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A Historical Context and Archaeological Research Design for Mining Properties in California

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A Historical Context and Archaeological Research Design for Mining Properties in California Mining Cvr FINAL.indd 1 Cover Photos: Woman Miner at the Kendon Pit, Mono County, 1930; African American Miners at the Andrade Dredge Mine, California; Cornish Miners on Skip at the Empire Mine, Grass Valley, 1900 (used with permission, California State Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey). Cite as: California Department of Transportation. Historical Context and Archaeological Research Design for Mining Properties in California. Division of Environmental Analysis, California Department of Transportation, Sacramento, CA. 2008. For individuals with sensory disabilities, this document is available in alternate formats upon request. Please call: (916) 653-0647 Voice, or use the CA Relay Service TTY number 1-800-735-2929 or write: Caltrans Division of Environmental Analysis P.O. Box 942874, MS-27 Sacramento, CA 94274-0001 Mining Cvr FINAL.indd 2 12/10/08 4:48:58 PM MANAGEMENT SUMMARY The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration, California Division, and the California State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO), prepared this thematic study to assist with evaluating the information potential of mining properties in California, that is, for their eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion D. To be eligible under Criterion D, National Register guidance states that a property must have, or have had, information to contribute to our understanding of human history or prehistory, and the information must be considered important. An integral part of this study is the development of a research design. The archaeological research design explicitly demonstrates the connection between the information a property contains and important research issues or questions associated with a particular property. While this document provides a framework for evaluating most types of mining properties found in California, it is not a comprehensive history of mining in the state nor does it satisfy the requirements of site-specific research. This study is intended to serve as both an analytical tool and a methodological framework to interpret and evaluate properties associated with the theme of mining in terms of their ability to yield important information. Researchers should also consider carefully whether additional National Register criteria may apply to individual sites, although those other possible values are not discussed in this study. The historic context presented here is a broad overview that addresses the major themes in California’s mining history during the period from statehood in 1850 to circa America’s entrance into World War II. Future researchers are encouraged to use this context as a starting point when assessing the National Register values of a mining property. Archaeological evidence collected during previous studies suggests that mining properties have the potential to address the following research themes within a contextual or interpretive approach: technology, historical ethnography/cultural history, ethnicity and culture, women and family, economy, and policy. Research is not necessarily limited to these themes, however, and individual researchers may follow other theoretical approaches or find alternative research themes relevant to specific sites. In addition, this document includes an implementation plan that advocates specific methods to follow when assessing the information value of mining properties, in an effort to improve consistency and thereby facilitate better inter-site comparisons. Any questions or comments on this study should be directed to the Chief, Cultural and Community Studies Office, Division of Environmental Analysis, MS 27, P.O. Box 942874, Sacramento, CA 94274-0001. i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS An interdisciplinary team of consultants prepared the initial draft of this document. The Anthropological Studies Center (ASC) at Sonoma State University was the coordinating institution, with Mary Praetzellis acting as the project manager. The team consisted of Julia G. Costello of Foothill Resources, Ltd., Rand F. Herbert of JRP Historical Consulting Services, LLC (JRP), and Mark D. Selverston of the ASC, with contributions by Judith D. Tordoff of Caltrans. Shawn Reim of JRP also provided valuable assistance in preparing the initial draft of the review of recent articles on mining related topics. The study was prepared under the overall direction of Greg King, Chief of the Caltrans Cultural and Community Studies Office, with Anmarie Medin acting as the Project Manager assisted by Kimberly Wooten. Because the contracted scope of work limited the breadth of the study, Caltrans staff augmented the consultant-prepared report. Primary authors for Caltrans included Dana Supernowicz, Richard Levy, and Anmarie Medin, with assistance from Julia Huddleson, Thad Van Bueren, and Kimberly Wooten. Ed Carroll and Tory Swim, Sacramento State Public History program graduate students, contributed to the second draft of this document. The Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation (48 FR 44716) state that historic contexts should be constructed by an interdisciplinary process that considers the comments of the interested public and scholars. To facilitate public comment and peer input, the authors presented their approach in symposia at the 2006 annual conference of the California Council for the Promotion of History. A similar presentation was made at the Society for California Archaeology's 2006 northern data-sharing meeting. A review draft was posted online and comments were received from professionals in the cultural resources field. The Mining HARD was also discussed in a session on thematic studies at the 2008 Society for Historical Archaeology conference. Caltrans facilitated peer review by historians and historical archaeologists for both drafts, which included reviews by Steven Mulqueen of the California State Lands Commission and Margaret Hangan of the Cleveland National Forest. Caltrans staff reviewing this study included Dicken Everson, Blossom Hamusek, Julia Huddleson, Greg King, Richard Levy, Anmarie Medin, Steve Ptomey, Dana Supernowicz, Karen Swope, Judy Tordoff, Thad Van Bueren, Tom Wheeler, and Kimberly Wooten. This mining study is the second in the Caltrans historical archaeology thematic studies series. At FHWA, Stephanie Stoermer oversaw the first efforts to establish this thematic studies series and Gary Sweeten continued to provide management perspective. At the OHP, Deputy SHPO Steve Mikesell has been involved from the project’s inception and project review unit staff members have provided valuable input throughout the process of compiling this set of thematic studies. We would also like to thank geologist and educator George Wheeldon, for the use of his digital images of mining in California, and Gary Taylor, California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey, for the use of digital images from the department’s “California Gold Mines: A Sesquicentennial Photograph Collection.” ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1. Introduction ..............................................................................................................1 Research Design Series..................................................................................................2 The National Register Evaluation Process under Criterion D .......................................3 The California Register of Historical Resources ...........................................................4 Using this Document for Section 106 Consultation ......................................................5 Index to Studies..............................................................................................................5 Chapter 2. Historic Context ......................................................................................................9 Introduction....................................................................................................................9 Geomorphic Regions of California..............................................................................12 Klamath Mountains................................................................................................14 Cascade Range.......................................................................................................14 Modoc Plateau .......................................................................................................14 Coast Ranges..........................................................................................................15 Great Valley...........................................................................................................15 Sierra Nevada.........................................................................................................16 Great Basin.............................................................................................................16 Transverse Ranges .................................................................................................16 Mojave Desert........................................................................................................17 Peninsular Ranges..................................................................................................17 Colorado Desert .....................................................................................................18 Summary................................................................................................................18
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