I I CLASS III CULTURAL RESOURCE INVENTORY OF THE PROPOSED CLEAR CREEK CANYON OPEN SPACE PARK JEF....ERSON COUNTY, COLORADO I

Prepared By I Stephanie G. Velasquez

I

I

Paragon Archaeological Consultant, Inc. 2785 N. Speer Blvd., Suite 343 D"llver, Colorado 80211

Marcus P. Grant Principal Investigator

Prepared For

Jefferson County Open Space 700 Jefferson County Parkway #100 Golden, Colorado 80211

State of Colc,rado Archaeological Pennit No. 98-16

September 22, 1998 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

Abstract ...... i List of Figures ...... ii List of Tables ...... iii

1. INTRODUCTION...... 1-1

2. EFFECTIVE ENVIRONMENT ...... 2-1

3. CULTURAL OVERVIEW ...... 3-1 A. Prehistoric Period ...... 3-1 B. Historic Period ...... 3-8

4. DESCRIPTION OF THE CLEAR CREEK CANYON OPEN SPACE PARK SURVEY AREA AND LOCAL ENVIRONMENT ...... 4-1

5. RESEARCH DESIGN AND SURVEY METHODS ...... 5-1 A. Research Design ...... 5-1 B. Survey Methods ...... 5-1

6. INVENTORY RESULTS ...... 6-1

7. RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 7-1

8. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ...... 8-1

9. EVALUATION OF RESEARCH ...... 9-1

10. REFERENCES ...... 10-1

APPENDIX A (bound separately): Site Forms and Attachments

LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE PAGE

1-1. Colorado state map showing the general location of the Project Area…………………1-2

1-2. Portions of the USGS 7.5’ Evergreen and Squaw Pass quadrangles showing the Clear Creek Canyon Open Space Park Survey Area ...... 1-3

ii LIST OF FIGURES (Cont’d) FIGURE PAGE

6-1. Rock Shelter Comprising Site 5JF1778...... 6-2

6-2. Collapsed Remnant of Colorado Bungalow Style House on Site 5JF1778 ...... 6-3

LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE

3-1 . General Prehistoric Chronology and Climatic Conditions for Northern Colorado ...... 3-1

6-1 . Cultural Resources Recorded in the Clear Creek Canyon Open Space Park ...... 6-1

7-1. Eligibility Evaluations and Recommendations for Cultural Resources Recorded in the Proposed Clear Creek Canyon Open Space Park ...... 7-2

iii ABSTRACT

A Class III cultural resource inventory of the proposed Clear Creek Canyon Open Space Park was conducted by Paragon Archaeological Consultants, Inc. May 13th - 20th, June 12th, and July 31st, 1998. This survey was part of a larger undertaking to inventory approximately 3,790 acres comprising three Open Space parks. Paragon recorded three archaeological sites and 12 historic isolated finds within the proposed Open Space Park. Of the three sites, two (5JF1777, 5JF1778) are recommended as requiring further information, in the form of text excavation or archival research, to make a final determination of significance. No further actions are recommended for the other recorded properties.

i 1 INTRODUCTION

A Class III cultural resource inventory of the proposed Clear Creek Canyon Open Space Park was conducted by Paragon Archaeological Consultants, Inc. May 13th - 20th , June 12th , and July 31st, 1998. The inventory was executed on behalf of Jefferson County Open Space, which recently acquired the property. The project area will be preserved as county open space with possible minor development of trails and parking facilities. All work was performed under Colorado State Archaeological Permit No. 98-16. Marcus P. Grant served as Principal Investigator; the project's crew chiefs were Stephanie G. Velasquez and Thomas H. Garber; Staff Archaeologists were Rebeckah DeAngelo, and Kimberly Cornelisse. Ann P. Harrison was Project Manager.

The proposed Clear Creek Canyon Open Space Park survey area is a 2,655-acre block that extends along the north and south sides of SH 6, westward from Golden. The survey corridor follows the course of Clear Creek; the corridor width is variable but generally spans the canyon rim. The project area encompasses portions of Sections 31 and 32, T3S, R70W; Sections 5 and 6, T4S, R70W; Sections 31-36, T3S, R71W; Sections 1-6, T4S, R71W; Section 36, T3S, R72W; and Section 1, T4S, R72W.

Based on a file search conducted through the CHS-OAHP, a cultural resource inventory was conducted previously along the SH 6 corridor (CHS Survey ID: JF.CH.NR17; Johnson et al 1987). This inventory was performed by Colorado Department of Highways to determine if any cultural resources would be impacted by improvements made to the existing SH 6 right-of-way. The survey area was a six mile corridor along SH 6, between Tunnel No. 2 and the intersection with SH 58 in Golden. No cultural resources were recorded. The present inventory recorded three archaeological sites and 12 historic isolated finds on the Open Space property. The sites comprise possible prehistoric occupation of a rock shelter, a collapsed historic vacation home, and a flume. The isolated finds include prospect pits, prospect adits, and fence lines.

This undertaking was part of a broader effort to inventory three recently acquired Jefferson County Open Space properties totaling 3,790 acres. Reports of findings for the other two project areas are presented separately. Cultural resource GIS coverage of all survey areas will also be submitted separately. Original field notes and maps (both electronic and hard copy) are retained in the records of Paragon Archaeological Consultants, Inc. No artifacts were collected during this inventory.

1-1

109 102

Fort Collins

e

d

i

v

i D 40

Denver Grand Junction

Colorado

l Springs

a

t

n

e

n

i

t

n

o Pueblo

C Durango

Figure 1-1: Colorado State Map Showing the General Location of the Project Area.

1-2 II. EFFECTIVE ENVIRONMENT

This chapter presents generalized information on physiography, drainage, geology, soils, climate, land use patterns, and flora and fauna for the project region; local environmental descriptions of the survey area are provided in Chapter 4.

The Jefferson County Open Space project region is located within the lower montane forest region and Plains-Foothills Transition Zone of the Southern Rocky Mountain Province. This region contains a north-south belt of sharp ridges, or hogbacks, of upturned sedimentary rocks that range in elevation from 5,500 feet to 6,800 feet, with relief in some areas as high as 500 feet. The topography is generally rugged with much of the area being quite steep.

The primary drainage of this physiographic region is the South Platte River. Secondary drainages generally flow in a easterly direction from the continental divide cutting deep canyons between Front Range mountains, foothills, and hogbacks. Secondary drainages in the project region include Deer, Turkey, Dutch, Bear, Clear, and Coal creeks. Many tertiary feeder streams are ephemeral, deriving locally from springs, which are abundant in the project region, or from seasonal cloud bursts.

