National Register Eligibility Evaluations of Sites 18ST659 and 18ST754 and Data Recovery Excavations at VXX Presidential Helicopter Facility, Naval Air Station Patuxent River (2006.055)

Summary

Phase II evaluative testing of archaeological sites 18ST659 and 18ST754 and Phase III data recovery of archaeological site 18ST659, both in St. Mary’s County, Maryland, were conducted in support of the new VXX Presidential Helicopter Program Support Facility at Naval Air Station Patuxent River. Both sites are located on terrace landforms adjacent to Harper’s Creek near the mouth of the Patuxent River. The overall purpose of evaluative testing was to determine whether the sites contained sufficient research data and met eligibility requirements for listing in the National Register. The Phase II findings determined that site 18ST754 did not possess high research value and did not meet the eligibility criteria for the National Register. Site 18ST659, however, contained high research value based on the presence of in situ cultural features and a high density of prehistoric material remains and was determined eligible for inclusion in the National Register.

In order to mitigate new construction impacts to site 18ST659, Phase III data recovery investigations were undertaken. The purpose of the investigations was to closely examine the archaeological deposits and collect sufficient data to address important research themes on the prehistory of the local area and the Chesapeake Bay region. Data recovery excavations consisted of manual excavation of a total of 144 m2 in four block excavations, followed by machine stripping of three 10-x-20-m areas and one 10-x-10-m area of the site in order to expose features, analyze site deposits, and recover artifactual data. In total, 25,137 artifacts were recovered from the Phase III excavations and 51 features were identified. Among the collection of artifacts are 395 lithic tools, 15,382 pieces of debitage, and 813 faunal items.

This project includes the report, artifact inventories, photographs and photo logs.

This collection and related materials are now located at the Maryland Archaeological Conservation (MAC) Lab. Additional resources related to this project are also located at the Maryland Archaeological Conservation lab.

For further information and access to resources contact the Federal Curator, contact information listed below.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• National Register Eligibility Evaluations of Sites 18ST659 and 18ST754 and Data Recovery Excavations at VXX Presidential Helicopter Facility, Naval Air Station Patuxent River (2006.055)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory Federal Curator; Michael Smolek

Contributor(s): David M. Franz; Robert D. Wall; Lee Ann Newsom; Trina Arpin; Paul Goldberg

Field Director(s): Paul Presenza

Principal Investigator(s): Timothy R. Sara

Sponsor(s): Navy

Repository(s): Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory

Prepared By(s): Geo-Marine, Inc.

Record Identifiers

Task Order Number(s): 0070

MAC Lab Lot Number(s): 18ST659/203; 18ST659/811; 18ST659/249; 18ST659/777; 18ST659/234; 18ST659/231; 18ST659/141; 18ST659/182; 18ST659/175; 18ST659/170; 18ST659/783; 18ST659/210; 18ST659/256; 18ST754/66; 18ST659/251; 18ST754/71; 18ST754/54; 18ST659/244; 18ST659/190; 18ST659/799; 18ST659/162; 18ST659/195; 18ST659/148; 18ST659/246; 18ST754/38; 18ST659/146; 18ST659/176; 18ST659/221; 18ST659/245; 18ST659/197; 18ST659/206; 18ST754/44; 18ST659/174; 18ST659/193; 18ST659/201; 18ST659/173; 18ST659/772; 18ST659/224; 18ST659/168; 18ST754/47; 18ST659/764; 18ST659/155; 18ST659/181; 18ST659/798; 18ST754/50; 18ST659/257; 18ST659/225; 18ST659/218; 18ST659/774; 18ST754/68; 18ST659/154; 18ST659/790; 18ST659/149; 18ST754/49; 18ST659/216; 18ST659/243; 18ST659/263; 18ST659/150; 18ST659/262; 18ST659/184; 18ST754/48; 18ST659/137; 18ST659/160; 18ST659/192; 18ST659/172; 18ST659/189; 18ST754/64; 18ST659/773; 18ST659/238; 18ST659/204; 18ST659/796; 18ST659/769; 18ST659/227; 18ST659/254; 18ST659/134; 18ST754/51; 18ST659/787; 18ST659/765; 18ST754/56; 18ST659/814; 18ST659/788; 18ST659/143; 18ST754/37; 18ST659/771; 18ST659/778; 18ST659/178; 18ST754/53; 18ST659/207; 18ST659/250; 18ST659/789; 18ST659/152; 18ST754/45; 18ST754/69; 18ST659/183; 18ST659/239; 18ST659/209; 18ST659/793; 18ST659/217; 18ST659/248; 18ST754/67; 18ST659/144; 18ST659/147; 18ST659/136; 18ST659/177; 18ST659/200; 18ST754/58; 18ST754/41; 18ST659/212; 18ST659/785; 18ST659/188; 18ST659/797; 18ST754/55; 18ST659/812; 18ST659/199; 18ST659/228; 18ST659/232; 18ST659/138; 18ST659/135; 18ST659/775; 18ST659/252; 18ST659/165; 18ST754/62; 18ST659/229; 18ST659/196; 18ST659/185; 18ST659/208; 18ST659/813; 18ST659/166; 18ST659/202; 18ST659/153; 18ST659/236; 18ST659/161; 18ST659/167; 18ST754/61; 18ST659/169; 18ST659/179; 18ST659/791; 18ST659/260; 18ST659/253; 18ST659/198; 18ST659/142; 18ST754/39; 18ST659/157; 18ST659/187; 18ST754/46; 18ST659/180; 18ST659/780; 18ST659/255; 18ST659/211; 18ST754/57; 18ST659/158; 18ST659/258; 18ST659/241; 18ST659/223; 18ST659/194; 18ST659/214; 18ST659/235; 18ST754/63; 18ST659/230; 18ST754/42; 18ST659/770; 18ST754/60; 18ST659/186; 18ST659/242; 18ST754/70; 18ST659/794; 18ST659/247; 18ST659/191; 18ST659/213; 18ST659/219; 18ST659/171; 18ST659/264; 18ST659/800; 18ST754/59; 18ST754/36; 18ST659/784; 18ST754/65; 18ST659/156; 18ST659/261; 18ST659/786; 18ST659/792; 18ST659/782; 18ST659/159; 18ST659/164; 18ST659/145; 18ST659/768; 18ST659/237; 18ST659/163; 18ST659/226; 18ST659/265; 18ST659/795; 18ST659/781; 18ST659/259; 18ST659/151; 18ST659/140; 18ST659/220; 18ST659/205; 18ST659/222; 18ST659/776; 18ST659/767; 18ST659/215; 18ST659/779; 18ST754/40; 18ST659/233; 18ST659/766; 18ST659/240; 18ST754/52

Contract Number(s): N62470–02–D–9997

MAC Lab Accession Number(s): 2006.055; 2006.055

Notes

General Note: The following physical records are held at MAC Lab: Field Notes, Maps,Oversized Maps, Artifact Catalog, Report, Black & White Negatives, Photologs, List of Documentation

General Note: Date Collected:8/2004-5/2005