Phase III Data Retrieval, Winstanley Distribution Center, J. Houck Historic Site (05704.000188)

Author(s): Hartgen Archeological Associates, Inc.

Year: 2022

Summary

Hartgen Archeological Associates, Inc completed Phase III fieldwork for the proposed Winstanley Distribution Center in the Town of Florida, New York, following Phase I and Phase II archeological surveys identifying the J. Houck Historic Site. The Houck family were significant in the settlement and early development of the community of Florida, New York; their first recorded purchase of the property was in 1793. The Houck family owned and farmed their property for over 100 years, relying on the labor of tenant farmers for much of this time; the features excavated in this investigation were associated with tenant farmers. The site consists of three main features: the original stone cellar footprint of a single-family residential structure, an L-shaped addition, and a stone well that is likely contemporary to the original stone cellar. The artifacts collected during the investigation are consistent with an occupation lasting from the early to mid-19th century until the early 20th century. In general, tableware and other goods recovered from the site, along with food remains, were of low to moderate economic value. Historic materials recovered from the site, in conjunction with numerous historical records about the Houck family and their various tenant occupants, provide valuable information and insight into the lives of rural tenant farmers and their landlords in the region throughout the 19th century.

Cite this Record

Phase III Data Retrieval, Winstanley Distribution Center, J. Houck Historic Site (05704.000188). Hartgen Archeological Associates, Inc.. 2022 ( tDAR id: 469269) ; doi:10.48512/XCV8469269

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

Keywords

Culture
Historic

Material
Building Materials • Ceramic • Fauna • Glass • Hide • Metal • Shell

Site Name
05704.000188 • J. Houck Historic Site

Site Type
Domestic Structure or Architectural Complex • Domestic Structures • House • Stone Foundation • Well

Investigation Types
Archaeological Overview • Architectural Survey • Data Recovery / Excavation • Historic Background Research • Reconnaissance / Survey

General
18th - 20th Century Occupation • Ceramic Analysis • Farmstead • Faunal Data • Food Remains • Rural Settlement • Tenant Farming

Geographic Keywords
Montgomery County, New York • New York (State / Territory) • North America • Town of Florida, New York • United States (Country)

Temporal Keywords
18th Century • 19th Century • Early 20th Century • Historic

Spatial Coverage

min long: -74.273; min lat: 42.89 ; max long: -74.157; max lat: 42.953 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contributor(s): Walter Wheeler

Principal Investigator(s): Matthew Kirk

Project Director(s): Elizabeth Gregory

Record Identifiers

Hartgen Archeological Associates, Inc. Project Number(s): 5334

New York Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Project Review Number(s): 19PR04728

File Information

  Name Size Creation Date Date Uploaded Access
19PR04728_WinstanleyDistributionCtr_Ph3report_5334-51.pdf 15.59mb Jul 21, 2022 Jul 21, 2022 7:12:49 AM Public