The Colorado Front Range extends approximately 185 miles from the Arkansas River northward to the Wyoming border. These mountains comprise a complexly faulted anticlinal arch composed primarily of Precambrian crystalline rocks including granite, schists, gneiss, and quartzite. West of the Front Range are three intermontane basins: South, Middle, and North parks (Thornbury 1965). The mountain front is flanked by Paleozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary rocks that are exposed in the hogbacks. During erosional cycles, the softer and less resistant rocks along the mountain front have been eroded and leveled to an eastward sloping plane that dips steeply into the Denver Basin.

The Front Range foothills and adjacent eastern plains have been folded, faulted, and uplifted. Following each cycle, the bedrock surfaces were covered by alluvial deposits of granular materials that were eroded and carried from the mountains by streams. Each subsequent cycle of erosion cut down through surfaces formed by a previous cycle, resulting in alluvial terraces, bedrock benches, flatirons, and hogbacks, where the more resistant rock units occur. Formations that occur in the project region include the Fountain Formation, Lyons Sandstone, Lykins Formation, Ralston Creek Formation, Morrison Formation, Lyette and South Platte Formations, Granerous Shale, Greenhorn Limestone, Niobrara Formation, and Pierre Shale (Mineral Systems, Inc. 1987).

Lithic raw materials used for tool manufacturing that were available to prehistoric peoples occupying this region include coarse-grained quartzites, orthoquartzites, cherts, and chalcedonies, principally in the form of redeposited river cobbles. The nearest source of obsidian, a highly prized volcanic rock for tool manufacture, is located at the south end of North Park in the Rabbit Ears Range (Joyner 1985). A local source of highly silicified petrified wood, also used prehistorically for tool manufacture, is located south of Bear Creek (Joyner and McGuire 1982).

2−1 Soils in the project region are typical of the lower montane and foothill region of the Colorado Front Range and reflect the geologic, climatic, and topographic environment in which they were formed. Parent material of the brown soils that dominate the Piedmont are derived from unconsolidated wind- borne deposits; localized colluvium derives principally from ubiquitous sandstone and shale outcrops (USDA 1980). Woodland lithols lacking organic content, a zonal soil type characterized by its complexity, predominates on the upper foothills slopes. Alluvial soils occur within flood plains.

Three Holocene alluvial units widely recognized in the Peidmont are referred to as Pre-Piney Creek, Piney Creek, and Post-Piney Creek (Madole and Rubin 1984; Madole 1989). Inconsistencies in the definition and mapping of these broad units have hindered systematic study and archaeological site correlations (Butler 1990; Hunt 1954; Scott 1960, 1962).

The project region encompasses a wide variety of land forms and range of elevations which results in marked localized differences in wind patterns, temperatures, humidity, precipitation, and vegetative cover. The USDA (1984) indicates the region has a shorter growing season than the plains, usually less than 140 days, with warm summers and cold winters. Monthly average temperatures for Denver range from 73 degrees Fahrenheit in July to 30 degrees Fahrenheit in January. Temperatures to the west of Denver within the foothills are cooler due to higher elevations. Precipitation and humidity are generally greater in mountainous areas. The weather station in Evergreen, Jefferson County, reported 18.11 annual inches of precipitation, with this area receiving over 87 inches of snow each year for more than 23 years (Herb Edson Associates 1987, cited in Martorano 1987). Such weather conditions may generally characterize those found in Jefferson County Open Space Parks, although lower elevations may be generally more arid and warmer.

As discussed in Chapter x of this report, this area of Jefferson County has been historically utilized for agricultural production, ranching, and mineral extraction. With the construction of railroads toward the end of the last century, and the advent of the automobile this century, the project region has seen development of recreational and tourist industries. More recent impacts have included construction of housing subdivisions and corporate parks that have encroached upon natural settings. Weekend and seasonal recreation has also become increasingly important, as transportation corridors have eased access to the area for urban and suburban dwellers.

Vegetation communities within the project region include foothill grassland, mountain shrub land, Douglas-fir forest, hay meadows, and ephemeral drainages (riparian areas). The conifer-covered foothill zone, as characterized for the Front Range, is invaded in places with the mountain shrub community, which in turn, is bounded on its lower elevational border by elements of the plains- grassland community.

Foothill grasslands occur primarily at lower elevations within the hogback valleys. Grasses comprise over 70% vegetational cover and over 12% consists of perennial forbs such as wild rose and western snowberry (Martorano 1987). Grasslands provide essential habitat for a variety of wildlife species including meadowlark, horned lark, and prairie moles. Grassland also provide valuable forage for mule deer and a prey base for various raptors.

2−2 Mountain shrub land occurs throughout most elevations within the project region, and tends to dominate areas with thin rocky soils and steep exposed slopes. Dominant species include mountain mahogany, ponderosa pine and mixed conifer forest, Rocky Mountain Juniper, and gamble oak (Martorano 1987). Low moisture levels produce park-like stands of widely spaced trees with a grass/shrub understory. Shrublands provide habitat for species such as wild turkey, blue grouse, rufous-sided towhee, and golden-mantled squirrel. Gambel oak and mountain mahogany stands provide valuable refuge for deer.

Douglas fir forests occur on sheltered slopes at higher elevations. Major understory species include elk sedge, Gambel oak, and Oregon grape. The Douglas fir habitat provides thermal cover for mule deer and foraging species. This forest zone also provides habitat for a variety of other species such as blue grouse, Williamson’s sapsucker, dark-eyed junco, and red squirrel.

Hay meadow occurs generally in the hogback valleys; major species include wheat grass, smooth brome, and Kentucky bluegrass (which is intrusive in the area). Vegetation along ephemeral drainages is similar to mountain shrub land except in stream channel areas. Plains cottonwood and narrowleaf cottonwood, and box elder occur adjacent to water courses. The riparian habitat is considered the most productive and diverse of the project region, supporting numerous bird and animal species.

Many of the following plants would have been available to prehistoric Native Americans inhabiting the hogback ridges and valleys; these would have been used for food, medicinal, and ceremonial purposes: maple, amaranth, sumac, barberry, birch, borage, cactus, bell flower, honeysuckle, goosefoot, daisy, mustard, sedge, horsetail, spurge, geranium, grasses, waterleaf, mint, pea, loasa, mulberry, evening primrose, poppy, juniper, phlox, buckwheat, crowfoot, rose, saxifrage, figwort, nettle, violet, and caltrop (Irwin-Williams and Irwin 1966:6-12).

