NPS Form 10 900 OMB No. 1024 0018

NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Registration Form

This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts. See instructions in National Register Bulletin, How to Complete the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. If any item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, architectural classification, materials, and areas of significance, enter only categories and subcategories from the instructions. Place additional certification comments, entries, and narrative items on continuation sheets if needed (NPS Form 10-900a).

1. Name of Property historic name Medicine House Site other names/site number 48CR2353

2. Location street & number x not for publication x city or town Hanna vicinity state Wyoming code WY county Carbon code 007 zip code 82327 3. State/Federal Agency Certification

As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby certify that this x nomination _ request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property x_ meets _ does not meet the National Register Criteria. I recommend that this property be considered significant at the following level(s) of significance: national x statewide local

Signature of certifying official/Title Date

State or Federal agency/bureau or Tribal Government

In my opinion, the property meets does not meet the National Register criteria.

Signature of commenting official Date

Title State or Federal agency/bureau or Tribal Government

4. National Park Service Certification I hereby certify that this property is:

entered in the National Register determined eligible for the National Register

determined not eligible for the National Register removed from the National Register

other (explain:) ______

Signature of the Keeper Date of Action

1 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012)

Medicine House Site Carbon, Wyoming Name of Property County and State

5. Classification

Ownership of Property Category of Property Number of Resources within Property (Check as many boxes as apply.) (Check only one box.) (Do not include previously listed resources in the count.)

Contributing Noncontributing x private building(s) buildings public - Local district 1 sites public - State x site structures x public - Federal structure objects object 1 Total

Name of related multiple property listing Number of contributing resources previously (Enter "N/A" if property is not part of a multiple property listing) listed in the National Register

N/A N/A

6. Function or Use Historic Functions Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions.) (Enter categories from instructions.) Domestic/Camp Landscape/Unoccupied Land

7. Description

Architectural Classification Materials (Enter categories from instructions.) (Enter categories from instructions.)

N/A foundation: N/A

walls: N/A

roof: N/A

other: N/A

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012)

Medicine House Site Carbon, Wyoming Name of Property County and State

Narrative Description (Describe the historic and current physical appearance of the property. Explain contributing and noncontributing resources if necessary. Begin with a summary paragraph that briefly describes the general characteristics of the property, such as its location, setting, size, and significant features.)

Summary Paragraph

The Medicine House site (48CR2353) is an Early Archaic habitation site located in the Hanna Basin near Hanna, Wyoming in Carbon County. The site contains one of the largest and best preserved pithouses known to exist in the basin as well as a surface scatter of lithics, hearths, and fire cracked rock. Early Archaic period dates of 5360±80 BP and 5160±120 BP were obtained from features with the pithouse. The inhabitants of the site invested considerable labor in constructing the pithouse structure and in arranging the internal features to best utilize the available space. The dwelling not only housed the residents but also served as a storage facility for subsistence resources collected from the surrounding area. The storage features contained thousands of Indian ricegrass (Oryzopsis hymenoides) seeds, suggesting a long term winter occupation. Construction and use of this facility demonstrate a viable adaptation to a semiarid intermountain basin during a period of climatic stress. An estimated 30 to 40 percent of the pithouse remains unexcavated, allowing for future research. The Medicine House site also has the potential to contain additional pithouse features. The site is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion D at the statewide level of significance.

______Narrative Description

ENVIRONMENT

The Medicine House site is located approximately 13 miles northwest of the modern town of Hanna, Wyoming in Carbon County. The site is 22 miles northeast of the modern city of Rawlins, Wyoming. The Medicine Bow River branch of the Seminoe Reservoir is approximately one and one half miles east-northeast of the site. The North Platte River branch of the Seminoe Reservoir is approximately four miles northwest of the site.

Medicine House is situated in the rolling terrain of the Hanna Basin in south-central Wyoming at an elevation of 6540 feet. The Seminoe, Shirley, and Freezeout Mountains define the northern border of the Hanna Basin. Located to the east of the basin are the Saddleback Hills and to the south are Elk Mountain and the Medicine Bow Range. The western side of the basin is bound by the Haystack Mountains that form a segment of the Continental Divide (Miller and McGuire 1997:373). The Hanna Basin is one of the many interconnected basins separated by isolated mountains located in the larger Wyoming Basin (Eckerle 1997:141). The Medicine House site is located within a stabilized dune on the western side of an ephemeral drainage (McGuire et al. 1984:12). The drainage is connected to a playa located a little over half a mile to the southwest of the site.

The climate of the Wyoming Basin is arid to semiarid with cold winters and cool summers (Eckerle 1997:141). The nearby town of Hanna, Wyoming has an average high temperature of 26°C (80°F) in July and an average low of -10°C (13°F) in January (Western Regional Climate Center 2016). The average rain fall is 33 cm (13 inches), and average snow fall is 190.5 cm (75 inches). The vegetation is dominated by sagebrush steppe species (Eckerle 1997:141). Before the construction of the Seminoe Reservoir in the 1930s riparian zones covered the river valleys (Miller and McGuire 1997: 374). Currently, the area is dominated by Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata), bottlebrush squirreltail (Elymus elymoides), Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda), prickly pear (Opuntia) greasewood (Sarcobatus), and Thurber’s needlegrass (Achnatherum thurberianum). The shrub component includes rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa), antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentate), winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata), and hopsage (Grayia) among others. Grasses include basin wildrye (Leymus cinereus), Indian ricegrass (Oryzopsis hymenoides), Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis), and western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) among others.

Extant mammals located in the Hanna Basin include: pronghorn (Antilocapra americana), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), jackrabbit (Lepus sp.), cottontail (Sylvilagus sp.), weasel (Mustela frenata), badger (Taxidea taxus), coyote (Canis latrans), bobcat (Felis rufus), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), and ground squirrel (Spermophilus tridecemlineatus)

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Medicine House Site Carbon, Wyoming Name of Property County and State

(McGuire et al. 1984:55). Some of the smaller mammals include chipmunk (Tamias sp.), pocket gopher (Geomyidae sp.), and sagebrush vole (Lemmiscus curtatus). Bison (Bison bison) were present in the area prior to the historic period.

PERIOD OF TIME

Artifacts found at the site, together with the radiocarbon dates gathered from features within the pithouse indicate the site was occupied during the Early Archaic period (7,500 – 5,000 BP) (Miller and McGuire 1997, Kornfeld et al. 2010). The two projectile points (Figure 8) are examples of Early Archaic side-notched projectile points (Kornfeld et al. 2010). Within the pithouse a firepit (Feature 4) contained sagebrush charcoal that was collected and dated to 6295-5944 cal yr BP (Intcal13, Sigma 2, 5360±80 BP, Beta-7119) (Miller and McGuire 1997: 377). A second radiocarbon date was produced from Stratum F, a dark gray and black charcoal stained sand located immediately above the pithouse floor (Figure 3). Stratum F dated to 6260-5651 cal yr BP (Intcal13, Sigma 2, 5160±120 BP, Beta-7352) (Miller and McGuire 1997:377).

