ROI123, An Archaeological Investigation of Pioneer Life in Spring Mill State Park, Lawrence County, Indiana

Summary

This is the tDAR Project page that represents Reports of Investigation 123 from the Applied Anthropology Laboratories, Ball State University. The Applied Anthropology Laboratories (AAL) at Ball State University conducted a Phase Ia and Ib archaeological investigation at Spring Mill State Park (SMSP) with support from a Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) grant. The primary goals of this research were to develop a more comprehensive understanding of historical activities around the main mill village, document settlement history of the village, address gaps in previous research, and to provide data to SMSP for use in future interpretation and resource management planning.

Research focused on two survey areas including 64.15 ac (25.96 ha) surrounding Pioneer Village (12LR1101) and 3.34 ac (1.35 ha) surrounding the presumed location of George Donaldson’s “Shawnee Cottage” (12LR1180). Recovered artifacts include 474 historic metal, glass, and ceramic objects dating to the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and 11 precontact lithic artifacts from the Unidentified Prehistoric time period. Eight features were documented. Fieldwork did not encounter human remains. Cultural periods (as designated in SHAARD) represented in the artifact assemblage include Unidentified Prehistoric and nineteenth and twentieth century Historic.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• BSUAAL Reports of Investigations

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Kevin Nolan; Applied Anthropolgy Laboratories, Ball State University

Principal Investigator(s): Christine Thompson

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