2−3 III. CULTURAL OVERVIEW

A. PREHISTORIC PERIOD

The Jefferson County Open Space survey area lies within the Colorado Foothills, a physiographic subregion situated along the eastern flank of the Front Range of the Mountains Study Region (Guthrie et al. 1984) and the Plains Study Region (Eighmy 1984), as defined by the Colorado Historical Society’s current Resource Planning Protection and Preservation (RP3) contexts. The Colorado Foothills are within the eastern belt of the Front Range from the Wyoming State line to the Arkansas River, an area considered significant in understanding the prehistory of Colorado and surrounding areas. The survey area is located within the primary drainage system of the South Platte River.

A general outline of major cultural episodes and paleo-climatic events for eastern Colorado is shown on Table 3-1. Data were derived from principally from Cassells (1983), Eighmy (1984), Morris (1982), Benedict (1975a, 1979), and Benedict and Olson (1978); all dates in this regional overview are reported in years before present (BP). Many of the sites discussed below are located within the Hogback Valley, or within the project region.

TABLE 3-1:

General Prehistoric Chronology and Climatic Conditions for Northern Colorado

YEARS BEFORE PRESENT CULTURAL STAGE ENVIRONMENTAL (BP) CONDITIONS

12,000 - 7,500 Paleo-Indian Generally cooler; savannah

7,500 - 5,000 Early Archaic Continental warming trend

5,000 - 3,000 Middle Archaic Cooler than previous episode

3,000 - 1,800 Late Archaic Moister; Triple Lakes Glaciation on Front Range

1,800 - 1,000 Late Prehistoric (Woodland-Early Expansion of sage-grassland Ceramic) vegetation zone

1,000 - 450 Late Prehistoric (Middle Ceramic) Audubon Cirque glaciations on Front Range

450 - 150 Protohistoric/Historic Predominantly modern conditions Source: Paragon Archaeological Consultants, Inc. 1997, after various researchers

3−1 1. Paleo-Indian Stage (12,000 BP - 7,500 BP)

The Paleo-Indian Stage is recognized archaeologically by the presence of various types of lanceolate projectile points that have been found in association with extinct Pleistocene megafauna (Guthrie et al. 1984:12). These animals, which included mammoth, bison, giant bear, dire wolf, horse, and camel, as well as smaller game, such as deer and elk, were hunted by Paleo-Indians. Although big game hunting was a major indicator of the Paleo-Indian Stage, smaller animals and plants also provided supplemental food resources (Irwin and Wormington 1970).

The Paleo-Indian Stage in the western United States is typically divided into three periods: Clovis period (11,500-11,000 BP), Folsom period (11,000-10,000 BP), and Plano period (10,000-7,500 BP). A pre-projectile point (pre-Clovis) period has been postulated by Stanford (1979), who has offered evidence (although disputed) from the Lamb Spring Site (5DA83), located approximately five miles southeast of South Ken-Caryl Valley in Douglas County (Eighmy 1984:33). This site contained intentionally piled mammoth bones in association with bone flakes and expedient stone tools.

Clovis (12,000 - 11,000 BP)

The Clovis period is the earliest generally accepted Paleo-Indian period in the United States and it is characterized by large fluted lanceolate points (Guthrie et al. 1984:13). Clovis points have often been found in association with mammoth remains at kill and butchering sites, locations which suggest that Clovis hunters trapped single animals in bogs, marshes, or arroyos, then killed their prey with spears and atl-atl-thrown darts (Jennings 1983:63; Frison 1978:109,112). Kalasz et al. (1992:24) note that a large portion of known Clovis sites in continental North America are concentrated along the eastern flanks of the Rocky Mountains and within the adjacent Plains region.

The earliest undisputed date of Clovis occupation in eastern Colorado is a radiocarbon age estimate of 11,200 ± 500 BP, from the Dent Site in northeastern Colorado above an old channel of the South Platte River (Cassells 1983:48). Other Clovis sites, including Claypool and Dutton, both in eastern Colorado, contain butchered remains of mammoth and other extinct mammals, and represent components of a hunting-oriented lifeway. Although kill sites have not been found in the Colorado Foothills, isolated surface finds of Clovis points suggest a Clovis presence in the adjacent Mountains Study Region (Guthrie et al. 1984).

Folsom (11,000 - 10,000 BP)

The Folsom period, which follows Clovis, is also characterized by an orientation toward big game hunting. The period is recognized by the presence of Folsom points, which, like Clovis points, are fluted but are distinctly shorter and contain a deeply concave base (Guthrie et al. 1984:13). It is thought that, following the extinction of the mammoth, Folsom peoples focused their hunting activity on the pursuit of Bison antiquus. Variation in point size suggests that Folsom hunters also exploited smaller animals such as antelope and horse. Their camps and special activity sites are even more numerous in Colorado than are Clovis sites, and diagnostic Folsom artifacts have been collected

3−2 locally from the Van Riper Site (5JF332), an open camp just south of Morrison (Black 1992:22).

In the Mountains Study Region, the Folsom period is represented primarily by sites within the San Luis Valley as well as by isolated surface finds of Folsom points in the remainder of the region (Guthrie et al. 1984). Important Folsom sites include the Lindenmeier, Powars, Fowler-Parrish, and Johnson sites. The largest and most thoroughly investigated of these sites is the Lindenmeier Site in Larimer County.

Plano (10,000 - 7,500 BP)

The Plano period is characterized by a variety of distinct lanceolate points which lack the characteristic fluting of the earlier Clovis and Folsom points (Guthrie et al. 1984:13). Hunting during the Plano period became more sophisticated with organized game drives and continued hunting of the now-extinct Bison antiquus (Frison 1978:179; Jennings 1974:119,123). Evidence for Plano occupation in the Mountains Study Region is provided by surface finds of Plano-type points; most Plano period points have, however, been found on the plains.

