Keppeler et al. publish Butts Hill remote-sensing study in Heritage
A new peer-reviewed study in Heritage, led by James Keppeler, pairs LiDAR, satellite imagery, and ground-penetrating radar to locate the buried 1777 barracks at Butts Hill Fort.
HEVA member James Keppeler is lead author of a new peer-reviewed article in the journal Heritage (MDPI): “Remote Sensing of American Revolutionary War Fortification at Butts Hill (Portsmouth, Rhode Island).” The study pairs public LiDAR and satellite imagery with a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey to locate the buried remains of 1777 military barracks at Butts Hill Fort — the largest surviving Revolutionary War fortification in southeastern New England.
“It is exciting and meaningful to be a part of the mission to revitalize the fort site,” Keppeler said in a UK feature on the work. The study was also highlighted in the Battle of Rhode Island Association’s October 2025 newsletter.
Co-authors include M. Rodriguez, S. Koontz, A. Wise, P. Mink, G. Crothers, P. Murphy, J. Robertson, H. Reyes-Centeno, and A. Uhl. Heritage 8(10):430.