Early Archaic

The Archaic Period began around 7,500 BP and ends around 1,500 BP (Kornfeld et al. 2010). The period is divided into Early, Middle, and Late. The Medicine House site fits into the Early Archaic period when a transition in climate, subsistence, and technology occurred. Paleoclimatologists have long suspected the “middle Holocene”, a period roughly from 7,000 to 5,000 years ago, was warmer than the present day. It was once thought this period coincided with a cultural hiatus over the Northwestern Plains (Mulloy 1958). Today, however, we know the Holocene is more complicated than originally believed. According to Kornfeld et al. (2010:107), “There are still many unanswered questions about the geographic spread, duration, and nature of climatic conditions of the period and how this affected human and animal populations.” Paleoclimatic researchers currently view the mid-Holocene as a period that was generally warmer than today, but only in summer and only in the northern hemisphere (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Paleoclimatology Program 2008).

The entire Archaic period is often characterized as one of general stability in subsistence practices, with reliance on broad spectrum hunting and gathering (Miller et al.1999:20; Miller and Sanders 2000). Seasonal rounds were timed to exploit peaking plant and animal recourses. In mountainous areas, peak availability of some resources varies with elevation; seasonal travel to various elevations could exploit this extended period of availability. Exploitation of resources at various elevations also varied in response to climate change. At least some Archaic groups were seasonally (winter) sedentary in the lowlands.

The change from lanceolate and stemmed projectile points of the Late Paleoindian period to the side-notched types of the Early Archaic was abrupt and is easily detected in the archeological record (Kornfeld et al. 2010:106). Early Archaic points are highly varied including large side-notched types as well as some large corner-notched types (Kornfeld et al. 2010:109, Larson 1997a:109). Typical artifacts and features include groundstone, scrapers, slab-lined hearths, and storage pits.

The archaeological record shows an increase in semi-subterranean structures during the Early Archaic. These structures divide into two categories - housepit and pithouse. Housepits are circular and generally bowl or dish-shaped in cross section. Pithouses are architecturally more complex, exhibiting larger floor areas, deeper construction depth, and are built with greater diversity of internal features (Larson 1997b, Harrell et al. 1997:336). Many of the sites found within Wyoming are located near permanent water sources usually in aeolian or alluvial deposits (Waikus and Eckles 1997:324).Two housepits were documented at the Shoreline site located five miles southwest of the Medicine House site along the North Platte River (Eckerle et al. 1987). Some of the Shoreline site was eroded away as a result of wave action on Seminoe Reservoir (Walker et al. 1997:445). Two cultural levels were identified. The lowest level is contemporaneous with Medicine House producing a radiocarbon date of 6290-5659 cal yr BP (Intcal13, Sigma2, 5220±150 years BP, RL- 689) (Walker et al. 1997:447). Semi-subterranean structures are rarely isolated, as seen at the Split Rock Ranch site where five housepit remains were excavated (Eakin et al. 1997).

PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS

The Medicine House site (48CR2353) was initially discovered by Metcalf-Zier Archaeology, Inc. in 1980 (Figure 2) as part of a block survey for the Medicine Bow Mine for Arch Mineral Corporation. The site was recorded as consisting of seven artifacts, twelve hearth features, and fire cracked rock. The artifacts identified included: a metate, six manos, a hammerstone, four bifaces and two projectile points. The projectile points were identified as one side-notched point and one lanceolate Alberta Cody Complex point. A grab sample of the artifacts was collected and is curated at the University of

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Medicine House Site Carbon, Wyoming Name of Property County and State

Wyoming Archaeological Repository (UWAR).Ten hearth features were noted on the surface of the site. One of the hearths contained an exposed upright slab. It was recommended that more testing and possibly full scale excavation be conducted at the site (Fallon et al. 1980).

The site was revisited by Mariah Associates on two more occasions after the initial discovery. In 1982 Mariah Associates performed additional archaeological work within the Medicine Bow Mine District. In advance of potential mine expansion, the site was again surface collected, photographed, and two 1x1 meter unit shovel tests were excavated in the locations illustrated in Figure 2 (McGuire et al. 1983). The artifacts collected include three biface fragments, two manos, one pebble core, one cobble chopper, one utilized flake, and 11 unmodified flakes. Test Unit 1 was located over Feature 1, the slab-lined hearth. The hearth was found to be slightly bell-shaped and mostly intact with oxidized sandstone, ash, and charcoal (McGuire et al. 1983). Oxidization was noted on the “rim, walls, and floor” of the hearth (McGuire et al. 1983:29). A sample of the feature fill was collected for flotation analysis and a charcoal sample was dated to 1177-939 cal yr BP (Intcal13, Sigma 2, 1130 +/- 50 BP, Beta-5210) (McGuire et al. 1983). Flotation analysis found the general matrix contained numerous small charcoal fragments, small stems, dicot type wood, evidence of heating stone fragments, small pieces of fire reddened earth, and small fragments of burned sandstone (McGuire et al. 1983). Test Unit 2 was located on the crest of a small, stabilized dune north of Test Unit 1. The test unit was placed on the same elevation contour, slightly above a concentration of flakes which appeared to be eroding out of the dune (McGuire et al. 1983). No artifacts were located within Test Unit 2 (McGuire et al. 1983). The goal of the test unit was to determine if the dune contained buried cultural material and to obtain a stratigraphic profile of the site (McGuire et al. 1983).

In 1983, in an effort to identify potential areas of subsurface cultural material, a total of 22 hand auger tests were placed along a north-south transect and an east-west transect at the site (McGuire et al. 1984; Mark Miller personal communication). One of the auger holes located approximately seven meters northeast of the Late Prehistoric firepit (Feature 1) identified a “thick cultural zone” with ash staining and carbon flecks that later proved to be directly over the pithouse (Feature 2) (McGuire et al. 1984). Because cultural materials were recovered from sediments a meter below the surface, a test unit (Test Unit 3) was opened exposing the profile and surface of the pithouse (Miller and McGuire 1997:374). Excavations were then expanded to provide greater definition of the feature (Figure 2).

