A Cultural Resource Survey for the Fort Dix & McGuire Air Force Base, Tertiary Wastewater Treatment Facility, New Hanover and Pemberton Townships, Burlington County, New Jersey

Summary

On behalf of Fort Dix and McGuire Air Force Base, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District contracted Hunter Research, Inc. to complete a Phase I archeological survey within the area of potential effects for proposed wastewater treatment facility construction in accordance with Section 106 of NHPA and the NJHPO guidelines for Phase I archeological survey. The proposed project involved installation of three linear force mains totaling approximately 5.25 miles, and construction of a new tertiary wastewater facility, and a remote pump station as well as preparation of a land application site and two stockpile areas on approximately 5.35 acres in New Hanover and Pemberton Townships, Burlington County, New Jersey.

Completed between February 11 and February 25, 1992, field investigations involved pedestrian survey and the excavation of 627, 12-inch diameter shovel tests excavated at intervals of 50 feet to 200 feet in eight areas (A – H). Three historic archaeological resources (28BU411, 28BU412, and 28BU413) representative of nineteenth century agricultural and commercial activities were identified. A supplementary investigation of monitored backhoe trenching was completed on March 26, 1992, to establish the archaeological integrity of the Cherry Valley Tavern/Pointville Hotel site (28BU413).

Located in Area B, 28BU411 (the Davis Farmstead) represents a cluster of seven cultural features: a 31ft by 21ft cellar pit, a 6ft diameter well, and five poured concrete foundations. A 10ft by 10ft depression located near the trackway may represent military-related activities. Site 28BU411 will be avoided by the proposed project. Site 28BU412 (the Poinsett Property) includes four features: a sunken roadway, 7ft diameter brick-lined well, a 25ft by 18ft cellar pit, and a 60ft by 18ft poured concrete foundation. The survey did not complete subsurface testing at 28BU412, and the site was avoided by the proposed project. Located in Area H, 28BU413 (the Cherry Valley Tavern/Pointville Hotel Site) represents a nineteenth century tavern/hotel occupation at the intersection of Texas Avenue and Pointville-Pemberton Road. Shovel testing and a 50ft long backhoe trench identified intact foundation walls and temporally discrete fill deposits that date from the early nineteenth through early twentieth century. Site 28BU413 was recommended as a significant archaeological resource, eligible for Pinelands Designation, and for NRHP listing.

The survey identified the east side of Texas Avenue as the probable locations of a mid-19th century church, a nineteenth century house and other features, associated with Pointville village. The survey recommended archaeological monitoring for 1,000 linear feet of force main construction in the historical limits of Pointville, accompanied by minor revisions to the alignment to avoid the cemetery area. The survey recommended avoidance or archaeological data recovery for 28BU413.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Fort Dix Archaeology and Cultural Resources Archive   •
• McGuire Air Force Base Archaeology and Cultural Resources Archive   •
• Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Archaeology and Cultural Resources Archive

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Air Force Base

Contributor(s): Lynn Rakos; Harriet Kronick

Principal Investigator(s): Ian Burrow

Prepared By(s): Hunter Research Inc

Submitted To(s): U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District

Record Identifiers

New Jersey Pinelands Development Application(s): 87-0801.01

BUR(s): A 67 ID3240

File Information