Heritage Science at the American Revolution Butts Hill Fort (Portsmouth, Rhode Island)

Abstract During the American Revolution, the military forti?cation at Butts Hill in Portsmouth, Rhode Island was utilized by American Continental forces and French allies, as well as by British colonial forces and their German-Hessian allied troops. Occupied by the British following the 1776 United States Declaration of Independence, Butts Hill Fort was overtaken by American forces during the Battle of Rhode Island in 1778, marking a pivotal moment in the success of the revolutionary war. A 2024 archaeological survey conducted by the University of Kentucky and Stonehill College, in collaboration with the Battle of Rhode Island Association (BORIA), used non-destructive ground penetrating radar imaging to identify possible buried remnants of the barracks built by the British in 1777. This project will therefore conduct further archaeological imaging analyses during Summer 2025 (May 27 – July 11) in a pre-award stage funded with matching funds from the BORIA in order to determine whether additional subterranean wartime structural features can be identi?ed. Results will then be aggregated with previous archaeological and historical information to realize the primary activities of this proposal from August 2025 to May 2026: (1) on-site storyboard exhibit signage that recounts the history of Butts Hill Fort during wartime, as well as (2) a virtual exhibition highlighting archaeological imaging results, historical maps, and satellite/aerial imagery overlayed in an interactive on-line interface. The proposed dual approach combining traditional on-site public dissemination with wide-reaching digital humanities content will serve to engage local communities and a national virtual audience in celebrating the success of American Independence leading up to the nation’s semiquincentennial.