buildings to be located near or incorporated into structures located on the Winslow Farm which was developed into a subdivision around This land has recently become available and accessible for an exploratory survey to ascertain the location of any historically significant structures and to determine the extent of any remains that may yet exist.

4. Abstract continued…
Aerial photos of the Elizabeth City area, made prior to and just after World War 2, were examined to determine the location of the original shoreline and any structures that may have contained elements of the original colonial era buildings. Modern Digital Orthographic Quarter Quad (DOQQ) aerial photographs were used to provide geo-referencing of the early aerial photographs. The geographic coordinates of structures formerly occupying the Cobb’s Point site defined an area that allowed a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey to be made. The purpose of the survey was to reveal whether any remains of earlier structures are present. The area was covered in transects enabling linear data to be collected. Transects were made at sufficiently small separation to allow computer processing aided re-construction of a three-dimensional visualization of what lies beneath the surface to a depth of about 3 meters. The features appear to be present within the soil depth probed by GPR, their nature and exact location may be determined by a trained archaeologist using a probing device to physically penetrate the soil at locations revealed by the GPR survey. Sufficiently interesting results prompted a request to the property owners to allow excavation of any structural remains that have been discovered.

5. Map of Cobb’s Point 1775 Courthouse was the center of the
Culpeper Rebellion
Just a little history about the Culpeper’s Rebellion…. it took place in in Albemarle County (what is now Pasquotank County).
The rebellion was in response a variety of complaints about the Navigation Acts imposed on the colonies by England.
At the time, North Carolina was ruled by eight Lords Proprietors. The government in North Carolina consisted of the following: the Governor; the Council, half of which was appointed by the Lords Proprietors; and an Assembly elected by popular vote.
The Proprietors, who paid little heed to the increasing discontent, kept appointing deputies, and the people saw this as a way for the Proprietors to continue to limit the people’s privileges. With the passage in England of the Navigation Acts, resentment for the Proprietors grew.
The Navigation Acts regulated the shipping of goods, and many of the acts passed imposed duties or taxes on items shipped between colonies. Finally, the opposition had had enough. George Durant, John Culpeper, and some armed supporters captured and imprisoned Miller.
They arrested other officials and eventually seized the reins of government.
For two years, the colonists enjoyed peace and the government ran more smoothly. The Proprietors summoned Culpeper to England, where he was arrested and charged with treason.
He was placed on trial, found guilty, however he was not punished.
This marked the end of the rebellion.

6. Objective
Use modern technology to discover remnants of the buildings/structures that were critical to these historic events.

7. Methodology to the Historical Site Survey
Old maps from 1775, 1850 (UNC Archive)
Aerial photos from 1938 (provided by R.B. Long) and 1993 DOQQ (USGS)
Anecdotal Stories confirm and connect the structures
1938 photo and geo-rectified it to 1993 DOQQ
Relayed info back to lead Archaeologist Edward “Clay” Swindell
GPR survey on the site slightly adjacent to our original findings led by the lead Archaeologist
Processed data readings from GPR survey
Created a 3D image and analyzed data using RADAN 6.6 software
Reported results to Edward “Clay” Swindell for further GPR surveys of the surrounding areas and future excavation on the site
Here is our methodology… The team first found old maps from 1775 and 1850 that had visible structures and their locations just to give an idea of the area.
Next the team observed aerial images from 1938 and These images confirmed the anecdotal stories saying that there were barn like structures very close to the shoreline.
ENVI software was then used to geo-rectify the 1938 image to the 1993 image
Once the location of the structures were found this information was sent to Edward “clay” swindell , the lead archaeologist
He then told us to begin GPR work on an area a few meters north of the original area that was found. After collecting all the data, an extensive process of creating a perfect 3D image was done.
With clear results the team then concluded that there is subsurface feature at cobb point and there will be additional GPR surveys and excavation done.

8. Map of Cobb’s Point 1850 This is a map of Cobb’s Point from 1850
*point it out with the pointer*
If you look closely you can see that there are some recorded structures on cobbs point and if you would pay attention to the location of these structures, based on anecdotal evidence they are structures that existed during the colonial era.

9. Actual Aerial images 1938 1993 DOQQ
The first step in our analysis involved obtaining two different aerial photos from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) website archive
The DOQQ image is dated March 7th, 1993
The other aerial photo is dated April 28th, 1938.
Due to shoreline modifications over the years, distinct differences exist
Land fill and riprap all along the coast

10. Exelis ENVI 4.7
The team then used Exelis ENVI software to find common geographic points so they would be co-registered and we could begin warping the photos.
ENVI is the premier commercial software solution for processing and analyzing geospatial imagery.
(Read the slide …..)

