Site Report: Lucky
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AT LUCKY RUN STREAM AND SITE 44AX0031, ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA PREPARED FOR: CITY OF ALEXANDRIA TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, STORMWATER SECTION 200B BUSINESS CENTER DRIVE ALEXANDRIA, VA 22314 PREPARED BY: RALPH KOZIARSKI PHD, RPA BENJAMIN M. STEWART PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: SCOTT SEIBEL, MSC, RPA AECOM 12420 MILESTONE CENTER DRIVE, SUITE 150 GERMANTOWN, MD 20876 301.820.3000 DECEMBER 2018 Page Intentionally Blank Abstract ABSTRACT The City of Alexandria (the city) is undertaking a stream restoration along 266 meters (m) [875 feet (ft)] of the Lucky Run stream, located on the west side of the City of Alexandria, Virginia. Phase I survey and Phase II evaluation archaeological investigations were completed to assist the city in meeting regulatory obligations for the undertaking. The project’s area of potential effect (APE) extends from a culvert emerging from the road prism east of Braddock Road approximately 72 m (236 ft) north of the I-395 viaduct and continues northeast to a retention pond, whose center-point is located 225 m (40 ft) southwest of the intersection of Ford Avenue and Park Center Drive. The width of the approximately 0.68 hectare (1.69 acre) APE varies throughout the project, but generally follows the foot of the bluff slopes along the edges of the stream floodplain. Three archaeological isolates and two archaeological sites (44AX0031 and 44AX0236) were identified as a result of the current survey. Site 44AX0236 is located on the southern bank of the stream and consists of a small number of commingled lithic debitage and historic artifacts. Artifacts may have been transported into the area by stream activity. Historic artifacts may in fact be modern and be the result of casual discard, not unlike the trash scattered on the ground surface in the vicinity of the site. Site 44AX0236 is recommended not eligible for inclusion in the NRHP, and no further archaeological investigations are recommended. Site 44AX0031 is a large, multi-component occupation on the north bank of Lucky Run. The current AECOM investigations identified three loci that extend from the lip of the upper floodplain terrace and onto a lower terrace on Lucky Run’s north bank. The diversity of prehistoric artifacts recovered from the site is suggestive of intensive use of the area during at least the Early Woodland and Middle Woodland periods. A more ephemeral nineteenth to twentieth century component may relate to refuse discarded from rural domestic occupations that once existed in the nearby uplands. Site 44AX0031 was previously recommended eligible for listing in the NRHP. AECOM recommends that the portions of Locus A investigated during this study contribute to the NRHP eligibility of the site. The investigations completed near the lip of the second terrace, at Locus A, revealed intact stratified deposits, which contained diagnostic artifacts. The City’s project plans indicate the anticipated equipment and worker access routes to the project area will be located almost entirely within the broad floodplain on the southern bank of Lucky Run, where no impact to significant archaeological resources is expected. However, limited construction staging and access from the north bank might be included in project designs. AECOM recommends designating a protected area around significant portions of 44AX0031 throughout the duration of the stream restoration work to prevent unanticipated adverse effects, as these locations might be outside of the APE as investigated in this current study i Abstract Page Intentionally Blank ii Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................................... i 1.0 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1-1 2.0 Project Location and Description ..................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Project Area Description ............................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Geology and Topography .............................................................................................. 2-1 2.3 Hydrology...................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.4 Soils ............................................................................................................................... 2-3 2.5 Current Conditions and Land Use ................................................................................. 2-3 3.0 Cultural Context ............................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Prehistoric Context ........................................................................................................ 3-1 3.1.1 Paleoindian Period (10,000–8,000 B.C.) ............................................................... 3-1 3.1.2 Archaic Period (8,000–1,000 B.C.) ....................................................................... 3-1 3.1.2.1 Early Archaic (8,000-6.000 B.C.)................................................................... 3-1 3.1.2.2 Middle Archaic (6000-4000 B.C.) .................................................................. 3-2 3.1.2.3 Late Archaic (4.000-1,000 B.C.) .................................................................... 3-3 3.1.3 Woodland Period (1,000 B.C.–A.D. 1600) ............................................................ 3-4 3.1.3.1 Early Woodland (1,000-500 B.C.).................................................................. 3-4 3.1.3.2 Middle Woodland (500 B.C.-A.D. 900) ......................................................... 3-5 3.1.3.3 Late Woodland (A.D. 900-1600) .................................................................... 3-6 3.2 Historic Context ............................................................................................................ 3-7 3.2.1 Settlement to Society (A.D. 1607–1750) ............................................................... 3-7 3.2.2 Colony to Nation (A.D. 1750–1789) ..................................................................... 3-8 3.2.3 Early National and Antebellum Periods (A.D. 1789–1860) .................................. 3-9 3.2.4 The Civil War (A.D. 1861–1865) .......................................................................... 3-9 3.2.5 Reconstruction and Growth (A.D. 1865–1914) ................................................... 3-10 3.2.6 WWI to Present (A.D. 1915–Present).................................................................. 3-10 3.3 Project area history ...................................................................................................... 3-11 3.4 Previous Investigations ............................................................................................... 3-15 3.4.1 Previous Cultural Resource Surveys .................................................................... 3-15 3.4.2 Previously Recorded Archaeological Resources ................................................. 3-16 3.4.3 Previously Recorded Above-Ground Resources ................................................. 3-17 4.0 Research Design ............................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1 Objectives ...................................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2 Methods ......................................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2.1 Background Research ............................................................................................ 4-1 4.2.2 Field Methods ........................................................................................................ 4-1 4.2.3 Laboratory Processing ........................................................................................... 4-1 4.2.3.1 Historic Artifacts ............................................................................................ 4-2 4.2.3.2 Prehistoric Artifacts ........................................................................................ 4-3 Cores and Tested Material ............................................................................................... 4-4 Flaked Stone Tools and Diagnostic Artifacts .................................................................. 4-4 Fire-Cracked Rock ........................................................................................................... 4-5 4.3 Expected Results ........................................................................................................... 4-6 5.0 Results .............................................................................................................................. 5-1 5.1 Results Summary........................................................................................................... 5-1 iii Table of Contents 5.1.1 Surface Inspection Results ..................................................................................... 5-1 5.1.2 STP Results ............................................................................................................ 5-3 5.1.2.1 Isolated Finds .................................................................................................. 5-3 5.1.2.2 Site 44AX0031 ..............................................................................................