Stage 1A Cultural Resource Investigations for the Newport Research Facility (Tanner Hill and Irish Hill) Town of Newport, Herkimer County, New York

Summary

Stage 1A cultural resource investigations were conducted for the Newport Research Facility located at Tanner and Irish Hills in the Town of Newport, Herkimer County, New York. The Facility was investigated in conjunction with the potential excessing of properties associated with the former Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, New York. The purpose of the investigation at the Newport Research Facility was to locate and identify any unrecorded cultural resources, prehistoric or historic, that might be located within the project area and to develop a sensitivity assessment of the potential for conducting additional field investigations. Background research indicated that the two facilities had varied potential sensitivities for the location of unrecorded prehistoric or historic archaeological sites ranging from low to moderate to high. While the potentially well-drained qualities of soils within portions of the project area and its topographic setting, might argue for potential attractiveness to prehistoric occupation and/or activities, the high degree of historic disturbance negated most of this potential. The potential for locating historic cultural material, refuse or foundations, was considered to be extremely low, although in one location at Irish Hill historic maps indicated the remains of a nineteenth century farm, the Chapin-Olds-Dunn Farm, that was subsequently impacted by Facility activities. Stage 1B field investigations have been recommended for those locations at the facilities containing moderate and/or high sensitivities. In addition, it is believed that some or all of the structures and features at the Newport Research Facility might be potentially culturally important because of their association with the "Cold War". The New York State Historic Preservation Office has indicated that further guidance will be needed from the National Park Service (NPS) for the evaluation of Cold War Facilities and they cannot provide, at present, an eligibility opinion on such properties. Therefore, an evaluation of such structures at Newport was beyond the scope of the present study.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Rome Research Site Archaeology and Cultural Resource Management Archive

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome Research Site

File Information