Intensive Phase I Archeological Survey of The
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MARYLAND STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION PROJECT PLANNING DIVISION ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATION SECTION ARCHEOLOGICAL REPORT NUMBER 289 INTENSIVE PHASE I ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE PROPOSED WIDENING OF I–70 OVER THE GREAT TONOLOWAY CREEK AND PHASE II SITE INVESTIGATION OF BOWLES MILL (18WA498), HANCOCK, WASHINGTON COUNTY, MARYLAND CONTRACT NUMBER WA130B21 BY JAMES G. GIBB GIBB ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONSULTING 2554 Carrollton Road Annapolis, MD 21403 Submitted to The Maryland State Highway Administration Project Planning Division 707 North Calvert Street P.O. Box 717 Baltimore, MD 21203–0717 December 2002 REPOSITORIES Copies of this report are deposited at the following Maryland and Washington, D.C., locations: Caudill Memorial Library St. Mary’s City Commission Department of Anthropology Archeology Division The American University P.O. Box 39 4400 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W. St. Mary‘s City, MD 20686 Washington, D.C. 20016 Department of Anthropology Baltimore Center for Urban Archaeology Laboratory Archaeology University of Maryland University of Baltimore College Park, MD 20742 1420 North Charles Street Baltimore, MD 21201–5779 Maryland–National Capital Park and Planning Commission Department of Anthropology Natural and Historic Resources Division Marist Hall, Room 8 801 Watkins Park Drive Catholic University of America Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 (Prince George‘s County reports only) Washington, D.C. 20064 Maryland Historical Trust C & O Canal National Historical Park Division of Historical and Cultural P.O. Box 4 Programs Sharpsburg, MD 21782 Department of Housing and Community ATT: Douglas Stover Development (Allegany County and Washington 100 Community Place County reports only) Crownsville, MD 21032–2023 Agricultural History Farm Park 18400 Muncaster Road Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum Rockville, MD 20855 10515 Mackall Road ATT: Dr. James Sorensen St. Leonard, MD 20685 (Montgomery County reports only) Office of Professional Services Division of Cultural Resources Anne Arundel County Department of National Park Service Planning & Code Enforcement 1100 Ohio Drive, S.W. Heritage Office Center Washington, D.C. 20242 2664 Riva Road ATT: Stephen Potter MS–6402 Annapolis, MD 21401 ATT: Dr. Al Luckenbach (Anne Arundel County reports only) MARYLAND STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION PROJECT PLANNING DIVISION ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATION SECTION ARCHEOLOGICAL REPORT NUMBER 289 INTENSIVE PHASE I ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE PROPOSED WIDENING OF I–70 OVER THE GREAT TONOLOWAY CREEK AND PHASE II SITE INVESTIGATION OF BOWLES MILL (18WA498), HANCOCK, WASHINGTON COUNTY, MARYLAND CONTRACT NUMBER WA130B21 BY JAMES G. GIBB GIBB ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONSULTING 2554 Carrollton Road Annapolis, MD 21403 Submitted to The Maryland State Highway Administration Project Planning Division 707 North Calvert Street P.O. Box 717 Baltimore, MD 21203–0717 December 2002 4 Abstract The Maryland State Highway Administration, with partial funding from the Federal Highway Administration, proposes widening of the I–70 bridge over the Great Tonoloway Creek in Hancock, Washington County, Maryland (Maryland Archeological Research Unit 20). The proposed work includes construction of two new piers on the north side of the westbound bridge span, retaining walls, and two stormwater management ponds. In the shadow of this high, four–lane interstate bridge are the Old National Road and a mill site (the Bowles mill, 18WA498), as well as the remains of the Julia B. Lynn House (18WA499; possibly the miller‘s house), and the 1950–1955 Hancock Drive–in. Gibb Archaeological Consulting undertook a Phase I intensive archeological survey of the I=70 Widening project area to determine whether proposed construction will have any affect on archeological resources that may be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Preliminary assessment of the project area by the State Highway Administration revealed submerged timbers and a stone wall in the north part of the highway right–of–way and in the vicinity of a grist mill identified on an 1878 map as that of S. Bowles. Intensive archival research clearly demonstrated that the creek had been used to power mills at least as early as 1763 and continued until after 1880, probably soon after the death of Samuel Bowles. Fieldwork conducted on July 15 and 17, 2002, revealed that the right–of–way beyond the mill was too steep to warrant testing and the proposed construction would not affect surviving portions of the National Pike (now Tollgate Ridge Road), the Julia B. Lynn House (18WA499), or the projection booth of the 1960s outdoor cinema, the Hancock Drive–in. Remains of the milldam and mill were mapped and Phase II site examination was undertaken between August 12 and 15, 2002. Nine excavation units and additional mapping delineated the mill, dam, headrace, probable wheel pit, and the likely route of the tailrace, none of which will be effected by proposed construction. Excavations also revealed that the mill had been cannibalized for much of its stone. The Bowles Mill site meets Criteria C and D for inclusion into the National Register of Historic Places. The State Highway Administration will take measures to insure protection of the site during road construction. 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ............................................................................................... 5 CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................. 9 CHAPTER 2. LOCATION AND ENVIRONMENT .................................... 10 Location ..................................................................................................................................... 10 Environment ............................................................................................................................. 10 CHAPTER 3. CULTURE HISTORY ......................................................... 16 Prehistoric ................................................................................................................................. 16 Regional Prehistory ............................................................................................................... 16 Local Prehistory ..................................................................................................................... 20 Historic ...................................................................................................................................... 23 Tract History ............................................................................................................................ 33 Summary and Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 48 Agricultural Intensification, 1776–1860 ................................................................................ 49 Industrial Decline and the Small Farm, 1860–1930 .............................................................. 49 CHAPTER 4. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY .................. 50 Research Design ........................................................................................................................ 50 Rural Mills and Millsite Archeology ...................................................................................... 50 Methods ..................................................................................................................................... 56 Archives ................................................................................................................................. 56 Field ....................................................................................................................................... 56 Laboratory ............................................................................................................................. 57 CHAPTER 5. RESULTS .......................................................................... 58 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 58 Project Overview ...................................................................................................................... 58 CHAPTER 6. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, & RECOMMENDATIONS . 92 Summary and Conclusions ...................................................................................................... 92 Recommendations ..................................................................................................................... 97 REFERENCES CITED........................................................................... 100 APPENDIX A. ARTIFACT INVENTORY AND CATALOGUE. ............... 109 Inventory of Julia B. Lynn House site (18WA499), uncollected ......................................... 109 Catalogue of Bowles Mill site (18WA498) ............................................................................ 109 APPENDIX B. WOOD IDENTIFICATION .............................................. 112 APPENDIX C: CREDENTIALS ............................................................. 114 6 LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 2–1. MARYLAND ARCHEOLOGICAL RESEARCH UNIT MAP. ............................................ 12 FIGURE 2–2. USGS TOPOGRAPHIC MAP, HANCOCK, MD., DETAIL (1996). ................................... 13 FIGURE 2–3. AERIAL VIEW OF PROJECT AREA, 1995. ....................................................................... 14 FIGURE 3–1. LAND SURVEYS PER DECADE IN THE WESTERN SECTION OF WASHINGTON COUNTY. ...........................................................................................................................................