Archeological Site Survey, Basic Data Report, BPI_0499, N.D.

Summary

This site consists of a two-story brick structure built c. 1800-1820. It is of rather simple Federal styling, with corbeled eave cornices, flush end chimneys, and a three-bay facade. At one end of the house there is a one-story frame wing that incorporates an early (probably original) and formerly detached kitchen. Although altered in recent years, it retains its large, exterior end chimney. The house stands on property owned by the Society of Jesus from 1649 to 1980, and was possibly built as a residence for priests or as a farm overseer's house. The bulk of the diagnostic artifacts recovered from the Phase lb investigations date to the middle to late 19th century, with a small number of late 18th or early 19th century artifacts. Within the house itself, there is excellent preservation of faunal remains beneath the house floor. The limited test excavations recovered a large amount of bone material and the limited ceramic and glass artifacts recovered indicate a mid- to late-19th century date for these remains.

Custer's 1992 Phase II testing within the house clearly showed that the subfloors were badly disturbed by Post-1940 repair of the floors. Diagnostic artifacts indicate that deposits date to the mid-late 19th century with a mix of 20th century artifacts added later. Food and other domestic refuse were deposited through trap doors in hearth areas in both the kitchen and the formal dining room. Diet included both wild game and domestic animals. The inhabitants of the farm were of a middle range socio-economic status.

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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

Landowner(s): Harry Diamond Laboratories, Adelphi, MD

Repository(s): Adelphi Laboratory

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