Fort Dix Buildings, Fort Dix Army Base, Manchester Township, Ocean County, New Jersey

Summary

On behalf of the United States Army Directorate of Public Works, the PARS Enviormental, Inc, (PARS) has conducted a Phase IA Archaeological Assessment for a lA-acre parcel and its surrounding half-mile radius within the southeastern corner of the Fort Dix Army Base. This portion of the base is located in Manchester Township, Ocean County, New Jersey. The United States Army Directorate of Public Works has proposed the construction of four new buildings within the northwestern corner of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) in the southeastern extent of Fort Dix. The goal of the Phase IA Archaeological Assessment was to determine the potential for the proposed project to encounter archaeological resources and the likelihood for the presence or absence of archaeological resources within the lA-acre parcel and its surrounding half-mile radius. The Area of Potential Effect (APE) for the project corresponds to the proposed location of the new building construction. The APE is bounded by paved vacant areas and internal base access roads to the north and west and by large-scale tent structures and temporary trailers, the infrastructure of the FOB, to the east and south. Background research, including historic and cartographic data, review of New Jersey State Museum (NJSM) ite files and previously conducted archaeological projects on file at the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office (NJHPO), in conjunction with the prehistoric and historic predictive models, have characterized the project area as having a low potential to encounter prehistoric archaeological resources and no potential for historic archaeological deposits. A site visit and pedestrian reconnaissance of the APE was also conducted. During this visit, clear evidence of past direct and indirect disturbance to the project area was observed. Such episodes of disturbance include: deforesting, clearing, grading, and filling, in addition to on-going heavy machinery operation and traffic throughout the area. Although the extent and depth of this past disturbance could not be delineated from a surface examination, any intact subsurface soils have experienced, at least, extensive indirect impacts as a result of the vehicular traffic. Given the results of the background research, the application of the predictive models, and the evidence of past disturbance to the project area, PARS concludes that the proposed project area possesses little to no sensitivity for intact, significant archaeological resources. Therefore, no further archaeological investigations are recommended for the proposed Fort Dix Buildings Project as it is currently planned.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Fort Dix Archaeology and Cultural Resources Archive

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

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

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