Approximately 60 to 70 percent of the pithouse was excavated in 1983 (Figure 9). The excavation uncovered most of the floor area but less than half of the outside margin of the structure (Miller and McGuire 1997:374). The investigators found the feature to be approximately six meters in diameter and roughly circular in shape (Figure 4). The prehistoric occupants excavated the feature at least 85 cm below the present-day surface removing 20 cubic meters of fill in the process (Miller and McGuire 1997:376). The house feature was dug through compacted sandy colluvium which terminated in a clay substratum. Interior pit features and the basin-shaped floor were carved into this clay. The investigators suggest the floor may have been smoothed to prepare it as a living surface (Miller and McGuire 1997:376). The floor slopes upward toward a bench that surrounds all but the northern margin of the feature. One firepit (Feature 4) was excavated into the clay floor of the pithouse. Pieces of sagebrush charcoal collected from the firepit produced a radiocarbon age of 6295-5944 cal yr BP (Intcal13, Sigma 2, 5360±80 BP, Beta-7119) (McGuire et al. 1984).

Several interior features were dug into the pithouse floor and adjacent bench (Figure 4). The investigators believe most of the floor area of the pithouse was undisturbed to provide space for working and sleeping. In addition to the firepit mentioned above (Feature 4), two other oxidized features (Feature 5 and Feature 8) were identified as possible food preparation and/or storage pits (Miller and McGuire 1997:378). These features averaged 80 cm across and 60 cm deep and were much larger than the firepit but contained much less charcoal. The clay walls of these features may have been intentionally baked to help seal the pits for food storage (Miller and McGuire 1997:378). Some of the smaller holes, grooves, and undulations observed in the floor and bench were identified as possible digging tool marks. A few of the holes may have been for roof support posts but no decomposed wood was found in any of them (Miller and McGuire 1997:378). Numerous one and two cm in diameter holes were located near Feature 4 and Feature 5. These were speculated by the excavators to have been used when staking a hide over Feature 5 or as general rack receptacles (McGuire 1984).

A small niche feature (Feature 6) was dug into the side of the bench. It was reinforced with a clay lip along the edge facing the floor. The niche measures 35 cm by 20 cm and was six cm deep. It was hypothesized this feature may have been used as a storage compartment (Miller and McGuire 1997:378). The excavations also revealed a hole which was dug into the bench and oxidized on the interior. Originally it was suggested this feature may have been a ventilator shaft (McGuire 1984) but later consideration led the researchers to state it is also possible a rodent could have burrowed down the side of the feature into the side of the bench and onto the floor area. The burrow cavity could have oxidized during a fire after the house was abandoned (Miller and McGuire 1997:379).

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Medicine House Site Carbon, Wyoming Name of Property County and State

Artifacts found during excavation include grinding stones and chipped stone. Inside of a food preparation pit/depression (Feature 3) located in Test Unit 3, a complete bifacially kneeled mano, organic material, and a projectile point were identified. A shallow trough west of the food preparation area (Feature 3) may have been where a metate rested (McGuire 1984). Several spent tools were noted in the southeastern portion of the pithouse. Excavators speculated a midden was located outside of the structure and slumped in post-abandonment (McGuire 1984). In the slump area a metate, mano, projectile point, chopper, hammerstone, core, and a battered stone tool used for digging were identified (McGuire 1984). Three cores of quartzite and chert were located in the northern half of the pithouse. Two metates were found in the western half of the pithouse and two more in the northeastern portion of the excavated area. A bifacially keeled mano and large slab metate were located in the food storage pit (Feature 5). The fill from the pithouse (Feature 2) yielded 257 pieces of debitage.

The macrobotanical remains recovered from the Medicine House site include charred and uncharred seeds. As a general rule uncharred seeds are typically ignored in analysis because it is unlikely the seeds would preserve from prehistoric periods. This is because few seeds live longer than a century and most live for a much shorter period of time. (Minnis 1981:147). Since uncharred seeds recovered from archaeological deposits may be modern intrusions, researchers must evaluate each uncharred seed assemblage before assigning archaeological significance to it. At Medicine House several rodent burrows were noted that could have left botanical remains in the pithouse. However, Miller and McGuire argue that many seeds were identified in locations separate from intrusive burrows (1997:382). The organic material from the food preparation area (Feature 3) included burned cactus seeds (Opuntia sp.) and possible grass remains (McGuire 1984). Thousands of Indian ricegrass seeds (Oryzopsis hymenoides) were found in the storage pit (Feature 5). Charred seeds in the pit (Feature 5) included goosefoot (Chenopodium sp.), prickly pear (Opuntia sp.), knotweed (Polygonum sp.), and portion of a flowering vascular plant (McGuire 1984). The other storage pit feature (Feature 8) did not include any artifacts, but did contain burned and unburned prickly pear seeds (Opuntia sp.) and parched Indian ricegrass seeds (Oryzopsis hymenoides) (McGuire 1984).

Only 26 whole or fragmentary faunal elements from mammalian species were recovered from the pithouse fill. All but two elements are from rodents or mammals smaller than pronghorn. A Mormon cricket mandible was also found. Fragmentary elements classified as a large artiodactyl and a large mammal could not be identified to species but suggest that large game, possibly bison, was included in the subsistence regime of the pithouse occupants (Miller and McGuire 1997:383). The investigators noted the faunal inventory seems sparse compared to the plant remains recovered during excavation (ibid.).

At some point after abandonment, the superstructure of the feature burned and collapsed. The roof debris contains irregular pieces of oxidized clay and charred fragments of sagebrush. The pieces of clay are thought to be remnants of mud packing used to hold the shrubs together on the roof (Miller and McGuire 1997:385). Charcoal produced by this event yielded a radiocarbon date of 6260-5651 cal yr BP (Incal13, Sigma 2, 5160±120 years BP, Beta-7352) (McGuire et al. 1984). The standard deviation of the roof fall (5160+-120 BP) and the age of Feature 4 (5360+-120 BP) overlap so the abandonment and destruction could be concurrent or the roof collapse and incineration could postdate the final use of the interior firepit. (Miller and McGuire 1997:385).

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS AT THE SITE DURING ITS PERIOD OF USE

The Medicine House site was occupied during the Early Plains Archaic period based on the radiocarbon dates from a firepit, Feature 4 (6295-5944 cal yr BP, Intcal13, Sigma 2, 5360±80 BP, Beta-7119) and the roof structure (6260- 5651 cal yr BP, Intcal13, Sigma2, 5160±120 BP, Beta-7352) (Miller and McGuire 1997). The period is also known as the Middle Holocene (6600-3300 BP) and is the driest period of the Holocene. This period saw cooler climatic conditions that resulted in a change in northern areas to a more xeric grassland and along the eastern edge of the Great Plains, replacement of tall and mixed grass by short-grass prairie. The expansion of the short grass plant community resulted in a decrease in range land for bison and a reduction in herd size.