11. Geo-Referencing and Warping
With the aerial photos now warped and co-registered they share geographic coordinates.
The team then enhanced the images to increase the contrast & lighting.

12. Shore line and Structure Overlay
The team warped the photos, created a vector file, and mapped the 1938 structures and shoreline onto the 1993.
After the photos are overlaid we then used the geo-coordinates of distinct vertices of two barn type structures found on Cobb Point which based off of anecdotal evidence was very close to the location of the courthouse and customs house that was around during the Culpeper Rebellion.
1938
1993 image with 1938 features

13. Field Work
After all our images were processed the team then visited the site to begin marking with flags where the two barns were using the geo-coordinates given by ENVI.

14. Change of Plans
The team then relayed this information to Edward “Clay” Swindell; the Archaeologist that directed our data collection.
Edward Swindell pointed out a change in surface appearance on land adjacent to the location our analysis had indicated for the barn-like structures.
The team followed the archaeologist’s lead and set up a 25x25 m grid. In this area the team commenced the GPR survey.

15. New Area of Interest
New area for GPR Survey

16. Ground Penetrating Radar?
The Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is geophysical technique that collects and records information about the subsurface and what features lie beneath using a Radar to emit and receive radio waves.

17. Set Up for GPR survey
Before we could start up the GPR we had to make adjustments to the grid by changing the distance of the transacts; so they begin at .25 meters from the beginning of the grid to avoid having small trees and bushes interfering with the GPR readings.
BRODIE : *Point out House*

18. GRID SW NW
1 meter apart SE
Tree NE

19. Actual Shot of the Grid Infamous bush that gave the team issues
(REMIND THE AUDIENCE HOW EXHAUSTING FIELD WORK IS….)
Stopping line

20. Surveying with GPR
Each transect was .5 meters apart and we began collecting data using the GPR from the Northeast corner of the grid to the Northwest corner, and then coming back on the other side of each transect from the Northwest to the Northeast.
We repeated this process until we finished at the Southeast corner. In total we had 50 different files stored on the GPR using just 25 rows or profile lines.

21. RADAN 6.6
Monitor
The 50 transact files were stored in the monitor of the GPR, and we transferred them to Windows desktop via USB Drive so we could access and process the files to begin creating 3D images

22. GPR Readings 16 meters between subsurface features
Two files from the GPR survey
*point out two significant readings in each file and their matches*
Distance between the two strong readings of subsurface feature in each file is 16 meters

23. 3D Figures
All files 50 files are compiled in order to give a 3D visual of the subsurface feature. The brighter colors are strong readings of feature

24. Data Readings and Results
chimneys
Possible foundation for chimneys
(16 meters apart)
The team compared a slice of the 3D image to a colonial home from around the time of the culpeper rebellion.
As you may see, there are readings that resemble potential chimney structures .
*point out square in between two chimney readings*
The square shaped area that we see is possibly the actual building between the chimneys.
A typical early colonial home, roughly contemporary to the courthouse and customs building at Cobbs Point.
After maximizing the quality of the files, the team then created a 3D image.

25. Slices
.68 m depth
Shows the chimney foundation persisting almost 2 feet into the ground
1 m depth
1.34 m depth

26. Conclusion
All in all, the GPR survey gave the team promising results that there were subsurface features. It revealed the presence of a structure whose identity remains unknown until future work.

27. Future Work
Led by Edward “Clay” Swindell (Archaeologist) additional GPR surveys may be taken in areas surrounding the original GPR survey grid.
Also sonar may be done in the surrounding water areas to reveal relics of the dock. (e.g. dock pilings or piling holes)
Physical probing or excavation may be done of the subsurface features revealed by the team’s work.

28. Problems Encountered
ENVI 4.7: angle of observation, sunlight, and shadows caused ground control points uncertainty
Field Work with GPR: inconsistent lengths of the transects, GPS coordinate uncertainty, battery failure and rebooting issues
RADAN 6.6: graphics card wouldn’t allow RADAN to be accessed on Mac, incorrect approaches to rendering a 3D Display

29. Questions?
Before we begin questions the Archaeology team would like to thank Dr. Hayden for allowing us to participate in such a wonderful oppurtunity.
The team would also like to thank Dan Welch with GSSI for tech support, along with Edward Clay Swindell for his direction in the field.
The team would like to thank Jeaime Powell for installing the software needed for the project. We want to acknowledge Dr. LeCompte for being an awesome mentor to Donquel and I. I personally want to thank my partner Donquel Davis for his help as well.