Archaeological Field Reconnaissance and Intensive Assessment at State Recreation Areas 1979

Summary

The archaeological field reconnaissance and intensive assessment at State Recreation Areas were initiated with a request from Boyd E. Phelps, Inc. to Ball State University under the direction of Ronald Hicks. The request entailed an initial archaeological records search for four Department of Natural Resources construction projects (E15-702C, E15-702G, E15-702H, and E15-702J) near the Mississinewa and Huntington Reservoirs in Wabash and Huntington Counties, Indiana. Projects E15-702C, E15-702G, and E15-702J were recommended for an archaeological field reconnaissance since they were found to occupy topographic locations that could have been selected for prehistoric occupation, and additionally could affect substantial amounts of land. It was also recommended that an intensive literature search be conducted to locate any historic sites. Project E15-702H was not recommended for further assessment because the surrounding land appeared to be too disturbed to qualify for the National Register (Cochran 1979a).

Ball State University conducted an archaeological field reconnaissance for six projects on the Mississinewa, Salamonie, and Huntington Reservoirs in Miami, Wabash and Huntington Counties, Indiana. The objective was to identify archaeological sites through a surface survey of each project area. The six projects included E-15-702-B (Francis Slocum State Recreation Area), E-15 702C (Hogback Ridge), E-15-702D (Miami), E-15-702F (Dora-New Holland), E 15-702G (Little Turtle), and E-15-702J (Kilsoquah). Prehistoric occupation was found in four of these projects areas, but it was the recommendation that project area E-15-702C be subjected to further archaeological investigation (Cochran 1979b).

An intensive assessment of two proposed routes for DNR Project E15-702C at Hogback Ridge State Recreation Area located three prehistoric sites, 12WB24, 12WB25, and 12WB26, and a chert outcrop. A series of test pits plus additional shovel probes and reconnaissance on site 12WB24 indicated that the primary concentration of cultural materials had been in a field where it was heavily disturbed, rather than the adjacent woods, and that the wooded portion of the site contained only scattered remains that did not appear to meet the National Register criteria of significance. However, it was also noted that there were additional possibly significant sites associated with a nearby chert outcrop and that these may be subject to secondary impact as a result of the proposed construction. The recommendation of the archaeological reconnaissance was that this project would have a harmful secondary effect on potentially significant archaeological resources in the vicinity and that the project should be moved or a complete study should be implemented prior to construction (Cochran 1979c).

The digital materials in this project were processed by the Veterans Curation Program (VCP), and include field catalogs, finding aid, oversized material database, site survey records, and three final reports with figure drafts. Additional digital materials held by the VCP include blueprint sketches, construction maps, correspondence, handwritten notes, oversized aerial maps, project time logs, and quad maps. For additional information on these materials, refer to the Finding Aid.

It should be noted that this project can be cross-referenced with two other archival projects: Archaeological Reconnaissance at Miami County Recreation Area 1979 and Archaeological Reconnaissance at Dora-New Holland Recreation Area 1979. These projects share a common final report, the Archaeological Field Reconnaissance State Recreation Area Facilities Improvements, with the current project. However, one should keep in mind that the cross-referenced projects outline particular Department of Natural Resources (DNR) project areas covered within the final report. With this understanding, the contents of the Oversized Records series were grouped with the current investigation. These records associated with DNR Projects E15-702B, D, E, and F were found in a collection of oversized materials associated with Mississinewa, Huntington, and Salamonie Reservoirs.

Cite this Record

Archaeological Field Reconnaissance and Intensive Assessment at State Recreation Areas 1979. ( tDAR id: 394515) ; doi:10.6067/XCV8XG9SVZ

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

Keywords

Site Name
12HU64 • 12HU65 • 12HU66 • 12HU67 • 12WB23 • 12WB24 • 12WB25 • 12WB26 • 12WB27 • 12WB28

Investigation Types
Heritage Management • Reconnaissance / Survey

Geographic Keywords
Hogback Ridge State Recreation Area • Huntington County (County) • Huntington Reservoir • Indiana (State / Territory) • Miami County (County) • Mississinewa Reservoir • Salamonie Reservoir • Wabash County (County)

Spatial Coverage

min long: -86.167; min lat: 40.499 ; max long: -85.115; max lat: 40.965 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): US Army Corps of Engineers Mandatory Center of Expertise for the Curation and Management of Archaeological Collections, St. Louis District