In situ remains of this terminal Paleo-Indian stage may be present at the Gordon Creek Burial Site in northern Larimer County (Anderson 1966); other Colorado sites include the Claypool, Nelson, Jurgens, Frazier, Olsen-Chubbock, Lamb Spring, Frasca, Jones-Miller, and Wetzel sites. Increased exploitation of plant resources is indicated at the Jurgens Site in eastern Colorado (Wheat 1979), and some researchers think a greater level of social organization is indicated at certain Plano period sites than at earlier Paleo-Indian sites (Kalasz et al. 1992:26). Within the project region, the most notable direct evidence of this culture is in the lowest undated stratum at LoDaisKa (5JF142) in Jefferson County (Irwin and Irwin-Williams 1959).

2. Archaic Stage (7,500 BP - 1,800 BP)

The onset of the Archaic Stage is marked by the beginning of a warmer and drier climatic episode known as the Altithermal, a period during which a significant reorientation of prehistoric lifeways occurred (Benedict 1979:1-12). Antevs (1955) postulated that climatic conditions in western North America were markedly drier and hotter during the Altithermal, which lasted from about 7,000 to 5,000 BP. The archaeological record from this period reflects technological change marked by the appearance of a more diverse tool kit, a wider array of groundstone tools, and a general decrease in the size of projectile points (Guthrie et al. 1984). Archaic projectile points within and near the study region are stemmed, side-notched, or corner-notched, and are not as delicately flaked as the earlier Paleo-Indian points. The transition from large lanceolate points to these smaller projectile point forms has been interpreted as a change in hunting patterns (Guthrie et al. 1984:22).

During Archaic times, prehistoric peoples turned to hunting smaller game and gathering wild plants, presumably as a result of the warmer and drier conditions, and a decrease in the large game population. It has been suggested that this Archaic adaptation originated in the Great Basin and includes archaeological features such as stone boiling pits, hunting blinds, structures defined by

3−3 patterned post molds, and stone circles (commonly referred to as "tipi rings") (Guthrie et al. 1984:22). The project region contains a variety of Archaic site types, including camps, habitations, stone quarries, and rockshelters; the most important local sites are LoDaisKa (5JF142), a rockshelter just south of Morrison (Irwin and Irwin-Williams 1959), and two open camps called Cherry Gulch (5JF63) and Magic Mountain (5JF223), the former located west of North Dinosaur Ridge, and the latter located just northwest of Rooney Hogback (Irwin-Williams and Irwin 1966; Nelson 1981). Researchers have subdivided the Archaic Stage into three distinct periods, consisting of the Early Archaic (7,500 BP - 5,000 BP), Middle Archaic (5,000 BP - 3,000 BP), and Late Archaic (3,000 BP - 1,800 BP).

Early Archaic (7,500 BP - 5,000 BP)

Some researchers (Benedict and Olson 1978; Benedict 1981) have proposed that the Colorado Mountains were a refuge sought out by Early Archaic peoples desiring to escape harsh climatic conditions on the plains. These people developed a distinct mountain-oriented culture, and sites of this period are represented almost exclusively by campsites, some open, and some in rockshelters. The most common projectile points from dated components of the Early Archaic are triangular and ovate in form, with convex to straight bases, and wide, shallow, side notches. Diagnostic projectile points of this period include Blackwater, Pahaska, and Southsider Side-notched points, Hawken, Bitterroot, and Oxbow point types, and some Mummy Cave points (Guthrie et al. 1984:23).

One of the most important sites of this period, which has been preserved by Jefferson County Open Space within Apex Park just west of Golden, is the aforementioned Magic Mountain Site (5JF223) where a distinct mountain-oriented culture referred to as the Magic Mountain Complex developed (Irwin-Williams and Irwin 1966). This site represents the best known long-term stratified cultural sequence along the Front Range dating to about 6,000 to 950 BP; it contains most of the major cultural periods from the Early Archaic through Woodland periods (Butler 1990:8). However, since the site was first studied by Irwin-Williams and Irwin, the cultural/geological units of the site have been subject to interpretative revision (Scott 1980). Other researchers (Benedict and Olsen 1978) have suggested that the Magic Mountain Complex contained material culture similar to a range of sites within the region, and suggested that it belonged to a more broadly defined complex called Mount Albion Complex, which is represented at LoDaiska (5JF142) approximately four miles south of Magic Mountain (Eighmy 1984:53; Irwin and Irwin-Williams 1959 ). This association, it should be noted, is retrospective, since the Mount Albion Complex was defined after the LoDaiska Site was excavated and initially interpreted. On-going work by Centennial Archaeology, Inc. at the Magic Mountain site should elucidate local and regional cultural sequences as defined by deposits at this important location.

Other Early Archaic sites from the Foothills region include the aforementioned Cherry Gulch (5JF63), located just north of Red Rocks Park (Nelson 1981), and Helmer Ranch, approximately six miles south of South Ken-Caryl Valley (Benedict and Olsen 1978:129). At Cherry Gulch, a radiocarbon date of 5,780 BP was obtained from the lowest levels where manos, knives, and side/corner-notched points were recovered (Eighmy 1984:51). The Early Archaic assemblage from

3−4 Helmer Ranch included shallow-basin metates, manos, scrapers, and projectile points associated with deer and grizzly bear bones (Eighmy 1984:51).

Middle Archaic (5,000 BP - 3,000 BP)

Occupation of the Foothills continued during the Middle Archaic with groups using stemmed, indented base projectile points representing the McKean and Duncan-Hanna series, as well side- notched styles (Eighmy 1984:55). End-scrapers and side-scrapers also appear in Middle Archaic tool kits and groundstone tools are abundant. True mano and metate grinding slabs appear, and features include roasting pits and/or boiling pits are also recorded. Other diagnostic projectile points of the Middle Archaic include the Mallory, Yonkee, and Oshara styles, the Elko series, and Northern, Hawken, and Sudden Side-Notched projectile points (Guthrie et al. 1984:23).

Major Foothills region excavations dating to the Middle Archaic include Complexes C and D at LoDaisKa (5JF142) (Irwin and Irwin-Williams 1959, 1961), Spring Gulch (5LR252) in eastern Larimer County (Kainer 1976), and Cherry Gulch (5JF63) (Nelson 1981), in addition to the more recently excavated Dutch Creek Site (5JF463) near State Highway C-470 (Jepson and Hand 1994).

Late Archaic (3,000 BP - 1,800 BP)

The Late Archaic exhibits a continuing trend of increasing groundstone tool frequencies and decreasing projectile point sizes (Guthrie et al. 1984:23). Diagnostic projectile points of this period include Pelican Lake points, Magic Mountain Apex Complex types, LoDaisKa Complex types, and Besant and En Medio points.

