VAFB-2006-08: Archaeological Survey of the Coastline and Lower Drainages, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Barbara County, California

Summary

This document is a report for Vandenberg Air Force Base pertaining to a Section 110 inventory specifically focused on sea cliff and erosional cut banks that were not the focus of the base-wide survey completed in the 1990s. The survey covered approximately 51 linear miles, including approximately 35 miles of coastline extending the length of the base. In addition, surveyors examined an additional 12 miles along the cut banks of various drainages and streams that extend inland from the coast as well as 2.5 miles of Shuman Canyon and 1.5 miles along Honda Ridge Road.

A total of 172 previously recorded archaeological sites were revisited and checked against existing records for accuracy. Site boundaries were expanded at 40 of these sites. It was determined that some archaeological sites should be combined as they were clearly part of the same archaeological deposit. CA-SBA-902 and -903 were combined to form CA-SBA-902/903/H and CA-SBA-651 and -652 were combined into CA-SBA-651/652. One human burial was identified in the sea cliff at CA-SBA-972 during the site recordation process. Both bone and shell beads were found eroding out of the archaeological deposit while the boundaries were being recorded using GPS. At the request of the 30th Civil Engineer Squadron, Environmental Flight, Cultural Resources Section (30 CES/CEVNC), Æ recovered the remains by controlled

hand excavation for osteological analysis.

Twenty-four resources were rerecorded onto current California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) cultural resources record forms, DPR updates were completed for 20 others. Among the previously recorded sites, seven new historic components and two new prehistoric components were identified. The site boundaries and conditions of the remaining previously recorded sites examined during the survey were accurate and no further action was required.

Fifteen new archaeological sites were identified and recorded during the survey. Among the newly recorded sites are six prehistoric sites, seven historic sites, and two sites containing both prehistoric and historic components. The prehistoric sites primarily consist of marine shell middens of varying density with flaked stone debris. The newly recorded historic sites include historic trash deposits associated with railroad camps, miners, fishermen, Camp Cook soldiers, and late nineteenth to early twentieth century visitor and sightseers.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) - Cultural Resource Report

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Roscoe Loetzerich

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