The archaeological excavation of Fredericton’s Officers’ Square

The archaeological excavation of Fredericton’s Officers’ Square, Summer 2022.

The recent archaeological investigation of Officers’ Square in downtown Fredericton will be the focus of archaeologist Vanessa P. Sullivan’s presentation in the upcoming York Sunbury Historical Society’s virtual speaker series.

This FREE ZOOM presentation will take place at 7 pm, Thursday, March 16, 2023, and all are welcome to attend. Please contact the Fredericton Region Museum at frmoperations@gmail.com for the ZOOM link.

Officers’ Square is located in the heart of downtown Fredericton, directly adjacent to the historic Officers’ Quarters – home to the Fredericton Region Museum. The Square forms part of the Fredericton Military Compound National Historic Site of Canada and has played an important role in the capital city’s ever-changing landscape. Most widely known for its military use from the late 18th century up through the late 19th century, the Square has many stories to tell.

In recent years, this public space has been part of the City of Fredericton’s revitalization project. As a result, a great deal of archaeological investigation within Officer’s Square has taken place and will continue into the summer of 2023. This presentation will provide an overview of the archaeological work that occurred in the Square during Colbr Consulting’s 2022 field season. It will also shed light on the artefacts they found and how these can help us better understand past lifeways within the Square and the National Heritage Site.

Vanessa P. Sullivan is a Senior Archaeologist with Colbr Consulting Inc. in Fredericton. She has over 10 years of professional archaeological experience, with working experience in New Brunswick and across the United States. Her work in archaeology has primarily been focused in Northeastern North America, specializing in Cultural Resource Management. Sullivan joined the Colbr team in 2018, making Fredericton her home. Born and raised outside Boston, Massachusetts, Sullivan has a passion for the New England and Maritime provinces connection and how it has helped shape cultures on both sides of the US/Canadian border.