Late Archaic components identified for the Foothills region include Willowbrook I (5JF6), Van Bibber Creek (5JF10), Spring Gulch (5LR252), Bradford House III (5JF52), and Falcon’s Nest (5JF211), the latter located in South Ken-Caryl Valley (Adkins and Kurtz 1993; Eighmy 1984:59). The Late Archaic artifact assemblage from Spring Gulch in the northern Foothills contained deeply corner-notched dart points, bifaces, scrapers, drills, gravers, grinding stones, hammerstones, and bone tools. These artifacts were found in association with hearths, as were the remains of bison, mule deer, jackrabbit, bobcat, and hawk (Eighmy 1984:60). Falcon’s Nest (5JF211) contained a burial of an adult male whose skull matrix was dated to 1,990 ± 240 BP; in addition, 52 hearths and nearly 4,000 stone tools were excavated, although many may date to a later Woodland period (CAS 1986:14; Adkins and Kurtz 1993:61). A Late Archaic component (Zone C) at Magic Mountain (5JF223) contained scrapers, bifaces, and manos, as well as three burials covered by rock cairns (Irwin-Williams and Irwin 1966:195-196).

3−5

3. Late Prehistoric Stage (1,800 BP - 450 BP)

The end of the Archaic Stage in northeastern Colorado is indicated by the occurrence of three roughly contemporaneous events in the archaeological record: 1) the introduction of ceramic technology; 2) the replacement of the spear thrower with the bow-and-arrow; and 3) the advent of horticulture. These innovations appeared locally in the context of a semi-nomadic life way which, in the Mountains and Foothills regions, does not appear to have differed greatly from that of the Archaic period. This is referred to as the Plains-Woodland period which lasted from 1,800 to 800 BP. Eighmy (1984) has found it practical to divide this stage into Early Ceramic (1,800 BP - 1,000 BP), and Middle Ceramic (1,000 BP - 450 BP) periods. Both ceramic technology and horticultural practices within the study region are believed to represent attenuated manifestations of a true Plains- Woodland culture centered on the plains, or at least a diffusion of traits from that region (Cassels 1983:158-160). Horticulture does not appear to have developed fully on the Front Range at anytime during this stage. Cord-impressed vessels with conical bases are typical of early ceramic artifacts in this region.

Early Ceramic (1,800 BP - 1,000 BP)

Although this Woodland period is contemporaneous with the rise of a relatively sedentary, horticultural way of life, there is in some areas, including the project region, scant evidence of plant domestication. Archaeological evidence, including floral and faunal data, from Foothills region sites suggest a hunting and gathering economy with occasional use of domesticated corn (Eighmy 1984:86). Wood (1967) has argued that Woodland inhabitants of northeastern Colorado were indigenous hunters and gatherers who probably borrowed the idea of pottery making from their eastern neighbors; however, ceramics from Foothills sites have been reported to resemble western Fremont and Shoshone styles (cf. Nelson and Graeber 1966). Woodland sites are the most common prehistoric manifestations found in the project region (Black 1992:24).

The first excavated component from the Colorado Foothills dating to this period is from LoDaisKa (5JF142), where an occupational date range of approximately 1,310 to 1,020 BP was obtained (Irwin and Irwin-Williams 1961:114). Pottery types from LoDaisKa consist of cord-marked pottery and plain surface pottery, ceramic items which were found in association with small corner-notched points (most with serrated edges), small ovoid knives, and various chipped and ground stone tools (Eighmy 1984:84). Features from the site included rock- and ash-filled pit hearths containing deer bone, bison, and small animals.

The Spring Gulch Site (5LR252) also yielded cord-marked pottery, in addition to diagonally notched serrated points and rock-lined hearths. Woodland components were also identified at Magic Mountain (5JF223) (Irwin-Williams and Irwin 1966), Willowbrook (5JF6) (Leach 1966), Cherry Gulch (5JF63) (Nelson 1981), Hall-Woodland Cave (5JF9) (Nelson 1967:3-10), where cord-marked pottery and corner-notched points were reported (Eighmy 1984:87), and a rockshelter at Red Rocks Park (5JF146) (Black 1992:24). Woodland habitation structures include stone enclosures, such as

3−6 those excavated at the George W. Lindsay Ranch Site (5JF11) north of Dinosaur Ridge (Nelson 1971), which probably supported conical timber and brush, or hide lodges.

From these Woodland cultural manifestations, a concept of a Foothills-Montane culture, or Hogback Phase has been proposed by some researchers (Nelson 1971; Benedict 1975a, 1975b). These investigators believe that an indigenous Front Range population lived in the Foothills region during the winter and spring, and migrated to the mountains during the summer (Eighmy 1984:90).

Middle Ceramic (1,000 BP - 450 BP)

This period in northeastern Colorado has been characterized as a marginal representation of sedentary culture, more adapted to a nomadic hunting and gathering lifeway (Irwin and Irwin- Williams 1959). It has been suggested that an increased focus on hunting, a direct result of climatic improvements and increasing bison populations, is reflected in the archaeological record (Wood 1967; W. Wood 1971). In support of this notion, a marked decrease in the frequency of manos and metates has been reported from the region. Such items are typically associated with the processing of gathered or cultivated plant products.

The diagnostic artifacts of this late prehistoric period consist of globular jars with out-curving collared rims and small triangular projectile points. Most known sites were used as seasonal hunting camps perhaps by non-indigenous inhabitants during hunting forays into the region. Wood (1971:81) proposed that few Middle Ceramic period sites in northeastern Colorado have been identified in areas suitable for cultivation. Few sites dating to this period have, in fact, been documented in the Foothills region. At Franktown Cave, east of the project area, wide-mouthed cord-marked jars with conoidal bases and in-curving rims were found with typical side-notched small- to medium-sized projectile points.

4. Protohistoric/Historic Stage (450 BP - 150 BP)

The Protohistoric/Historic Stage encompasses the period between the earliest contacts of Native Americans with items of European origin and the beginning of direct and frequent encounters between Native and Euro-Americans. This stage is generally depicted as one of relatively sparse population and occupation in Colorado (Eighmy 1984:151), and is associated with projectile points indicative of use of bow-and-arrow, small side-notched points, some corner-notched points, and serrated blade edges (Guthrie et al. 1984:46). Protohistoric occupations are rare in the Foothills region (Hand 1995).

