Quinebaug River Prehistoric Archaeological District and New England Hebrew Farmers of the Emanuel Society Synagogue and Creamery Archaeological Site

Summary

The Connecticut Department of Transportation is the steward of two Connecticut State Archaeological Preserves. This paper will highlight the Preserves and give an overview of how an agency, generally in the business of building roads and bridges, has contributed to the preservation of two significant archaeological districts. The Quinebaug River Prehistoric Archaeological District in Canterbury was listed as a Preserve in 2003. The 22 acre preserve includes five National Register-eligible pre-contact Native American sites ranging from 500 to 4000 years old. These sites were identified and preserved as part of a wetland mitigation site. The New England Hebrew Farmers of the Emanuel Society Synagogue and Creamery Archaeological Site in Chesterfield (Montville) was listed as a Preserve in 2007. It is the remnants of the late-19th/early-20th century Russian Jewish farming community. CTDOT is working with the descendant community to find ways to maintain fragile remains of a creamery building while leaving avenues open for roadway safety improvements. CTDOT and NEHFES are currently collaborating to execute a preservation easement in hopes of obtaining grant funding for the maintenance of this notable Jewish settlement. Working with the State Historic Preservation Office, CTDOT continues to support the protection of Connecticut’s rich archaeological heritage.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 20324