Document Type
Honors Project
Abstract
Among the tidal marshes of Virginia’s York River, there are three relatively obscure groups of uninhabited islands, all with fascinating stories, and all rapidly disappearing: the Goodwin Islands, the Catlett Islands, and Poropotank Island. These islands have been almost entirely overlooked by existing historical and archaeological research, and they are all imminently threatened by climate change-induced sea level rise and erosion. In the summer of 2023, I embarked on an interdisciplinary research project to study cultural heritage sites scattered across the islands. Drawing on my experience of studying these islands, as well as other related case studies, I demonstrate that due to their geographic isolation and intimate connection with surrounding waters, islands hold stories that are unique to their locations. Yet, this same isolation makes island cultural heritage sites particularly vulnerable to deterioration. By exploring the challenges posed by limited physical accessibility, insufficient funding, and systemic biases in determining historical significance, this study illuminates the urgent need for innovative preservation strategies. Photogrammetry has been proposed as a potential method of preserving threatened sites. However, I argue that while it can be a helpful tool for documentation and analysis, 3D scanning on its own cannot and should not be considered a wholly effective form of preservation.
Recommended Citation
Restivo, Sean M., "Racing the Tides: Three Virginia Islands Threatened by Climate Change and the Challenge of Preserving Their Stories" (2024). History Honors Projects. 35.
https://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/history_honors/35
Included in
Archaeological Anthropology Commons, Historic Preservation and Conservation Commons, History Commons, Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons
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