Contributor(s): Ball State University; Brockington and Associates, Inc.; Donald Cochran

Principal Investigator(s): Ronald Hicks

Landowner(s): US Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District

Sponsor(s): Boyd E. Phelps, Inc.; US Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District; US Army Corps of Engineers Mandatory Center of Expertise for the Curation and Management of Archaeological Collections, St. Louis District

Repository(s): Applied Archaeology Laboratories, Ball State University

Prepared By(s): Veterans Curation Program

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

Record Identifiers

Department of Natural Resources Project(s): E15-702D; E15-702B; E15-702H; E15-702F; E15-702C; E15-702J; E15-702G

Notes

General Note: The digital materials in this project were processed by the Veterans Curation Program (VCP), and include field catalogs, finding aid, oversized material database, site survey records, and three final reports with figure drafts. Additional digital materials held by the VCP include blueprint sketches, construction maps, correspondence, handwritten notes, oversized aerial maps, project time logs, and quad maps. For additional information on these materials, refer to the Finding Aid.

Source Collections

'Archaeological Field Reconnaissance and Intensive Assessment at State Recreation Areas 1979' collection stored at Applied Archaeology Laboratories, Ball State University

Related Comparative Collections

These materials can be cross-referenced with two other archival projects: Archaeological Reconnaissance at Miami County Recreation Area 1979 and Archaeological Reconnaissance at Dora-New Holland Recreation Area 1979. These projects share a common final report, the Archaeological Field Reconnaissance State Recreation Area Facilities Improvements.

Resources Inside this Project (Viewing 1-5 of 5)

Documents

  1. Archaeological Field Reconnaissance, State Recreation Area Facilities Improvements, E15-702B Francis Slocum, Mississinewa Reservoir, E15-702C Hogback Ridge, Mississinewa Reservoir, E15-702D Miami, Mississinewa Reservoir, E15-702F Dora-New Holland, Salamonie Reservoir, E15-702G Little Turtle, Huntington Reservoir, E15-702J Kilsoquah, Huntington Reservoir, Miami, Wabash and Huntington Counties, Indiana (1979)
    DOCUMENT Full-Text Donald R. Cochran.

    As requested by Boyd E. Phelps, Inc,, an archaeological field reconnaissance has been completed for six Department of Natural Resources projects on the Mississinewa, Salamonie, and Huntington Reservoirs in Miami, Wabash and Huntington Counties, Indiana. Of the six project areas that were surveyed, four contained evidence of prehistoric occupation and two, E15-702B and E15-702F, did not. Although evidence of prehistoric occupation was found in four of the six project areas, only one site...

  2. Archaeological Intensive Assessment, DNR Project E15-702C - Mississinewa Reservoir, Wabash County, Indiana (1979)
    DOCUMENT Full-Text Donald R. Cochran.

    A series of test pits plus additional shovel probes and surface reconnaissance on Site Wb-24 indicated that the primary concentration of cultural materials had been in a field, where it was heavily disturbed, rather than the adjacent woods and that the wooded portion of the site contained only scattered remains that do not appear to meet the National Register criteria of significance. However, it was also noted that there are additional possibly significant sites associated with a nearby chert...

  3. Finding Aid, Archaeological Field Reconnaissance and Intensive Assessment at State Recreation Areas 1979 (2012)
    DOCUMENT Full-Text Kelly O'Con.

    This collection is referred to as “Archaeological Field Reconnaissance and Intensive Assessment at State Recreation Areas 1979.” This name is consistent throughout the finding aid, the file folders, and the box labels. The extent of this collection is one and a half (1.5) linear inches. The documents in this collection include project time logs, handwritten notes, correspondence, site survey forms, oversized aerial and construction maps, quad maps, blueprint sketches, and three final reports...

  4. Wabash/Huntington Counties, Archaeological Records Search, Mississinnewa/Huntington Reservoirs (1979)
    DOCUMENT Full-Text Donald R. Cochran.

    An archaeological records search for 4 construction projects near the Mississinewa and Huntington Reservoirs in Wabash and Huntington Counties, Indiana.

Datasets

  1. Oversized Material Database, Archaeological Field Reconnaissance and Intensive Assessment at State Recreation Areas 1979 (2012)
    DATASET Veterans Curation Program.

    This is the oversized material database for the Archaeological Field Reconnaissance and Intensive Assessment at State Recreation Areas 1979 collection stored at Applied Archaeology Laboratories, Ball State University.