VAFB-1980-13: Cultural Resource Impact Evaluation and Mitigation Planning for the Mx Missile System Vandenberg Air Force Base, California

Summary

The initial fieldwork (1979) was designed to identify areas in which the construction of proposed MX facilities on San Antonio Terrace would result in impacts to cultural resources. Areas of projected impact were systematically surveyed, sites idetified, recorded, and mapped.

All the cultural resources identified during this mitigation planning study were sites ranging in size from small lithic scatters on presumed trails to the archaeological remains of major settlements characterized by well-developed archaeological deposits that probably contain cemeteries and other significant cultural features. A typology of the archaeological sites situated in the San Antonio Terrace region was conceived to assist in the management of resource encountered. Survey identified 13 unrecorded sites and reexamination of 8 previously recorded sites.

The San Antonio Terrace area contains active and stabilized southeasterly trending dunes. Based on the survey results, it appears that major historic and prehistoric Indian settlement in this part of VAFB were situated eithe radjacent to ponds, near wetland areas in dune swales, or along the zone between the southern extent of the dunes and the Terrace above San Antonio Creek. Small sites observable as lithic scatters were present near or adjacent to major habitation sites found in dune swales. The sites in the dun eareas were in an excellent state of preservation . Most observed sites comprised discrete shell middens on adjacent dunes. The sites probably date to a number of different phases.

One extensive site adjacent to Umbra Pond (SBA-1037) probably ocntains an historic component dating to the late contact and Mission period (1769-1807). This site may represent a portion of the material remains of the historic Chumash village of La Graciosa, or Saxpilil.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Department of the Air Force Cultural Resources Archive   •
• Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) - Cultural Resource Report   •
• National Archeological Database (NADB)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Vandenberg Air Force Base; Roscoe Loetzerich

Sponsor(s): US Air Force, Ballistic Missile Office, Norton AFB, CA

Prepared By(s): HDR Sciences, Santa Barbara Office

Record Identifiers

NADB document id number(s): 1040418

NADB citation id number(s): 000000012820

Notes

General Note: Sent from: HDR Sciences, Santa Barbara Office

General Note: Submitted to: US Air Force, Ballistic Missile Office, Norton AFB, CA

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