Phase IA Cultural Resources Investigation Report Curtis Specialty Papers Site Milford, New Jersey August 2010 Prepared For: United States Environmental Protection Agency New York, NY Prepared By: International Paper Company Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products, LP ARCADIS International Paper Company Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products, LP ARCADIS Phase IA Cultural Resources Investigation Report Curtis Specialty Papers Site Milford, New Jersey Prepared by: Eugene J. Boesch Ph.D., R.P.A. Principal Investigator ARCADIS U.S., Inc. August 2010 Phase IA Cultural Resources Investigation Report Curtis Specialty Papers Site Milford, New Jersey Prepared for: United States Environmental Protection Agency Prepared by: International Paper Company Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products, LP ARCADIS U.S., Inc. Our Ref.: B0066126.0600 Date: August 2010 Table of Contents Executive Summary i 1. Introduction 1 1.1 Project Impacts 2 1.2 Site Description and Area of Potential Effect 2 1.2.1 Developed Area 2 1.2.2 CPABA 3 1.2.3 Northern Parcel 4 1.2.4 Site Operations 4 1.2.4.1 Main Mill Operations 5 1.2.4.2 Coatings Facility Operations 6 1.2.4.3 Wastewater Treatment Plant Operations 6 1.2.4.4 Aeration Basin and Coal Storage Area 6 1.3 Curtis Paper Mill Historic District 7 1.3.1 Other National Register Properties in the Site Vicinity 8 1.4 Previously Conducted Archaeological Investigations in the Site Vicinity 9 1.5 Methodology 10 2. Environmental Setting of the Site 14 2.1 Introduction 14 2.2 Geology 16 2.3 Surface Geology 16 2.4 Flora and Fauna 17 2.5 Site Soils 18 2.5.1 Developed Area Soils 18 2.5.2 CPABA 18 2.5.3 Northern Parcel 19 2.5.4 Archaeological Borings 20 3041012130 i Table of Contents 3. Documentary Research – Native American Period 21 3.1 Background Culture History 21 3.2 Native American – European Contact Period 25 3.3 Native American Sites in the Site Vicinity 28 3.4 Previously Recorded Sites on Site 29 3.5 Previously Recorded Sites within 1 Mile of the Site 31 3.6 Other Indications for Native American Activity within the Milford Area 32 4. Documentary Research – Historic Period 33 4.1 Seventeenth- Through Late Eighteenth-Century Settlement 33 4.2 Revolutionary War and Post-Revolutionary War Years 35 4.3 Nineteenth- to Early Twentieth-Century Development 36 4.4 Occupational History of the Site 37 4.4.1 Post-1907 Use of the Property: The Paper Mill Years 40 5. Assessment of Archaeological Sensitivity and Recommendations 44 5.1 Native American Period Sensitivity 44 5.1.1 Areas of Pre-Contact Period Archaeological Sensitivity 46 5.2 Historic Period Sensitivity 47 5.3 Architectural Resources 48 5.4 Recommendations 48 6. References 50 Table 1 Site Structures – Construction Dates, Building Functions, and Integrity Assessments 3041012130 ii Table of Contents Figures ES-1 Archaeologically Sensitive Locations 1 Site Location Map 2 Site Operational Areas 3 Site Plan 4 Locations of Previously Recorded Pre-Contact Period Archaeological Sites 5 1851 Cornell Map 6 1860 Lake and Beers Map 7 1860 Hughes Map 8 1873 Beers Map 9 1902 Hicks Map 10 1905 Westgard Map 11 1912 Sanborn Map 12 1927 Sanborn Map 13 Archaeologically Sensitive Locations Appendix A Photograph Log 3041012130 iii Executive Summary Executive Summary International Paper Company (IP), Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products, LP (GP), and ARCADIS U.S., Inc. prepared this Phase IA Cultural Resources Investigation Report (report). This report presents the results of a Phase IA archaeological investigation of the approximately 109-acre Curtis Specialty Papers Site, located along the Delaware River at 404 Frenchtown Road (County Route 619) in the Borough of Milford and Alexandria Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey (site). The site was originally developed in 1907 as a manufacturing facility for food-grade paper products and operated in this capacity until operations ceased in 2003. The original occupant of the mill was the Warren Manufacturing Company, which began production in Milford 1 year later (1908). The company soon became the largest producer of glassine paper in the world and was the principal employer in Milford. At the time of its closing, the mill was owned by Curtis Papers, Inc., a leading manufacturer of premium coated and uncoated papers and a significant local employer. The Phase IA investigation was conducted in support of ongoing remedial investigation/feasibility study activities at the site. The objectives of the Phase IA investigation were to assess the likelihood that significant archaeological and/or architectural resources are present at the site and to recommend further investigations (if necessary). The New Jersey State Historic Preservation Office (NJSHPO), in an opinion dated April 29, 2003, determined that the