05/25/2026
Preservation Month Highlight: Preserving Fredericksburg Archaeological Sites, like the Rappahannock River Fishing Weir!
“Archaeological evidence suggests that winter hunting quarters and spring fish camps were located upstream near the fall line, while spring through fall agricultural and gathering activities were dispersed along the floodplains downstream.
These fishing weirs also served as gathering places for the community. During the fishing season, family members and community members would come together to work at the weirs, creating a social and cooperative atmosphere. They would celebrate successful catches and engage in cultural activities, reinforcing their bond with nature and their traditions.”
You can help preserve this important prehistoric built feature, and other archaeological sites in the River, by taking only memories from our riverbed. It is illegal to take cultural historic artifacts from Virginia’s rivers, as they are the property of the state and its people, indigenous and non-natives alike.
Learn more: https://meherrinnation.org/hunting-and-fishing/history-of-fishing-weirs-in-north-carolina-and-virginia/