According to Miller and McGuire (1997:372), the changes in plant communities and the concomitant shifts in bison populations were likely more of a problem on the shortgrass plains than in the intermountain basins because basin, xerophytic plant communities include many cool-season species which are already adapted to low levels of effective moisture. These communities would not have been capable of sustaining bison populations as large as those on the plains, so herd reductions would have had less of an impact on regional hunting strategies (ibid.). The basin plant communities did support diverse wildlife including pronghorn and mule deer. Faunal remains found within the site could not be identified to species, but did suggest a large mammal, most likely bison, was exploited by the pithouse occupants

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Medicine House Site Carbon, Wyoming Name of Property County and State

(Miller and McGuire 1997:383). The pollen analysis from inside the pithouse feature noted an increase in xeric pollen indicating a drier climate during occupation (Miller and McGuire 1997:379).

The floral remains identified within the features in the pithouse include plants highly adapted to xeric conditions and cooler seasons. The remains of burned cactus seeds (Opuntia sp.) were found in the food preparation area (Feature 3). Plant species like prickly pear are tolerant of variable temperatures, moisture, and cold winter winds (McGuire 1984, Savio 2012). Indian ricegrass (Oryzopsis hymenoides) was identified in storage pits (Features 5 and 8) and is a highly drought tolerant plant with large root systems adapted for hardy winters (Miller and McGuire 1997, Ogle et al. 2013). The sedimentary layers noted during excavation found an increase in calcium carbonate in the lower levels, indicating a more arid environment (McGuire et al. 1983:30, Eckerle 1997:141).

CURRENT AND PAST IMPACTS

Presently, very few impacts caused by natural or human agents were observed at the Medicine House site. The site is in a stabilized sand dune that has been subjected to wind erosion over time. The pithouse was buried under the collapsed roof structure that burned and caved in, creating a protective barrier preserving the feature. Some artifacts noted on the surface were thought to have eroded from the top of the dune. The excavation of the pithouse revealed bioturbation from krotovina that ran along the pithouse floor. Despite these few natural effects, the site is very much intact overall. The largest human agent impacting the site would be the excavations carried out by the archaeologists in the 1980s on the pithouse feature. Only approximately 60 percent of the feature was excavated, leaving not only a portion of the habitation feature but also a great deal of the site intact (Miller and McGuire 1997). On a site visit by SHPO and BLM staff in July 2015, no obvious evidence of collecting was noted. The two-track that lead to the site did not appear to have been used in a long time and most likely was created by the archaeologists during excavation. On a larger scale, the North Platte and Medicine Bow Rivers have been altered by the construction of the Seminoe Dam in 1939, creating the Seminoe Reservoir (Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites and Trails). No impacts from this construction can be seen at the site.

Integrity

The Medicine House site retains a high degree of integrity for location, design, materials, and association which are the most important aspects of site integrity for archaeological sites nominated under Criterion D (Hardesty and Little 2009:60-61). The site also retains good to high integrity of setting, feeling, and workmanship.

Location The Medicine House site retains high integrity of location because the pithouse has not changed physical location since the use of fire hearths and cultural material deposits around 6295-5644 cal yr BP (Intcal13, Sigma 2, 5360±80, Beta- 7119).

Design The Medicine House site retains high integrity of design. The pithouse retains the physical structures of walls, floor, and other architectural features. Within this semi-subterranean structure there is a defined Early Archaic deposit with associated radiocarbon dates and cultural materials.

Setting The Medicine House site retains high integrity of setting in terms of its topographic setting, viewshed, and vegetation. The site is located in a stabilized dune surrounded by the low, rolling topography of the Hanna Basin (Miller and McGuire 1997:373). The topography of the site location has contributed to its preservation. The pithouse was dug into a stabilized dune, leaving the subterranean portion of the house unchanged. An old faint two-track does pass near the site, however it has mostly eroded away with time. The viewshed retains a high degree of integrity. Elk Mountain still dominates the view to the south; a ridgeline can be seen to the east. The Medicine Bow Breaks can be viewed past the rolling terrain of the basin to the north and the rolling terrain continues west of the site. Aside from the previously mentioned two-track, no modern elements are present within the viewshed. Sagebrush steppe plant communities still dominate the basin floor, although plant production and percentage composition of species with communities has fluctuated with changes in effective moisture and other environmental conditions since the Archaic period (Miller and McGuire 1997:374). The site revealed high percentages of Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthaceae (chemo-ams) present in the pithouse fill indicating the current semi-arid environment has been present for the last 5000 years (Miller and McGuire 1997:380). The extant fauna of the site area remains similar to the period of significance, except for the absence of bison (Bison bison).

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Materials There is high integrity of materials at the Medicine House site. The fill of the pithouse contained numerous artifacts including tools, debitage, and organics. At least two projectile points are associated with the pithouse and the groundstone artifacts have been preserved in good condition.

Workmanship The integrity of workmanship is at the Medicine House site is high. The pithouse feature includes architectural features such as the bench, niches, and possible ventilator shaft. These features display the craftsmanship of pithouse construction. The storage features (Feature 5 and 8) have digging stick impressions in the floor of the features showing evidence of how they were constructed. Around twenty cubic meters of dirt were moved to create the semi-subterranean feature and while the tools used to perform this act have not been recovered, the construction no doubt took a considerable investment in time (Miller and McGuire 1997).

Feeling Although not as crucial for this nomination, the integrity of feeling is good to excellent. Construction of the Seminoe reservoir and the roads used during the nearby mining operations has altered the viewshed of the surrounding area in the distance. However, the area immediately surrounding the site is still remote and undeveloped, appearing much as it probably did at the time of occupation.

Association For properties evaluated under Criteria D, integrity of association is dependent upon a strong relationship between important research questions and the content of the site (Hardesty and Little 2009:60-61). While investigations at the Medicine House site have thus far been limited to the excavation of the pithouse feature identified, the site retains considerable potential for future research. Previous research at the site focused on the following research question:

1. What is the role of human adaptive strategies in the intermountain basins during the Early Archaic?

As previously mentioned, it was once believed the Altithermal or Early Plains Archaic period coincided with a cultural hiatus over the Northwestern Plains (Kornfeld et al. 2010:107). More recent research has demonstrated human occupation of caves, rockshelters, and open sites during this time period. The Medicine House site, as well as several other sites, established that small groups did inhabit the interior basins during this period as well. Research at Medicine House focused on the question of human adaptive strategies in intermountain basins during the Early Archaic.

Steward developed a model that contrasted two general adaptive strategies: the forager that lives a hand to mouth existence, eating food immediately after it has been gathered and the collector that gathers more food than required for immediate needs, storing it for later consumption (1968:326). Binford (1980) elaborated on this concept stating that these tactics involved different group mobility patterns and settlement systems. According to Binford, foragers move to resource locations and generally do not store food. Instead, foragers use the surrounding environment as a “store house” and schedule activities around the seasonal availability of resources. Collectors on the other hand, transport resources to camp locations. This requires using resource scheduling and food storage. This behavior is commonly seen in temperate environments where the environment changes dramatically between seasons, limiting resource availability. Charles Reher (1979:141) describes foragers as specialists and collectors as generalists. According to Reher, these are two extremes on a continuum that can change or alter between time periods, years, or even seasons (Reher 1979:141-142). Different

tactics within this range of options may be selected by a given group depending on a number of factors such as target resource availability, seasonality, or group size. As noted by Miller and McGuire (1997:372), “[a] single family may forage during part of the year, collect during another or combine selected aspects of the two.”

