Standing on Historic Ground: Ceremony marks site of continental arsenal as part of VA250 events

On a piece of grassy land that holds history that is still being discovered to this day, Liberty University Department of History faculty gathered with local historians, dignitaries, and members of the local chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution on Friday afternoon to mark the site of a Continental Army arsenal on university property in the historical town of New London.

The ceremony was part of the VA250 movement commemorating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the Revolutionary War, and the Independence of the United States in Virginia. Liberty’s history department is an official commemorative partner of VA250.The event was held in conjunction with the department’s 250th commemorative conference, America’s Founding: Legacy and Influence, taking place Friday and Saturday at the School of Business building.

Since Liberty acquired the historical property in 2018, it has become a living laboratory for archaeological, architectural, and landscape investigation. Research has shown that the arsenal played a vital role in both the American Revolution and the securing of the Northwest Territory. During the Revolutionary War, the property’s owner leased the site to the Continental Army to house a key arsenal which supplied Nathaniel Greene’s southern campaign to support their fight against the British and later housed all the British small arms captured in the war-ending surrender at Yorktown. The arsenal operations relocated to Harper’s Ferry by 1812.

While the arsenal is largely undocumented in most histories, researchers have identified substantial documentation to confirm its significance and its location. Recent archaeological work has identified what is believed to be the basement of the last standing arsenal building which survived into the early 20th century.

During the ceremony, College of Arts & Sciences Dean Dr. Roger Schultz expressed Liberty’s heart for history and reflected on how the very ground he was standing on played a role in America’s independence.

“Liberty University is a patriotic kind of school,” he said. “We love our country and we love our country’s history, and so it is a great delight to be involved with this and to see our students involved with these kinds of projects. There is a marvelous history at this location. It’s wonderful to think about our country’s history and the legacy of the American Revolution, (including) the role played here at this plot of ground 250 years ago.”

A plaque officially marking the arsenal site was donated by the Poplar Forest and Peaks of Otter DAR chapters and was presented by DAR leaders.

“We gather today on historic ground, ground that once played a vital and often overlooked role in the fight for American independence,” said Kathleen Mayer Rugh, state regent of the DAR. “It is important to remember that the success of the American Revolution did not rest solely in the hands of soldiers on the front lines; it depended just as deeply on the support systems behind them — on communities, craftsmen, laborers, and patriots who ensured that supplies were made, stored, and delivered where they were needed most. This arsenal was part of that indispensable network. This commemoration calls each of us to reflect not only on the founding of our nation, but on the many contributions, both great and small, that made that founding possible.”

“To all who pause in this place, may this marker make effective the voice of the memorial, may it remind us of those whose service to country and heroic sacrifices aided and advanced the cause of independence,” added Sylvia Vancho, regent of the Peaks of Otter DAR chapter.

Donna Bremer, regent of the Poplar Forest DAR chapter, recognized Liberty for its commitment to preserving local and national history: “Liberty University has invested so much into this project, and I truly believe that we would not have been able to do this today without them.”

Located about 10 minutes from Liberty’s campus, the historic town of New London contains multiple buildings and properties with far-reaching history, two of which are owned by the university: the Bedford Alum Springs property (which includes the arsenal site) and Mead’s Tavern, the oldest standing structure in Central Virginia. Both sites have served as living history labs for students in public history courses, led by Director of Public History Initiatives Donna Davis Donald. In New London, students are learning firsthand about historic preservation, archaeology, interpretation, and community engagement. As a result of this work, thousands of artifacts have been uncovered at both properties that connect to the community’s past. (Learn more about the ongoing New London projects.)

“We now have a permanent, visible marker of the historical importance of the site, even though (the site itself) is not visible above ground,” Donald said of the new plaque, the second to be placed at a Liberty-owned New London property; Mead’s Tavern was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2022.

She said the Bedford Alum Springs Hotel property is home to at least five 18th-century sites that are worthy of excavation, and the hope is to someday to get funding to be able to excavate them all.

“The New London Arsenal is not something that’s often cited or included in the histories of the American Revolution; it’s almost forgotten in a way,” Donald said, “but this (recognition) helps to raise awareness and put this site back into the story. We have multiple students who’ve done research projects and presented papers on topics related to the arsenal specifically … and we’re just getting started. There is so much more we can do.”

Randy Lichtenberger, director of cultural resources for the engineering and survey company Hurt & Proffitt, spoke about his personal journey in surveying the property and the continued partnership with Liberty’s history department.

“Today’s dedication is particularly meaningful to me because it marks the culmination of a more than 20-year search for the physical remains of this incredibly significant and yet almost forgotten part of the American Revolution,” he said. “As I’ve learned more about the New London arsenal, I’ve been surprised at every turn by how much more significant it was than when we started the search. We’re continually learning more about the arsenal’s history, and it feels like we’re still in the early stages of historic research. We are excited to pursue further excavations at this site in the future.”