By Samantha Melvin
Faculty mentor: Dr. Laura McMillan
Students in the “Preservation in the Community” course at the University of Mary Washington partnered with King George County to create a recreational Native American History and Culture Trail. This trail was developed in collaboration with the Patawomeck and Rappahannock tribes to focus specifically on narratives that captured the historic and cultural importance of the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers. Students wrote and designed seven signs to begin the trail — one introductory sign and six narratives portraying themes about Indigenous lifeways and identity in connection to the rivers. While the finished signs were the main goal of this project — emphasizing the importance of descendant-centered work in preservation marks the success of this endeavor. The nature and goals of this trail intend for it to be a continuous project that works towards a reorientation and retelling of Indigenous narratives; emphasizing the importance of working in collaboration with Native American communities.