Miller and McGuire (1997: 387) claim the “planning and labor investment for pithouses in basin floor environments is analogous to Frison’s (1978:223)…model for development and use of bison corrals”. According to Frison, hunters were able to incorporate sophisticated artificial structures into certain features of the natural topography resulting in efficient corrals or pounds. These artificial structures allowed hunters to be less dependent upon the arroyo trap and the

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Medicine House Site Carbon, Wyoming Name of Property County and State jump and consequently could set up operations in a wider variety of habitats (Frison 1978:223). Miller and McGuire (1997:387) argue that “caves served as natural shelters for human habitation” and “pithouses were built in central basin environments where caves and rockshelters were less common”. Collectors, according to Binford’s model, modify the environment to set up occupations near locations of resource availability (Binford 1980). The construction of a pithouse enabled human groups to more efficiently exploit available resources beyond the geographic range of mountain-foothill zones (Miller and McGuire 1997:387-388).

To summarize Miller and McGuire’s research at the Medicine House site, Early Archaic populations adapted generalized hunting and gathering/collector subsistence. The resources were more readily available in the intermountain basins where geographic topography did not provide natural habitation structures such as caves or rockshelters. As a result, Early Archaic populations adapted artificial microenvironments such as the pithouse to facilitate occupation in an otherwise inhospitable environment. While constructing a pithouse required a considerable amount of time and energy, it did permit occupations near consistent resources allowing for more efficient exploitation of those resources.

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8. Statement of Significance Applicable National Register Criteria Areas of Significance (Mark "x" in one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property (Enter categories from instructions.) for National Register listing.) Archaeology: Prehistoric A Property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history. B Property is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past.

C Property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction or represents the work of a master, or possesses high Period of Significance artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack 7500-5000 BP individual distinction. x D Property has yielded, or is likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history. Significant Dates

6295-5944 cal yr BP (Intcal13, Sigma 2, 5360±80

BP, Beta-7119) 6260-5651 cal yr BP (Intcal13, Sigma 2, 5160±120 Criteria Considerations N/A (Mark "x" in all the boxes that apply.) BP, Beta-7352)

Property is: Significant Person

(Complete only if Criterion B is marked above.) A Owned by a religious institution or used for religious purposes. N/A

B removed from its original location. Cultural Affiliation C a birthplace or grave. Early Archaic

D a cemetery.

E a reconstructed building, object, or structure. Architect/Builder F a commemorative property. N/A

G less than 50 years old or achieving significance within the past 50 years.

Period of Significance (justification)

Based on the radiocarbon ages acquired from the Medicine House site, the pithouse occupation directly dates to the Early Archaic period. The radiocarbon date obtained from the firepit, Feature 4 (6295-5944 cal yr BP, Intcal13, Sigma 2, 5360±80 BP, Beta-7119) most likely marks the end of the occupation, as it does not appear the firepit was cleared out or used again. The collapsed roof structure also produced an Early Archaic radiocarbon date (6260-5651 cal yr BP, Intcal13, Sigma2, 5160±120 BP, Beta-7352) marking the date the structure burned (Miller and McGuire 1997). 10

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Criteria Considerations (explanation, if necessary)

N/A

Statement of Significance Summary Paragraph (Provide a summary paragraph that includes level of significance and applicable criteria.)

The Medicine House site is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion D at the statewide level of significance. The site contains one of the largest and best preserved pithouses known to exist in the basin as well as a surface scatter of lithics, hearths, and fire cracked rock. The dwelling not only housed the residents but also served as a storage facility for subsistence resources collected from the surrounding area. The storage features contained thousands of Indian ricegrass seeds, suggesting a long term winter occupation. Construction and use of this facility demonstrate a viable adaptation to a semiarid intermountain basin during a period of climatic stress. Only one archaeological investigation has occurred at the site. An estimated 30 to 40 percent of the pithouse remains unexcavated, allowing for future research. Several research questions remain unanswered concerning the site. Archaeologists do not know the full horizontal extent of the site boundary. It is possible, and even likely, that additional pithouses, middens, hearths, and other features are located in the vicinity of the known pithouse. Little has been done to examine intrasite spatial patterning in any pithouse or housepit within Wyoming. This data could lead to understanding cultural behaviors of the Early Archaic populations. Because much of the Medicine House site is undisturbed, a great deal of potential exists for future research.

______Narrative Statement of Significance (Provide at least one paragraph for each area of significance.)

Under Criterion D, an archaeological site must possess the continuing ability to address research questions. The Medicine House possesses this potential. In addition to the research question discussed above, there are a number of research questions that may be addressed by future research.

How did the occupants of Medicine House use interior space?

When constructing the pithouse an estimated total of 20 m3 of earth was removed, and the feature was dug at least 85 cm below the contemporary surface (Miller and McGuire 1997:376). This level of construction required a great deal of time and labor, most likely pointing to an extended occupation at the site.

The Medicine House site provides the opportunity for archaeologists to conduct interspatial analysis on the interior of the pithouse feature. This could be done through analysis of the provenance of the piece-plotted artifacts. According the Wyoming Cultural Records Office database, 12% (n=18) of the housepit/pithouse sites have been found through excavation methods using shovel tests, augers, or hand trowel. Around 13% (n=19) of the housepit/pithouse sites have been discovered using a trenching or blading excavation method. Unfortunately the trenching methods have left many sites with incomplete dimensions and datasets. This is not the case at the Medicine House site. Medicine House was first discovered through augering, then was shovel tested, and a full scale excavation documented and piece-plotted all artifacts and features.

According to ethnographic studies from around the world, hunter-gatherer camps tend to have patterned archaeological signatures (Binford 1978, O’Connell 1987, Yellen 1977). Some of these characteristics include a “domestic/general-purpose activity area” where cooking, crafting, and socializing take place (Bamforth et al. 2005:571). These locations are cleaned, with the refuse being disposed of in a hearth or outside the domestic area (Bamforth et al. 2005). Camp maintenance and patterned use of the sites occurs more often in long term occupations in houses with substantial construction (Bamforth et al. 2005). Another characteristic is a “hearth centered” artifact distribution were smaller debris from activities will be located in a “drop zone” near the hearth and larger debris from activities are in a “toss zone” further away (Bamforth et al. 2005: 571). The spatial patterning of artifacts around the hearth can be attributed to maintenance and high traffic areas within a single room structure (Oetelaar 2000:42). Todd Surovell (2016) describes this as a bimodal distribution of artifacts in relation to a hearth. The area located directly next to the hearth will have more

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Medicine House Site Carbon, Wyoming Name of Property County and State refuse as it is a low traffic area, the walkway around the hearth will have less as it is a high traffic area. Artifacts larger than five cm tend to accumulate in inaccessible areas along walls, around hearths, and under platforms (Oetelaar 2000:43).