site is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places as the Curtis Paper Mill Historic District (NJSHPO ID# 4197) (Guzzo 2003). The Curtis Mill Historic District includes the paper mill’s industrial buildings and surrounding workers’ houses. The workers’ houses include the dwelling currently located on site as well as other, currently privately owned houses (located off site). The NJSHPO 2003 opinion was based on the continuous use of the facility as a paper mill from 1907 to 2003, its importance as the largest manufacturer of glassine paper in the world during its period of operation and as the region’s primary employer, and the large amount of original building fabric that remains. The Phase IA investigation consisted of documentary research on the past and current environmental setting, Native American culture history and site locations, and Euro- 3041012130 i Executive Summary American history of the site. Research for the Phase IA investigation was conducted at the following repositories: • Alexandria Township Historical Society • Milford Historical Society (on-line resource) • New Jersey State Museum • NJSHPO • New Jersey State Library • New Jersey State Achieves • Borough of Milford Public Library • Borough of Milford Town Hall • Hunterdon County Public Library • Holland Township Historical Society • Natural Resources Conservation Service, Clinton Field Office, Frenchtown Field Office, and on-line resource (http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov) • The Riegel Ridge Community Center, Holland Township • New York City Public Library, Local History, Map and General Research Divisions • New York City Public Library, Science, Business and Industry Library Based on documentary research, pedestrian reconnaissance, and data from archaeological borings, the archaeological sensitivity of the site was assessed. Assessment of Native American period sensitivity was based on the location of known archaeological sites reported in the literature and consideration of the present and former topographic and physiographic characteristics of the site. Assessment of Historic period sensitivity was based on an analysis of nineteenth to mid-twentieth century maps, as well as a review of other primary and secondary sources. The extent 3041012130 ii Executive Summary of nineteenth and twentieth century development at the site was evaluated with regard to likely impacts to identified archaeologically sensitive areas. Five locations at the site are considered to be sensitive for Pre-Contact period archaeological sites. One location at the site is considered to be sensitive for the presence of historic period archaeological sites. The archaeologically sensitive portions of the site are shown on Figure ES-1. Phase IB-level archaeological testing is recommended for the archaeologically sensitive areas if they will be disturbed as part of site remediation activities. Existing buildings at the site are considered to be significant properties by the NJSHPO. The buildings constitute the Curtis Paper Mill Historic District. An approach to mitigate adverse impacts to existing structures of the Curtis Paper Mill Historic District on site as a result of remediation activities will be determined through discussions among the USEPA, the NJSHPO, IP, GP and other appropriate parties. 3041012130 iii Phase IA Cultural Resources Investigation Report Milford, New Jersey 1. Introduction International Paper Company (IP), Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products, LP (GP) and ARCADIS U.S., Inc. (ARCADIS) prepared this Phase IA Cultural Resources Investigation Report (report) for the Curtis Specialty Papers Site located at 404 Frenchtown Road (County Road 619), Milford, Hunterdon County, New Jersey (site; Figure 1). The site occupies Block 13, Lot 5.01 and Block 19, Lot 51 in the Borough of Milford; and Block 17.01, Lot 1.01 in Alexandria Township (Figure 2). The site was originally developed in 1907 as a manufacturing facility for food-grade paper products and operated in this capacity until Curtis Specialty Papers ceased operations in 2003. At the time of its closing, the mill was a leading manufacturer of premium coated and uncoated papers and a significant local employer. On June 4, 2009, IP and GP entered into an Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent (AOC) with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to conduct a remedial investigation/feasibility study (RI/FS) at the site (Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act [CERCLA] Docket No. 02-2009-2017). The Phase IA investigation was conducted in support of ongoing RI/FS activities at the site and in accordance with the USEPA-approved Phase IA Cultural Resources Investigation Work Plan (IP et al. 2010a). The objectives of the Phase IA investigation were to assess the likelihood that