Archaeological Data Recovery at 38CH1563 Franke Home Tract, Seaside Farms, Charleston County, South Carolina

Summary

This report presents the results of archaeological data recovery investigations by

Brockington and Associates, Inc., at 38CH1563 on the Franke Home Development Tract in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. The site was initially tested by Chicora Foundation, Inc., in January 1995. As a result of these investigations, the site was recommended eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Site 38CH1563 was discovered after development of the Franke Home Tract had begun. As a result, part of the site had been

affected by construction activities before data recovery recommendations could be made.

A portion of the site had been graded to sterile subsoil. Other portions of the site were subjected to soil deposition from construction activities and ditch excavation. Investigations were recommended in the areas of the site containing intact cultural deposits. Data recovery excavations in the intact areas of 38CH1563 were carried out by Brockington and Associates, Inc. 23-27 February 1995. The results of the investigations presented in this report indicate that 38CH1563 represents the remains of an eighteenth century residential

locale, probably predating the John Whitesides main house settlement (38CH1471) located approximately .5 km northeast of the site (Adams and Trinkley 1993; Trinkley and Hacker 1996). In addition, a small prehistoric Middle Woodland component was identified at the site.

Investigations at 38CH1563 included the excavation of 50 by 50 em test units (n=73) at 5 m gridded intervals across the site, the hand excavation of 8 m2 of the site in 1 by 1 m or larger units, and the mechanical excavation of approximately 20 percent of the undisturbed portion of the site. A total of six cultural features were exposed in this manner. These represent pits, posts, and a possible well. The excavations by Chicora Foundation, Inc., had discovered five posts; these could not be relocated during the present investigation.

No patterns or associations between the identified features were evident; thus, these deposits could not be employed to determine the location or configuration of individual structures, or the total number of structures that may have been present. In fact, several of the pit features contained brick and mortar rubble suggesting that former structures at the site were razed after abandonment. Often fragments of brick footings and foundations were deposited in depressions to allow alternate uses of the site (as agricultural fields?). Although artifact bearing deposits still remain at 38CH1563, it is unlikely that information beyond that recovered to date could be gained from further excavations.

Archaeological Data Recovery at 38CH1563- Franke Home Tract 11

Site 38CH1563 appears to represent the remains of an early eighteenth century

plantation residence. Originally, the site was assumed to represent an outlying slave structure(s) associated with the Thomas Whitesides settlement (38CH1471 and 38CH1473).

Artifacts from 38CH1563 appear to possess a higher status than normally associated with a slave occupation. Also, the site appears to have been occupied much earlier than 38CH1471 or 38CH1473. Since no sites of similar age are present in the immediate vicinity, 38CH1563 may represent the earliest house or settlement on the Seaside Farms tract, predating the Thomas Whitesides settlement or the nearby Moses Whitesides settlement (38CH357 and 38CH1477) thought to be the original Whitesides settlement on the tract.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Brockington and Associates, Inc.

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contributor(s): Todd McMakin; Tina Rust

Principal Investigator(s): Eric C. Poplin

Submitted To(s): The Lutheran Homes of South Carolina; South Carolina State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)

Record Identifiers

Brockington and Associates, Inc., report number(s): 0549

Notes

General Note: Curation facility: South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology

File Information