Test Excavations Report, Rockport Site N.D.

Summary

This report describes the results of test excavations at a "probable archaeological site" identified by SSI's subsurface survey on a 1.70 mile section of the Ohio River floodplain. The Indiana and Michigan Electric Company, which owns the property, plans to construct a coal unloading and transporting facility, a river water make-up structure, plant outfall and bank stabilization along the floodplain as part of a coal-fired steam electric generating plant. The construction of the intake structures would impact the "probable site" identified at bore stations N130-E925, N155-E925, and N180-E925, Section Two of the project area (Figure 1). This report is in accordance with the terms and conditions of Contract No. C-4715 with WAPORA, our project No. ESI-1409 and appears as an addendum to the "Intensive Subsurface Survey for Buried Cultural Resources at the Indiana and Michigan Electric Company, Rockport Plant, Rockport, Indiana." The testing program was designed to determine the presence of an archaeological site at the "probable site" location. If found to be an archaeological site, the intent was to determine its significance in terms of eligibility for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. The entire project area is bounded on the north by Indiana Highway 66 and on the south by the Ohio River. The western boundary begins at one mile northeast of Rockport, Indiana and extends to the mouth of Honey Creek. This area lies within portions of four sections: the southeastern portion of Section 14, the central portion of Section 13, the southeastern portion of Section 12, all of which are located in R6W, T7S, in Ohio Township, and the southeastern portion of Section 7, located in R5W, T7S, in Hammond Township. The entire project area is in Spencer County, Indiana. The initial survey employed subsurface augering to locate archaeological sites which were buried in the floodplain. Augering was conducted every 25 meters over the entire project area. Bore holes ranged in depth from one to nine meters Soil samples retrieved from augering were visually and chemically inspected for any indications of cultural activity. Visual indications appeared as charcoal, burned earth, or artifactual remains. Chemical indications of cultural activity were made through pH and phosphate tests of the soil samples. Specific methodologies and chemical testing procedures are described in the original survey report. With the application of these techniques, the original survey located two previously known sites which were exposed in the riverbank, two previously unknown sites, and six probable sites. The remainder of this report details the testing of a "probable site" that will be impacted by the construction of an intake structure. The probable site subject to testing was exposed in the soil samples taken from station N130-E925, N155-E925, and N180-E925 in Section Two of the project area (Figure 1). Charcoal and burned earth were found between 150 and 200 centimeters below the ground surface. A phosphate reading of five was found at the two meter level in bore station N180-E925.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Rockport Site N.D.

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): US Army Corps of Engineers Mandatory Center of Expertise for the Curation and Management of Archaeological Collections, St. Louis District

Contributor(s): Robin Johnson; John T. Dorwin

Landowner(s): US Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District

Sponsor(s): The Indiana and Michigan Electric Company

Repository(s): Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, Indiana University

Prepared By(s): SSI Earth Systems Division

Submitted To(s): US Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District

Record Identifiers

Contract No. (s): C-4715

Notes

General Note: The digital materials in this collection were processed by the Veterans Curation Program (VCP), and include the artifact database, artifact report, finding aid, scanned asset key, select artifact photographs, and test excavations report. Additional digital materials held by the VCP include an additional artifact photographs, box inventories, card stock inserts, document folder listing, and initial data collection. For additional information on these materials, refer to the Finding Aid.

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