J. Houck Historic Site, Town of Florida, NY

Elizabeth Gregory; Matthew Kirk

J. Houck Historic Site, Town of Florida, NY

Summary

Hartgen Archeological Associates, Inc completed Phase III fieldwork for the proposed Winstanley Distribution Center in the Town of Florida, New York, following Phase I and Phase II archeological surveys identifying the J. Houck Historic Site. The Houck family were significant in the settlement and early development of the community of Florida, New York; their first recorded purchase of the property was in 1793. The Houck family owned and farmed their property for over 100 years, relying on the labor of tenant farmers for much of this time; the features excavated in this investigation were associated with tenant farmers. The site consists of three main features: the original stone cellar footprint of a single-family residential structure, an L-shaped addition, and a stone well that is likely contemporary to the original stone cellar. The artifacts collected during the investigation are consistent with an occupation lasting from the early to mid-19th century until the early 20th century. In general, tableware and other goods recovered from the site, along with food remains, were of low to moderate economic value. Historic materials recovered from the site, in conjunction with numerous historical records about the Houck family and their various tenant occupants, provide valuable information and insight into the lives of rural tenant farmers and their landlords in the region throughout the 19th century.