Presence of Protohistoric Indians is often indicated by metal projectile points, European weaponry, and use of horses (Guthrie et al. 1984:46). It is often difficult to distinguish early Protohistoric sites from late prehistoric occupations; and very late Protohistoric sites may be mistaken for early European camps. Numerous tribes are known to have used the area during a period of accelerated mobility and conflict that followed the acquisition of firearms and horses. Eighmy (1984) has noted that virtually all of the Protohistoric sites in eastern Colorado have been associated with the Dismal

3−7 River Aspect, a designation which has implied Protohistoric Apache affiliation.

By the 1500s, the Jicarilla Apaches controlled the land between the South Platte and the Arkansas rivers (Simmons and Simmons 1992:25). Incoming Comanches and their allies, the Utes, drove the Apaches south during the early 1700s. The Utes were a mobile society of hunters who eventually occupied most of the Western Slope and controlled the mountain passes. Linguistic and archaeological evidence suggests that Utes migrated from their southwestern Great Basin homeland (Jennings 1974; Guthrie et al. 1984:46). From the early 1800s, most of eastern Colorado north of the Arkansas River was occupied by Arapahoes and Cheyennes. By the mid-1800s, several successive groups of Native Americans, including the Sioux, had used northeastern Colorado as hunting grounds.

Although the Foothills region was used as hunting grounds by several groups of Indians, none had a strong hold on it. Still a point of controversy, archaeological remains of Shoshoni culture in the Foothills may date back 600 to 700 years, as known from Graeber Cave (5JF8) in Turkey Creek Canyon (Nelson and Graeber 1966). Since none of the protohistoric tribes dominated the region, little resistance was offered to Anglo settlements either in the project locality or other parts of Colorado (Simmons and Simmons 1992:25).

Euro-American Settlement

The gold rush of 1859-60, immigrant trails, and arrival of railroads all had a profound effect on Colorado's Native American population. As gold seekers and immigrants moved westward in increasing numbers, Indian tribes of northern Colorado found their traditional way of life disintegrating. New trails and tracks disrupted their lifeways; territorial grounds, buffalo, and other wildlife were killed or driven away, and new towns were established on land that, by treaty, belonged to Native Americans. The 1860s were a time of great conflict between Colorado's Anglo and Native American populations, particularly on the Plains. While the trappers and hunters had co-existed with the Native Americans, the prevailing sentiment of the new settlers was one of manifest destiny, which did little to improve Euro-American and Native American relations. The Ute, who were the predominant tribe in the Colorado Mountains at the time of intensive European settlement of the region, were removed to reservations by 1885. Sporadic skirmishes continued to occur until 1890 when an engagement at Cedar Hill ended Ute hostilities in the region.

B. HISTORIC PERIOD

Euro-American history of the project region is described in the Colorado Plains Historic Context and the Colorado Mountains Historic Context under a series of socioeconomic themes (Mehls 1984a and b). Among those themes relevant to the Jefferson County Open Space survey region are territorial expansion, mineral exploration and mining, development of transportation networks, agriculture, ranching, and irrigation.

3−8 Gold was first discovered in 1850 in what was to become Jefferson County by Lewis Ralston who, as a member of a gold-seeking party headed to California, panned gravel at the confluence of Clear and Ralston creeks (Harrison 1994:13; Leonard and Noel 1990:4). During the ensuing search for gold in that decade, many prospectors were disappointed and returned to the Midwest and East. However, some settlers who remained recognized the region’s agricultural potential (provided that the land could be irrigated) and saw developing markets for agricultural products with the expanding settlement of Denver.

1. Early Transportation

Prior to the gold rush, during earlier exploration and fur trade, three major trails had been established in the project region. The Overland (Oregon) Trail followed the South Platte River from the vicinity of Julesburg to the Front Range. This trail was later to become the South Platte Trail, popular with stage companies including Russell, Majors, and Waddell, Holladay's Overland Stage, and Wells, Fargo, & Company, servicing the central Rockies. The Old Cherokee Trail was first used by fur traders and then gold rushers; it extended south along the Front Range to the Arkansas River as an extension of the Santa Fe Trail. A third trail was laid out by the U.S. Army and followed the Smokey Hill River to Bent's Fort.

By the late 1860s, following the discovery of rich gold and silver deposits in the Idaho Springs- Georgetown area, railroads began to move toward the Rockies, transporting gold seekers and settlers farther west. In 1867, the Union Pacific Railroad reached Colorado near Julesburg, and by 1870, the Kansas Pacific and Denver Pacific railroads had reached Denver. The Denver and Rio Grande Railway subsequently connected Denver with Colorado Springs and Pueblo, and the Colorado Central Railroad connected Denver with Georgetown and Silver Plume along Clear Creek Canyon (Mehls 1984a:I-41).

Incorporated in 1865, the Colorado Central was important to the development of Jefferson County. A subsidiary of this railroad was the Golden City and South Platte Railway and Telegraph Company (GC&SP), established in 1871. In 1879, three miles of this railbed were completed to clay beds and lime kilns south of Golden, also connecting with the Colorado Central in Golden. The line ended at a lime kiln between the hogback and Green Mountain; a route was later extended to join the Denver and Rio Grande near Littleton (Hermsen Consultants 1995:8). By 1880, the GC&SP carried daily shipments of fire brick, fireclay, pressed brick, lime, stone, and coal among its freight.

Other railroads important to Jefferson County included the Denver, Lakewood, and Golden Railway, first built as a steam line in 1890, electrified for passenger service in 1905, then providing freight service in 1923. In 1896, the company became the Denver and Intermountain Railway, which was purchased by the Denver Tramway Company in 1909. The Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad Company hauled stone from a quarry northeast of Morrison and coal from the Satanic Mine located east of Rooney Ranch (Hermsen Consultants 1995:8).

2. Agriculture and Irrigation

3−9

As settlers became disillusioned with prospects of mining wealth, it was realized that economic alternatives existed from the demand for food and hay by nearby mining communities, and farms were soon established along Front Range trails (Mehls 1984a:I-63). However, it was also realized that standard farming and irrigation practices used in the east could not be followed in this more arid region.

Successful farming east of the Front Range would require the introduction of drought-resistant crops or irrigation systems. Irrigation was first accomplished by damming and diverting the flow of streams or catching and storing precipitation (King 1984:22). Early irrigation projects were usually carried out by individuals or families or through partnerships formed by neighboring farmers. The first irrigation systems were simple: settlers employed hand tools and animal power to dig ditches between nearby streams and agricultural fields. To divert a stream for irrigation, a brush, mud, wood, or stone dam was built, directing water into canals through headgates or regulators ordinarily constructed of wood or stone (King 1984:22). In the late nineteenth century, headgates included masonry or concrete construction with iron hardware.

