Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Cultural Resources Existing Conditions
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Cultural Resources Existing Conditions December 2013 Prepared by URS Corporation Prepared for Dallas Area Rapid Transit General Planning Consultant Managed by URS Corporation Cultural Resources Existing Conditions Report for the Proposed Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Tarrant, Dallas, and Collin Counties, Texas Prepared by: Shelley Hartsfield, MA Kate Singleton, MPA Tanya McDougall, MS Alvin Banguilan, RPA Michelle Davenport, BA Christopher R. von Wedell, RPA Kasey Cox, MS Principal Investigator James Welch, RPA URS Corporation 1950 North Stemmons Freeway, Suite 6000 Dallas, Texas 75207 Prepared for: Dallas Area Rapid Transit 1401 Pacific Ave. Dallas, Texas 75202 URS Project Number 25338842.001UD August 2013 ABSTRACT Under contract to the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), URS Corporation (URS) conducted a Cultural Resources Existing Conditions study for the proposed Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project (Cotton Belt Project) in Tarrant, Dallas, and Collin Counties, Texas. The study was completed to assist DART in meeting their anticipated regulatory obligations under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and the Antiquities Code of Texas. The project consists of approximately twenty-six (26) miles of rail corridor from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW Airport) to central Plano. An archaeological study area was established by creating a 1-kilometer (km) (3,621-foot [ft]) buffer around the construction footprint of the proposed rail corridor. An area-of-potential-effect (APE) for historic-age architectural resources was established in coordination with the Texas Historical Commission (THC) and defined as 175 ft (53 meters [m]) from the centerline for Cotton Belt Corridor Right-of-Way (ROW). For areas requiring new ROW, the APE will be adjusted to 250 ft (76 m) from the centerline. Data was compiled to develop an environmental cultural context for the project area. A review of the Texas Archeological Sites Atlas (TASA) database and the Texas Historic Sites Atlas (THSA) database was undertaken to identify known cultural resources, previous investigations, and to develop a cultural and historical context for resources in the project area. The TASA database search yielded the presence of 28 previously recorded archaeological sites and four cemeteries. In addition, 31 archaeological investigations have been conducted within the archaeological study area. No National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)-listed or NRHP-eligible archaeological resources are present within the study area. Fifteen archaeological resources have been determined ineligible for listing in the NRHP. The NRHP-status of 10 archaeological resources is undetermined, while the NRHP status for three archaeological resources is unknown. The THSA database search yielded 28 known historic-age architectural resources potentially within or near the project APE. Following the database search, a historic resources reconnaissance survey of the APE was completed resulting in the documentation of 68 historic- age resources. Of these, three resources are recommended individually eligible for inclusion in the NRHP (Resources 21, 44, and 45). One resource, Resource 21 (Carrollton Depot), was previously designated a Registered Texas Historic Landmark (RTHL). The historic resources reconnaissance survey will be submitted as a separate comprehensive report for review by DART. Lastly, recommendations are provided, which outline professional staff qualifications, methods for proposed field investigation and standards for documentation if it is determined that an intensive archaeological resources survey is required prior to the construction of the Cotton Belt Rail Line. 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................ 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS........................................................................................................... 2 LIST OF APPENDICES ........................................................................................................... 3 LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................... 3 1.0 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 4 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................. 4 Section 1 .............................................................................................................................. 4 Cypress Waters Design Options: ................................................................................. 5 Section 2 .............................................................................................................................. 5 Section 3 .............................................................................................................................. 6 North Dallas Design Options ....................................................................................... 6 Red Line Interface Design Options .............................................................................. 7 3.0 PROJECT SETTING ..................................................................................................... 7 Topography, Drainage and Geology ................................................................................... 7 Vegetation and Land Use .................................................................................................... 8 Soils ..................................................................................................................................... 8 Tarrant County: ........................................................................................................... 8 Dallas County: ............................................................................................................. 8 Collin County: .............................................................................................................. 8 4.0 PREHISTORIC CULTURE HISTORY ........................................................................... 16 Paleoindian ....................................................................................................................... 16 Archaic .............................................................................................................................. 17 Late Prehistoric ................................................................................................................. 18 Protohistoric ..................................................................................................................... 19 5.0 HISTORIC CONTEXT ................................................................................................ 20 County and City Development .......................................................................................... 20 Tarrant County .......................................................................................................... 20 Grapevine .................................................................................................................. 21 Dallas County ............................................................................................................ 22 Coppell ...................................................................................................................... 23 Irving/ Las Colinas ..................................................................................................... 23 Farmers Branch ......................................................................................................... 25 Carrollton .................................................................................................................. 26 Dallas ......................................................................................................................... 27 Addison ..................................................................................................................... 28 Richardson ................................................................................................................ 29 Bess ........................................................................................................................... 30 White Rock ................................................................................................................ 30 Collin County ............................................................................................................. 30 Plano ......................................................................................................................... 31 Douglass Community ................................................................................................ 31 Renner ....................................................................................................................... 32 Lebanon..................................................................................................................... 32 2 Bethany ..................................................................................................................... 33 Shepton ..................................................................................................................... 33 Frankford ..................................................................................................................