The History and Archaeology of Nine Historic Sites on the Fort McDowell Indian Reservation: An Overview

Author(s): Pat H. Stein

Year: 1985

Summary

The Fort McDowell Indian Reservation is rich in historic and prehistoric archaeological resources. Systematic surface searches have located and recorded over 100 archaeological sites within the 40 square mile reservation. Such sites show that many groups have used the area, including the prehistoric Hohokam, the Yavapai, Anglo-Americans, and Mexican-Americans. Prior to 1984, however, only four sites at Fort McDowell had been excavated or tested. Two of the sites were prehistoric, consisting of Hohokam habitation sites, and two were historic, consisting of a beer bottle sidewalk at the old military fort and a 1900s trash scatter with a 1950s adobe-making facility.

In 1984, plans by the Fort McDowell Mohave-Apache Indian Community to develop Phase I of an irrigation betterment project afforded an opportunity to undertake the most detailed study, to date, of archaeological remains on the reservation. Because federal funds would be necessary to carry out the project, federal law required that sites potentially important enough to be added to the National Register of Historic Places be identified, and that plans be made to lessen the damage to them from the proposed construction. To lessen the damage archaeological and historical information about the sites had to be collected. Knowledgeable informants who knew the history of these sites also had to be contacted. The project area contained 20 historically important sites, 11 of which could be avoided by construction. The Indian Community contracted with Archaeological Research Services, Inc. (ARS) to collect information at the nine sites which could not be avoided by the project.

Please note that page 4 of this report is missing.

Cite this Record

The History and Archaeology of Nine Historic Sites on the Fort McDowell Indian Reservation: An Overview. Pat H. Stein. Tempe, AZ: Archaeological Research Services, Inc. 1985 ( tDAR id: 406063) ; doi:10.6067/XCV8406063

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

Keywords

Culture
Anglo • Anglo-American • Chimney • Euroamerican • Historic • Historic Native American • Yavapai

Material
Adobe • Adobe Brick • Brick • Building Materials • Glass • Iron • Metal • Red Brick • Wood

Site Name
ARS U:6:14 (ARS) • AZ U:6:1 (ARS) • AZ U:6:15 (ARS) • AZ U:6:18 (ARS) • AZ U:6:19 (ARS) • AZ U:6:2 (ARS) • AZ U:6:8 (ARS) • AZ U:6:85 (ASM) • AZ U:6:9 (ARS) • Government Ditch • Jones Ditch

Site Type
Adobe Building • Agricultural or Herding • Archaeological Feature • Artifact Scatter • Bottle Concentration • Brick Chimney • Brick Fireplace • Brick House • Brush Structure • Building • Canal or Canal Feature • Corral • Culvert • Domestic Structure or Architectural Complex • Domestic Structures • Fireplace • Floor • Gravel Floor • Hearth • House • Lateral • Midden • Overflow • Pit • Post • Post Hole / Post Mold • Resource Extraction / Production / Transportation Structure or Features • Sheet Midden • Shoe Concentration • siphon • Toy Concentration • Trash Concentration • Trash Scatter • Water Control Feature • Well • Wickiup • Wooden Floor • Wood Frame House Show More

Investigation Types
Archaeological Overview • Reconnaissance / Survey

General
Bottle • Bucket • Cooking Utensil • Cup • Fort McDowell • Frank Watkins • Gilbert Davis • Iron Poker • Irrigation Betterment Project • J. D. Adams • Lee Ross • M. A. Watkins • Manual Gallardo • McDowell Tract • Mortuary Practice • Nail • Nellie Quail • Poker • R. A. Harer • Ramon Pillanes • Richard Dickens • Shoe • Stove • Toy • Washtub • Window Glass • Wood Burning Stove Show More

Geographic Keywords
Fort McDowell Indian Reservation • Fort McDowell Mohave-Apache Indian Community • Government Canal • McDowell Indian Reservation • Phoenix, AZ • Verde Valley

Temporal Keywords
1890s • 1900s • 1920s • 1930s • 1940s • 1950s • 19th Century • 20th Century • Historic

Spatial Coverage

min long: -111.683; min lat: 33.64 ; max long: -111.655; max lat: 33.684 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Salt River Project Cultural Resource Manager

Sponsor(s): Fort McDowell Mohave-Apache Indian Community

Prepared By(s): Archaeological Research Services, Inc.

Submitted To(s): Fort McDowell Mohave-Apache Indian Community

File Information

  Name Size Creation Date Date Uploaded Access
1985_Stein_TheHistoryMcDowell_OCR.pdf 14.18mb Mar 1, 1985 Feb 14, 2017 3:07:11 PM Confidential
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Contact(s): Salt River Project Cultural Resource Manager