In order to identify the remains of James Fort the Jamestown Rediscovery team needed to find two things. First, a fortification that matched the descriptions in the documents, and second to prove the fortification dates to the first decade of the 17th century. Artifacts from the first shovel full in the first square dated to the right time period. The first season of excavation uncovered the south palisade line of the fort as well as a trash pit dating to 1610-11. The second excavation season focused on following the palisade line to the west, but the line soon disappeared in an area affected by seawall construction or confederate fort construction. By the end of the 1995 season the main goal was to locate a corner of the fort east of the area already uncovered. In December the remains of the curved east bulwark were discovered. Finally in the late summer of 1996 the east palisade line was located. The two sides of the fort came together at 46 ½ degrees, the exact angle the reported dimensions of the fort would create. This, in connection with the large number of early artifacts, ruled out the possibilities that it could be anything other than James Fort. September 12, 1996 was declared James Fort Day and the announcement that the fort was found was made at a press conference by Governor George Allen.