Ethnographic accounts can also provide alternative interpretations of spatial patterning of artifacts. The activity areas within a site could be arranged according to social and symbolic traditions of the group rather than based strictly on utilitarian functions. The distribution of artifacts within and around a house feature may provide clues into aspects of social organization such as status or gender divisions, as well as public versus private space (Oetelaar 2000).

How is space used outside of the pithouse in the Early Archaic?

Previous investigation has focused on the excavation of the pithouse feature and little to no work has been done in the area surrounding it. Expanding the excavation past the pithouse feature into the surrounding area will allow for a more comprehensive analysis of site structure and use of space.

Most housepits within Wyoming only have interior areas excavated and the record is lacking for activity areas outside of the house structures (Smith and Reust 1992). Ethnographic research indicates many domestic activities take place within and outside of domestic structures (O’Connell 1987; Yellen 1977). The Sinclair site (48CR4522) is one example where domestic work areas were documented inside and outside of the housepit (Smith and Reust 1992:57). It is recommended that future excavation expand beyond the pithouse feature to understand how Early Archaic populations utilized the exterior space.

What is the full horizontal extent of the site?

Housepits and pithouses are generally not isolated features; when one housepit or pithouse is found several more are usually located nearby (Shields 1998:144-145). Analysis of the Wyoming Cultural Records Office database indicates around 63% (n=93) of the recorded housepit/pithouse sites within Wyoming only have one documented house structure. However, the data are more a result of cultural resource management decisions rather than prehistoric behavior. Of the 149 housepit/pithouse sites within Wyoming, 67% (n=100) were located during construction of pipeline trenches or well pads. Due to time and money constraints, most excavation is focused on the discovered house feature rather than determining whether or not other features exist around the site (Smith and Reust 1992; Shields 1998:221). In addition to other housepits, features commonly located around house structures include hearths, activity areas, and middens. Hand augering to the southeast of the pithouse did reveal charcoal staining which Miller and McGuire (1997:386) speculate could represent the trash midden. Miller and McGuire (ibid.) believe other pithouses are likely to lie beneath the hillslope at the Medicine House site.

Table 1. Number of housepit/pithouse features per site in Wyoming.

Number of Houses Number of Sites 1 93 (62%) 2 29 (19%) 3 17 (11%) 4 6 (4%) 5 1 (< 1%) 6 1 (< 1%) 7 1 (< 1%) 10 1 (< 1%)

The horizontal extent of the Medicine House Site could be determined through use of geophysical survey techniques. Geophysical survey uses near-surface imaging or ground based remote sensing over large areas to produce maps and images of features and materials detected below the surface (Conyers 2010:175; Kvamme 2003:435). These 12

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Medicine House Site Carbon, Wyoming Name of Property County and State techniques have been used since the 1970s, but improvements within technology has allowed for increased sensitivity to “deeper, smaller, and more subtle buried features” over larger areas (Kvamme 2003:436). Not only is geophysical archaeology fast (as fast as a person can walk), it is also more cost efficient because features can be identified without a full scale excavation (Kvamme 2003; Conyers 2010). Magnetometry survey would be well suited to the Medicine House site because of the aridity of the site soils, the deposits only being about two meters below the surface, and the presence of features such as hearths and house floors (Kvamme 2003; Jones and Munson 2005). Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) would also be useful as this method has the ability to gather data from known depths and creates images for each layer (Conyers 2010). GPR works by sending radar pulses into the ground, then it records the time the pulses are reflected back. The time measurement is then converted into depths, creating a three dimensional image of buried features (Conyers 2010:177). While geophysical survey was originally used simply for detecting locations of features, now this tool is used as a primary data and research method for testing hypotheses, obtaining feature sizes and orientation, and studying aspects of human behaviors (Conyers 2010; Kvamme 2003). Through use of GPR and magnetometry, more pithouses, hearths, middens, and other features may be identified at the Medicine House site.

Where is the door or entrance to the pithouse located?

It is unknown at this time where the entrance to the pithouse is located. The door may be located in the unexcavated portion of the pithouse. The bench feature is described as starting just above the clay floor and rises above the floor, leveling off near the upper edge of the pithouse (Miller and McGuire 1997:376). Miller and McGuire have stated that the relationship between this bench and the upper edge of the structure is still unresolved because of the excavation boundary (Miller and McGuire 1997:376). It is possible the bench was leading to an entrance located in the northeast portion of the pithouse. Another potential location would be through the roof. Stratum F appears in the western portion and eastern portion of the pithouse. However, there is a gap near the location of Feature 5. This could be a result of an entrance hole in the roof that lacked the mud and sagebrush. This gap could also be a result of bioturbation as seen on the East-West Profile Map (Figure 3). Further excavation of the pithouse could resolve whether or not the entrance is located in the northeast section of the feature.

What was the timing and duration of use of the site?

The construction of the pithouse represents a considerable investment in terms of time and energy for those who utilized the structure. It is not clear if the site was used seasonally or year-round. Likewise it is not clear if it was used during multiple seasons. A closer analysis of the floral and faunal remains, including the seeds found in the pithouse, could provide some insight on the seasonality of its use. If it can be determined that the seeds “were placed in the pithouse as soon as they were collected, the Medicine House would have been occupied at least during the seed ripening stage in midsummer. If the seeds were kept for periods of anticipated plant scarcity…the site could have been occupied throughout the winter.” (Miller and McGuire 1997:379). Understanding the time of use of the site would provide a better sense of the seasonal movement and resource procurement strategies of local populations.

9. Major Bibliographical References Bibliography (Cite the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form.)

Bamforth, Douglas B., Mark Becker, and Jean Hudson 2005 Intrasite Spatial Analysis, Ethnoarchaeology, and Paleoindian Land-Use on the Great Plains: The Allen Site. American Antiquity 70(3):561-580.

Binford, L. R. 1978 Dimensional Analysis of Behavior and Site Structures: Learning from an Eskimo Hunting Stand. American Antiquity 43:330-361.

1980 Willow Smoke and Dogs’ Tails: Hunter-Gatherer Settlement Systems and Archaeological Site Formation. American Antiquity 45(1): 4-20.

Conyers, Lawrence B. 13

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2010 Ground-Penetrating Radar for Anthropological Research. Antiquity 84(323): 175-184.

Eakin, Daniel H., Julie E. Francis, and Mary Lou Larson 1997 The Split Rock Ranch Site. In Changing Perspectives of the Archaic on the Northwest Plains and Rocky Mountains, edited by Mary Lou Larson and Julie E. Francis, pp. 394-435. University of South Dakota Press, Vermillion.

