This image, provided by Rieley & Associates Landscape Architects, shows an early design for the restored garden of John Custis IV at The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, a history museum in Virginia. AP Photo
In Virginia, archaeologists are making exciting discoveries about a grand colonial garden once owned by a prominent politician, John Custis IV. This garden, located in Williamsburg, was a lavish display of 18th-century wealth, much like a luxury car today. Custis, who was a tobacco plantation owner and served in Virginia's colonial legislature, was also Martha Washington’s father-in-law. Despite his high status, the garden's story is as much about the enslaved gardeners who maintained it as it is about Custis himself.
Recent excavations have revealed a wealth of information about the garden’s design and its caretakers. Archaeologists have uncovered impressive features like three-foot thick cedar fence posts, gravel paths, and neatly arranged plant beds. These findings offer a glimpse into the garden's grandeur, which once included exotic plants from around the world.
One intriguing aspect of the dig is the discovery of a pierced coin, a good-luck charm typically worn by young African Americans, and shards of a chamber pot used by the enslaved. These items provide personal insights into the lives of those who worked the land. Additionally, researchers found animal remains buried under fence posts, including two chickens and a cow’s foot, along with a snake without a skull. These findings may hint at West African cultural practices that the enslaved people brought with them.
Colonial Williamsburg, the living history museum that now owns the property, has been actively working to highlight the history of Black Americans, a group that made up more than half of the town's population. The museum plans to recreate Custis’ home and garden, a project relying heavily on detailed landscape archaeology since no original maps or diagrams survive. This effort aims to showcase not just Custis's wealth but also the significant contributions and struggles of those who worked on the estate.
The garden was roughly two-thirds the size of a football field and was decorated with Greek statues and intricate topiaries. Custis corresponded with British botanist Peter Collinson, trading seeds and plant knowledge across the Atlantic. Among the garden's plants were strawberries, pistachios, almonds, and possibly even early mentions of tomatoes, which were then called "apples of love."
This garden was more than a display of affluence; it also reflects the broader context of colonial expansion and slavery. Custis used his garden to flaunt his wealth to Williamsburg’s elite, while the enslaved gardeners laboured to maintain it, contributing to the colonial economy and culture in profound ways.
Colonial Williamsburg is also focused on learning more about the lives of the people enslaved by Custis. Despite historical records listing some of them, such as Cornelia and Beck, many details remain unknown. Efforts continue to connect with descendants and uncover more about these individuals' lives and experiences.
