Cultural Resources Reconnaissance in Secondary Impact Areas Along Salado Creek at Brook Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston and Camp Bullis, Bexar County, Texas

Summary

In the Spring of 1988, historical, geoarcheological, and archeological investigations were conducted in selected areas within Fort Sam Houston and Camp Bullis, Bexar County, Texas. These investigations were designed to identify localities that contain deep, intact deposits with the potential to contain prehistoric cultural resources. The purpose was to determine the feasibility of conducting a buried site reconnaissance using a backhoe. The data gathered for Fort Sam Houston during the historical and geoarcheological document review was field verified. The results indicate that thick, fine-grained deposits containing Holocene alluvium are rare. Thinner (less than 60 em) deposits that potentially contain cultural materials are present, but buried sites will be difficult to detect due to the sparse density of materials expected in prehistoric sites in the immediate vicinity.

The Camp Bullis investigations included a brief archeological survey along Salado Creek. Nine prehistoric sites, one of which was previously recorded, were documented, and a prehistoric component was identified at a previously documented historic site. Over 100 shovel probes excavated to obtain data on the depth and nature of the buried sediments within the valley revealed limited localities where culturally relevant soils exist below 30 cm. Eight of the 10 sites contain very low material densities; this restricts their potential for detection through backhoe trenching.

At both installations, most culturally relevant soils adjacent to Salado Creek are shallow, and the debris density is low in identified sites. Further, there is limited potential for prehistoric sites to be buried in these dense clays. It is concluded that a backhoe reconnaissance would be unproductive and therefore is not feasible as a means of site identification.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• National Archeological Database (NADB)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Cultural Resource Office, Joint Base San Antonio

Principal Investigator(s): Elton R. Prewitt

Sponsor(s): US Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District

Repository(s): Fort Sam Houston

Prepared By(s): Prewitt & Associates, Inc.

Submitted To(s): US Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District

Record Identifiers

NADB Citation ID(s): 000000126825

Delivery Order Number(s): 0014

Contract Number(s): DACW63-86-D-0010

NADB Document ID(s): 845071

Notes

General Note: The information in this record was originally migrated into tDAR from the National Archaeological Database Reports Module (NADB-R) and has since then been updated.

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