Eckerle, William P. 1997 Eolian Geoarchaeology of the Wyoming Basin: Changing Environments and Archaic Subsistence Strategies in the Holocene. In Changing Perspectives of the Archaic on the Northwest Plains and Rocky Mountains, edited by Mary Lou Larson and Julie E. Francis, pp.139-167. University of South Dakota Press, Vermillion.

Eckerle, William, Eric E. Ingbar, Marcel Kornfeld, Mark E. Miller, and Danny N. Walker 1987 Archaeological Investigations in the Shoreline Site (48CR122) Area, 1986, edited by E.E. Ingbar. Department of Anthropology, University of Wyoming. Submitted to the United States Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Missouri Region, Billings, Montana. On file at the SHPO Cultural Records Office, Department of Anthropology, University of Wyoming.

Fallon, Denise P., Christian J. Zier, John Bradley, James Brunette, William M. Loker, Douglas Scott, Paul J. Seiersen, James A. Truesdale, and Anne Hummer Zier 1980 Report of a Class III Archaeological and Historical Survey of the Medicine Bow Mine in Carbon County, Wyoming. Metcalf-Zier Archaeologists, Inc. Edited by Christian J. Zier. Submitted to Department of Environmental Quality. On file at the SHPO Cultural Records Office, Department of Anthropology, University of Wyoming.

Frison, George C. 1978 Prehistoric Hunters of the High Plains. 1st Edition. Academic Press, New York.

Hardesty, Donald L., Barbara J. Little 2009 Assessing Site Significance: A Guide for Archaeologists and Historians. 2nd Ed. AltaMira Press, Walnut Creek, CA.

Harrell, Lynn L., Ted Hoefer III, and Scott T. McKearn 1997 Archaic Housepits in the Wyoming Basin. In Changing Perspectives of the Archaic on the Northwest Plains and Rocky Mountains, edited by Mary Lou Larson and Julie E. Francis, pp. 335-367. University of South Dakota Press, Vermillion.

Jones, Geoffrey and Gene Munson 2005 Geophysical Survey as an Approach to the Ephemeral Campsite Problem: Case Studies from the Northern Plains. Plains Anthropologist 50(193): 31-43.

Kornfeld, Marcel, George C. Frison, and Mary Lou Larson 2010 Prehistoric Hunter-Gatherers of the High Plains and Rockies. 3rd ed. Left Coast Press, Inc., Walnut Creek, California.

Kvamme, Kenneth L. 2003 Geophysical Surveys as Landscape Archaeology. American Antiquity 68(3): 435-457.

Larson, Mary Lou 1997a Rethinking the Early Plains Archaic. In Changing Perspectives of the Archaic on the Northwest Plains and Rocky Mountains, edited by Mary Lou Larson and Julie E. Francis, pp. 106-137. University of South Dakota Press, Vermillion.

1997b Housepits and Mobile Hunter-Gatherers: A Consideration of the Wyoming Evidence. Plains Anthropologist 42 (161): 353-369.

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Medicine House Site Carbon, Wyoming Name of Property County and State

McGuire, David J. 1984 An Early Archaic Pithouse Structure in the Hanna Basin, Southcentral Wyoming. On file at the SHPO Cultural Records Office, Department of Anthropology, University of Wyoming.

McGuire, David J., Ronald E. Kainer, and Mark E. Miller 1983 An Interim Report for Phase I Excavations at the Medicine Bow Mine Archaeological District, Carbon County, Wyoming. Mariah Associates, Inc. Submitted to Department of Environmental Quality, Permit Number 82-WY-115. On file at the SHPO Cultural Records Office, Department of Anthropology, University of Wyoming.

McGuire, David J., Kathryn L. Joyner, Ronald E. Kainer, and Mark E. Miller 1984 Final Report of Archaeological Investigations of the Medicine Bow Mine Archaeological District in the Hanna Basin, Southcentral Wyoming. Mariah Associates, Inc. Submitted to Department of Environmental Quality, Permit Number 82-WY-115. On file at the SHPO Cultural Records Office, Department of Anthropology, University of Wyoming.

Miller, Mark E. and David J. McGuire 1997 Early Plains Archaic Adaptations: A View from the Medicine House Site in the Hanna Basin, Southcentral Wyoming. In Changing Perspectives of the Archaic on the Northwest Plains and Rocky Mountains, edited by Mary Lou Larson and Julie E. Francis, pp. 369-393. University of South Dakota Press, Vermillion.

Miller, Mark E. and Paul H. Sanders, Julie Francis 1999 The Trappers Point Site (48SU1006): Early Archaic Adaptations and Pronghorn Procurement in the Upper Green River Basin, Wyoming. Cultural Resource Series, Volume I. Office of the Wyoming State Archaeologist, University of Wyoming.

Miller, Mark E. and Paul H. Sanders 2000 The Trappers Point Site (48SU1006): Early Archaic Adaptations and Pronghorn Procurement in the Upper Green River Basin, Wyoming. Plains Anthropologist 45(174): 39-52.

Minnis, Paul E. 1981 Seeds in Archaeological Sites: Sources and Some Interpretive Problems. American Antiquity 46(1): 143-152.

Mulloy, W.T 1958 A Preliminary Historical Outline for the Northwestern Plains. University of Wyoming Publications 2(1).

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Paleoclimatology Program 2008 A Paleo Perspective on Global Warming, the Mid-Holocene “Warm Period,” Electronic document, https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/gobalwarming/holocene.html, accessed March 23, 2016.

O’Connell, James F. 1987 Alyawara Site Structure and Its Archaeological Implications. American Antiquity 52(1):74-108.

Oetelaar, Gerald A. 2000 Beyond Activity Areas: Structure and Symbolism in the Organization and Use of Space Inside Tipis. Plains Anthropologist 45 (171): 35-61.

Ogle, Daniel G., Loren St. John, and Thomas A. Jones 2013 Indian Ricegrass. Electronic document, http://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/pg_achy.pdf, accessed March 11, 2016.

Reher, Charles A. 1979 The Western Powder River Basin Survey: Report of Survey Results. Office of Wyoming State Archaeologist. Submitted to United States Bureau of Land Management. On file at the SHPO Cultural Records Office, Department of Anthropology, University of Wyoming.

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012)

Medicine House Site Carbon, Wyoming Name of Property County and State

Savio, Yvonne 2012 Prickly Pear Cactus Production. Electronic document, http://sfp.ucdavis.edu/pubs/brochures/Pricklypear/, accessed March 11, 2016.

Shields, WM. Lane 1998 Basin Houses in Colorado and Wyoming: Delineation of a Culture Area and Parsing Hunter-Gatherer Modeling. Unpublished MA thesis, Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado, Boulder.

