Cultural Resources Site Examination Report of the Deansboro Creamery Co. Site, Town of Marshall, Oneida County, New York

Summary

The Deansboro Creamery Co. Site (NYSM 12220, A06514.000044) is comprised of primarily historic late nineteenth and early twentieth century industrial and architectural debris associated with stone masonry piers and a masonry boiler platform. The piers and the artifacts mark the location of a cheese factory originally built in 1886 or 1887, burned in 1891, rebuilt and used as a cheese factory until 1902. It was later refitted and used as a gate factory and as a warehouse between 1911 and the early 1920s, after which it fell into disrepair. The structure was likely demolished in 1929 when the current Route 315 and bridge were enlarged.

CRSP personnel concentrated their efforts upon defining the factory structure outline and sampling interior and exterior areas. The site examination included the use of systematic shovel test pits (16), test units (12), and trenches (13). Site examination phase excavations revealed three general areas of soils in the vicinity of the site. Fluvial process dominated soils and sediments are found adjacent to the creek. Construction fills outline the building envelope and near surface clay dominated soils found north and east of the building envelope. The depths of deposits containing cultural materials varied across the site, however, they were generally limited to the upper levels of sediments. Various agents and events have negatively impacted the artifacts and features. A raised water table has preserved rare wood items that are deeply buried in an anaerobic environment but has also been deleterious to iron and wood artifacts perched at the transitional boundary.

Investigations at the Deansboro Creamery Co. site have gathered sufficient data suggesting the site contains several functionally distinctive artifacts and its lowest levels contain information about the initial construction and lay out of the factory structure. The majority of site deposits lack adequate vertical and horizontal integrity necessary to conduct research regarding the local, regional, state, or national cheese industry, corporate adaptations, work conditions, or the causes for the industry’s collapse.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Oneida County   •
• New York State Museum and the Public Archaeology Facility, Binghamton University Archaeological Collection

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Christina Rieth

Sponsor(s): New York State Department of Transportation; Federal Highway Administration

Repository(s): New York State Museum

Prepared By(s): New York State Museum

Submitted To(s): New York State Department of Transportation; Federal Highway Administration

Record Identifiers

OPRHP(s): 09PR1866

PIN(s): 2030.06.121

BIN(s): 1045640

File Information