One of the earliest attempts at irrigated farming in the project region was by David Wall who, in 1859, built a ditch to supply water from Clear Creek to his farm near Golden (Mehls 1984a:I-63). Such individual efforts were somewhat successful in providing water for small operations, but it was soon realized that extensive irrigated farming could only be successful by building major irrigation systems, which also needed substantial financial backing.

The growth and expansion of irrigated agriculture in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were accompanied by improved techniques and building materials (King 1984:23). Temporary diversion dams were replaced by permanent earthen and rock-fill or masonry dams, steel headgates were built, and some canals were lined. New pipes were constructed of riveted iron and concrete, and flumes were built of wooden stave, steel, and reinforced concrete. Powered ditching machines, clamshell bucket cranes, and specialized dredges reduced the extent of manual labor and permitted large projects to be undertaken.

Direct federal involvement in irrigation in Colorado began 1902 with the passage of the Newlands Reclamation Act, creating a fund from the sale of public lands to finance reclamation and making possible water projects which had been beyond the means of state or private enterprise (King 1984:22). The activities of the Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs marked the twentieth century as the "Federal era" in water development in Colorado and further encouraged settlement.

3. Ranching

During the latter half of the nineteenth century, the open range ranching industry developed on the Colorado plains. Abundant land for grazing, and the availability of the railroads for the transportation of beef to market, caused rapid growth of the industry. Cattle barons, such as John

3−10 Wesley Iliff, Jared L. Brush, Tilgham P. Hersperger, and John Wesley Prowers had operations covering thousands of acres, with herds of upwards of 50,000 head. These ranchers took advantage of all the available laws to obtain their ranch lands: the Pre-emption Act, the Homestead Act, the Timber Culture Act, and the Desert Land Act. They set up base operations on their claimed land, and let cattle run free over the plains, a ranching method which, by 1885, had left the range overgrazed (Mehls 1984a:I-70). Consumer tastes began to change in the 1880s, and people no longer preferred the beef of longhorn cattle. This led to the introduction of blooded stock such as the Hereford. In order to separate different stock, fences were erected, and by 1890, open range ranching had become rare on the Colorado plains (Mehls 1984:I-71). Several successful ranches from this period are situated in the project region, including Rooney, Hildebrand, and Ken-Caryl.

4. Foothills Mining Industry

Many important clay deposits are located within the project region, chiefly south of Golden on the east side of the hogback. In the 1860s, records show that Ute Indians also utilized clay resources, specifically for medicinal purposes and mud baths; these resources included clay pits near Rooney Ranch east of Dinosaur Ridge (Hermsen 1995:8). During the 1860s, there were three brick yards near Golden, including the Golden City Pottery Works, which manufactured pressed brick for construction of Colorado School of Mines buildings. In the 1880s, the Cambria Works of Golden manufactured pottery, stoneware, fire brick, sewer pipes, and tile, using superior clays from the vicinity pits; their products were marketed as far west as San Francisco. In the 1890s, Church Brothers and Hodges Manufactories were suppliers of sewer pipe, tile, firebrick, stoneware, terra cotta, and brick (Hermsen Consultants 1995). Evidently, these nineteenth-century manufactures exploited local sources of clay and minerals for their products.

There were also stone and lime quarries in addition to several lime kilns in the hogback region. A high demand for lime came from mountain mining districts, where the product was used in ore smelting. Cut stone quarried from the hogbacks was also in demand in Denver for building construction, and by railroad companies for bridge and tunnel building. Coal was mined near Golden and farther south near Bear Creek, mainly by Welsh miners who settled in the region. The Satanic Coal Mine east of Rooney Ranch was operated by Otis Rooney, son of Alexander Rooney, who established the ranch in 1865. This mine, later known as Bluebird, closed in 1932 (Hermsen Consultants 1995).

In the late 1930s, principal Jefferson County industries were Golden Fire Clay and Brick Company, Coors Brewing Company, and Rock Flour Mills, all dependent on continued exploitation of local mineral resources. Clay mining in the region continued into the 1960s. Adolph Coors, who had established a brewery in 1873, formed a glass company in 1887 to manufacture bottles for his product; however, this enterprise proved unprofitable and closed in 1892. In seeing continued opportunity from local clay resources, Coors established the Coors Porcelain Company in 1920, manufacturing a variety of ceramic products.

3−11 4 DESCRIPTION OF THE CLEAR CREEK CANYON OPEN SPACE PARK AND LOCAL ENVIRONMENT

The proposed Clear Creek Canyon Open Space Park encompasses 2,655 acres just west of the city of Golden and extending westward to the Clear Creek County line. The property boundaries are bordered by Mount Galbraith and the Centennial Cone to the north, the Windy Saddle Open Space Park to the east, and Bald Mountain to the south; SH 6 and Clear Creek traverse the survey area.

Rocky terrain and steep canyon slopes characterize the survey area. Elevations range from 5,880 feet along the eastern extent of Clear Creek, to 7,760 feet on the northwestern canyon slopes. Steep slopes broken by finger ridges and small saddles extending from the canyon rim characterize the local topography. The area is in the pre-Cambrian core of the Front Range, which is characterized by outcrops of gneiss and schists (Chronic, 1998). Soils are predominantly rock outcrop-Cathedral- Ratake complex, with cryofluvents along portions of Clear Creek; Legault-Tolvar-rock outcrop occurs throughout the survey area (USDA 1980).

Clear Creek is the principal drainage in the survey area; secondary drainages include Elk Creek and Guy Gulch to the north, and Bear Gulch and Beaver Brook to the south. General vegetation observed during survey includes cheat grass, ponderosa pine, spruce, fir, juniper, mountain mahogany, gamble oak, gooseberry, prickly pear, yucca, and sage. Known wildlife in the area includes mountain lion, mule deer, bear, and various reptiles, as well as a wide variety of small mammals, songbirds, and raptors.

Historical land transactions within the survey area include homesteading, ranching, military scripts, and unspecified cash entries. Two historic sites, a historic homestead and flume, were recorded in the southern portion of the project area. Modern impacts to the area include recreational use, hiking trails, quarries, and mineral exploration prospects. Historic plats depict the following historic activities within the project area.