Smith, Craig S. and Thomas R. Reust 1992 Sinclair Site: Use of Space at an Early Archaic Period Housepit Site, South-Central Wyoming. North American Archaeologist 13(1): 43-66.

Steward, J. H. 1968 Causal Factors and Processes in the Evolution of Pre-Farming Societies. In Man the Hunter, edited by R.B. Lee and I. DeVore, pp. 321-334. Aldine, Chicago.

Surovell, Todd 2016 Mapping People in Their Living Space: The Ethnoarchaeology of Mongolian Dukha Reindeer Herders. Paper presented at the University of Wyoming Department of Anthropology Spring 2016 Seminar Series, Laramie.

Waitkus, Brian and David G. Eckles 1997 Semi-subterranean Pithouse Structures in Wyoming. In Changing Perspectives of the Archaic on the Northwest Plains and Rocky Mountains, edited by Mary Lou Larson and Julie E. Francis, pp. 307-332. University of South Dakota Press, Vermillion.

Walker, Danny N., Marcel Kornfeld, and Eric E. Ingbar 1997 The Shoreline Site. In Changing Perspectives of the Archaic on the Northwest Plains and Rocky Mountains, edited by Mary Lou Larson and Julie E. Francis, pp. 436-463. University of South Dakota Press, Vermillion.

Western Regional Climate Center 2016 Climate Maps. Web page, http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/climate-maps/, accessed April 5, 2016.

Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites & Trails n.d. Seminoe State Park. Electronic document, http://wyoparks.state.wy.us/pdf/Brochure/Seminoe.pdf, accessed March 11, 2016.

Yellen, John 1977 Archaeological Approaches to the Present. Academic Press, New York.

Previous documentation on file (NPS): N/A Primary location of additional data: preliminary determination of individual listing (36 CFR 67 has been x State Historic Preservation Office requested) Other State agency previously listed in the National Register Federal agency previously determined eligible by the National Register Local government designated a National Historic Landmark University recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey #______Other recorded by Historic American Engineering Record # ______Name of repository: recorded by Historic American Landscape Survey # ______

Historic Resources Survey Number (if assigned): 48CR2353

10. Geographical Data

Acreage of Property 1.2 acres

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Medicine House Site Carbon, Wyoming Name of Property County and State

(Do not include previously listed resource acreage.)

UTM References (Place additional UTM references on a continuation sheet.)

1 13 353,072 4,649,660 3 Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting Northing

2 4 Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting Northing

Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the boundaries of the property.)

The site boundary encompasses all of the hearth features and artifacts identified on the surface of the site as well as the pithouse feature. Please refer to the attached map for the boundary.

Boundary Justification (Explain why the boundaries were selected.)

The boundary is based on the surface distribution of the artifacts and features. Future excavations may show that the site extends past the current boundary, but at this time the boundary is based on the known and observed surface distribution.

11. Form Prepared By name/title Jessica D. Boyd/Cultural Resource Specialist (Edited by Judy K. Wolf, Chief, Planning and Historic Context Development Program) organization State Historic Preservation Office date street & number Dept. 3431, 1000 E. University Ave. telephone (307)766-5366 city or town Laramie state WY zip code 82071 e-mail [email protected]

Additional Documentation Submit the following items with the completed form:

 Maps: A USGS map (7.5 or 15 minute series) indicating the property's location.

A Sketch map for historic districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources. Key all photographs to this map.

 Continuation Sheets

 Additional items: (Check with the SHPO or FPO for any additional items.)

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Medicine House Site Carbon, Wyoming Name of Property County and State

Photographs: Submit clear and descriptive photographs. The size of each image must be 1600x1200 pixels at 300 ppi (pixels per inch) or larger. Key all photographs to the sketch map.

Name of Property: Medicine House Site City or Vicinity: Hanna County: Carbon State: Wyoming . Figure 5 Photo 1 of 5. Photographer: Ross Hilman Date Photographed: July 27, 2015 Description of Photograph(s) and number: Overview of the excavation block at Medicine House site, facing North

Figure 6 Photo 2 of 5. Photographer: Ross Hilman Date Photographed: July 27, 2015 Description of Photograph(s) and number: Overview of Medicine House site with person at pithouse feature, facing North.

Figure 7 Photo 3 of 5. Photographer: Ross Hilman Date Photographed: July 27, 2015 Description of Photograph(s) and number: Overview of Medicine House site from ridge, facing East Southeast

Figure 8 Photo 4 of 5. Photographer: Ross Hilman Date Photographed: January 12, 2016 Description of Photograph(s) and number: All projectile points found at Medicine House site. The bottom row are points found within the pithouse (Feature 2).

Figure 9 Photo 5 of 5. Photographer: Mark Miller Date Photographed: 1983 Description of Photograph(s) and number: Overview of Medicine House site excavation unit, facing East.

Property Owner: (Complete this item at the request of the SHPO or FPO.) name Bureau of Land Management, Rawlins Field Office; street & number 1300 N. Third; telephone (307)328-4224 city or town Rawlins state WY zip code 82301 name Q Creek Ranch street & number PO Box 2850 telephone city or town Mills state WY zip code 82644

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Medicine House Site Carbon, Wyoming Name of Property County and State

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for listing or determine eligibility for listing, to list properties, and to amend existing listings. Response to this request is required to obtain a benefit in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (16 U.S.C.460 et seq.). Estimated Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 18 hours per response including time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and completing and reviewing the form. Direct comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this form to the Office of Planning and Performance Management. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, 1849 C. Street, NW, Washington, DC.

List of Figure Captions

Figure 1 1:24,000 location map of the Medicine House site (48CR2353). Map by Ross Hilman, 6/3/2016.

Figure 2 Site map of Medicine House site depicting location of artifacts, features, and excavations. Map compiled from Fallon et al. 1980 and McGuire et al. 1983. Site boundary based on feature and artifact distribution. Map created by Ross Hilman, 6/3/2016.

Figure 3 East to West stratigraphic profile of the Medicine House pithouse featuring each stratum. Profile by McGuire et al. 1984:A-25.

Figure 4 Medicine House Feature 2 (pithouse) plan map. Map by Jessica Boyd (5/26/2016) based on map by McGuire et al. 1984:A-16.

Figure 5 Overview of the excavation block at Medicine House site, facing North. (Photograph by Ross Hilman)

Figure 6 Overview of Medicine House site with person at pithouse feature, facing North. (Photograph by Ross Hilman)

Figure 7 Overview of Medicine House site from ridge, facing East Southeast. (Photograph by Ross Hilman)

Figure 8 All projectile points found at Medicine House site, the bottom row are points found within the pithouse (Feature 2). (Photograph by Ross Hilman)

Figure 9 Overview of Medicine House site excavation unit, facing East. (Photograph by Mark Miller)