Phase II Archaeological Evaluation of Site 18FR74 at the Fort Detrick Water Treatment Plant, City of Frederick, Frederick County, Maryland

Summary

This report presents the findings of a Phase II archeological evaluation of a portion of Site 18FR74 located at the Fort Detrick Water Treatment Plant, City of Frederick, Frederick County, Maryland. The project area is located in Maryland Archeological Research Unit #17, the Monocacy Drainage. The City of Frederick is proposing to construct the Schifferstadt Boulevard Raw Water Transmission Main that will cross the property of the Fort Detrick Water Treatment Plant. In reviewing the requested easement conveyance, Fort Detrick has determined that their involvement is an undertaking subject to the requirements under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) requiring a federal agency to determine if a proposed undertaking will have an effect on historic resources listed, or eligible for listing, in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The area of potential effects (APE) associated with the easement encompasses the 4.55 acre property of the Fort Detrick Water Treatment Plant and includes portions of the previously identified archaeological site 18FR74.

The site contains two loci within Fort Detrick. The first locus, positioned on an upland landform, is characterized as an activity area involving later stage stone tool manufacture and maintenance. The second locus is present on the floodplain adjacent to the Monocacy River. The upland activity area was determined by a previous survey to be a primary deposit, however, it was not determined if the floodplain locus contained a primary deposit or a secondary deposit transported fluvially from other portions of Site 18FR74.

The objectives of the Phase II evaluation of Site 18FR74 included the definition of the horizontal and vertical limits of the site, temporal placement of the site, site function, and characterization of the depositional integrity of the site within the APE. Investigation emphasized the upland setting of the site which will be directly disturbed by the proposed water line. No disturbance or development is currently proposed within the floodplain. Field methods included the excavation of 17 shovel test pits and five 1-x-1-meter test excavation units, in addition to the analysis of the project area by a geomorphologist. The evaluation recovered 617 artifacts, primarily including later stage reduction debitage. Temporally diagnostic artifacts recovered include a Late Woodland Levanna projectile point, Late Woodland Shepard ceramic, early Late Woodland Page ceramic, and an unidentified, net or fabric impressed, quartz tempered ceramic. No subsurface features were identified. Much of the site has been disturbed by the treatment plant, past agricultural activities and erosion. Consistent with the findings of the previous investigation, the upland portion of the site revealed an activity area related to the later stages of stone tool manufacture recovered from a mixed deposit. Limited testing on the floodplain revealed the presence of a buried cultural horizon containing prehistoric artifacts. Significance is evaluated through application of the National Park Service Criterion for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. Of the four evaluation criteria, prehistoric sites are normally evaluated under Criterion D, which pertains to a site’s ability to contribute to the understanding of prehistoric lifeways. Based on results of this Phase II evaluation, the research potential of the upland loci of Site 18FR74 is believed to have been exhausted at the current level of investigation and no additional archeological investigation is recommended. The upland portion of the site is considered unable to satisfy the criteria for listing on the National Register of Historic Places based on the lack of identified features and disturbed depositional integrity.

The file included in this record includes draft of report and two appendices, both of which were initially separate PDF files.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Fort Detrick, Maryland   •
• Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory   •
• Phase II Investigations, Site 18FR74, Ft. Detrick Water Treatment Plant, Fort Detrick (2005.023)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory Federal Curator

Contributor(s): William Hoffman; William Efaw; Alexi Smith

Principal Investigator(s): Thomas Bodor

Repository(s): Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory

Prepared By(s): Ottery Group

Submitted To(s): City of Frederick, Frederick, MD

Record Identifiers

MAC Lab Accession Number (s): 2005.023

Notes

General Note: The following physical records are held at MAC Lab: Field Notes, Maps, Artifact Catalog, Report

General Note: Date Collected:2005

Redaction Note: This document has been redacted. To request access to the nonredacted copy, contact the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory.

File Information