Patents recorded in T3S, R70W include a homestead patent filed by Ana Lopes (SW1/4, Section 31) in 1868, and a cash entry recorded for Albert Ray (SE1/4 of SE1/4, Section 31) in 1870. Original patents filed in T4S, R71W consist entirely of military scripts granted to Mary Helton (N1/4, Section 4) in 1870, Malinda Duty (N1/2 of NW1/4, Section 3) in 1869, Mary Gibson (NW1/4, Section 5) in 1869, and Samuel Long (NE1/4, Section 5) in 1869. Actions within T3S, R71W include a stock raising homestead (SW1/4 of SW1/4 & NW1/4, Section 34) and homestead patent (W1/2 of NE1/4 & SE1/4, Section 32) filed by Frank C. Termentozzi in 1923, a homestead patented by Gordon B. Whiting (SW1/4, Section 31) in 1919, and military scripts granted in 1868 to Erastus Richardson (SW1/4, Section 35), Pablito Baca y Ohaves (SE1/4, Section 36), Sarah A. Gregory (SW1/4 , Section 36), and John Eifert (SE1/4, Section 35). Other patents filed in the survey area include a military script granted to Hannah Neal (T3S, R72W/ S1/2, Section 36) in 1869, and a mineral survey patented by Clear Creek Gold Mining & Water Power Company (T4S, R72W/ E1/2 of NE1/4, Section 1) in 1896.

4-1 VI. RESEARCH DESIGN AND SURVEY METHODS

A. RESEARCH DESIGN

The primary objective of this cultural resources survey was to locate, record, and assess all cultural resources in the designated survey areas, and to make appropriate management recommendations. This information is for use in the planning process of the Jefferson County Open Space Program. Located in the Platte River drainage within the Colorado Foothills, the archaeological record for this area is lengthy and extensive, yet interpretation of the prehistoric archaeology of this region has relied chiefly on data from individual sites rather, with few attempts for intra-regional comparisons.

Based on previous investigations conducted in the project region, it was determined that a variety of cultural groups had utilized the area over a period of several thousand years. Many of the defining sites for the chronological framework of this region are located in the direct vicinity of the survey areas. One survey goal was to identify the cultural and temporal affiliation of each identified resource; a secondary goal was to integrate these data into the known regional chronological framework.

Prehistoric resources were expected to range from temporally Archaic through Woodland period occupations, with sites manifested as open camps, lithic scatters, stone circles, and rock shelters. The possibility of Paleo-Indian resources could not be ruled out as they are known to occur in this region. Based on information from previous investigations, lithic material for prehistoric stone tool manufacture was expected to reflect local availability. Chalcedony, chert, quartzite, and petrified wood were anticipated. Exotic material, such as obsidian, was also anticipated. Ground stone items (manos and metates), as well as cord-marked ceramics, were also expected at prehistoric loci.

Based on the historic context for this region, historic archaeological resources were expected to reflect mineral exploration, transportation, habitation, ranching and agricultural endeavors.

B. SURVEY METHODS

The survey area was examined by two survey teams, each consisting of a crew chief and a field technician. Using 7.5' USGS maps, survey boundaries were established in the field relative to observed topography and cultural features, such as transmission lines and roads. Parallel transects were walked within the survey area with surveyors at 20-meter intervals. Transect sweeps were oriented according to compass azimuths and pin flags were placed along transects to ensure complete coverage while avoiding redundancy. In steep areas, where slopes exceeded 30-degrees, the tops and bases of land forms were surveyed at standard 20-meter intervals; slopes were subjected to 100- meter survey intervals and binocular inspection. Purposeful search was conducted to identify and reevaluate any previously recorded sites within the survey area.

−1 The survey was conducted with the purpose of locating both historic and prehistoric resources including shelters, structural remains, unusual surface disturbances, linear features, and debris scatters. Once an artifact or feature was identified, a 50-meter radius was intensively surveyed for the purpose of classify the resource as either an isolated find or a site. Isolated finds were defined as either 1) fewer than five distinct historic artifacts; 2) a non-architectural historic feature without associated artifacts; or 3) fewer than four prehistoric artifacts. Sites were defined as any historic linear feature (roads, railroad grades, or ditch systems), extensive refuse scatters, a series of proximal historic features, or a single feature with associated artifacts. Stone circles and rock shelters were recorded as sites.

Computerized Colorado Historical Society (CHS-OAHP) site forms, in Pocket Excel format on Hewlett-Packard 360-LX palmtop computers, were completed in the field for each site or isolated find. These forms typically included a Historic or Prehistoric Component form, a Management Data form, a scaled sketch map, photograph(s), and a site locator map (USGS 7.5-minute series). Component forms contain site descriptions, general artifact inventories, and detailed feature and diagnostic artifact descriptions. Sketch maps of historic sites include features and diagnostic artifacts; prehistoric site maps include all visible artifacts and features. Sketch maps were created using a Pocket Excel spreadsheet with imbedded mapping functions, 30-meter tapes or stadia rods and telescopic hand levels with stadia hairs, and Brunton pocket transits; maps for linear historic sites (roads, railroad grades, ditches, mining areas, etc.) were sketched directly onto the appropriate USGS 7.5-minute series topographic map. A black-and-white or color overview photograph was taken of each site, and distinctive features, standing structures, or stone circles were photographed.

Isolated finds required completion of a computerized CHS-OAHP Isolated Find Record form with location depicted on a USGS 7.5-minute series topographic map. All site and isolate locations were plotted onto topographic maps using triangulation, a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit, and by dead reckoning.

Site forms and project-wide database tables of information on artifacts, cultural features, landscape features and boundaries, as well as all information on site forms, were produced from the Pocket Excel files in Excel 97. The various database tables were exported to ArcView 3.0 Geographic Information System (GIS) software for compilation of site sketch maps and project-wide map coverage with linked tabular data from all databases. The resulting GIS coverage will be submitted to Jefferson County Open Space as part of this project’s scope of work.

Artifact collection was limited to diagnostic artifacts exhibiting unique manufacturing methods or materials. Any diagnostic artifacts which were not collected were either sketched onto field forms or photographed. Each collected artifact was assigned a unique field provenience based on site number and relative position within the site. All collected materials were transported from the field to Paragon’s Archaeological Laboratory at 2701 Alcott Street, Denver. Collected items will be curated ultimately by Jefferson County.

−2 6 INVENTORY RESULTS

Listed in Table 6-1 are three sites and 12 isolated finds recorded during this inventory. The table is followed by descriptions of each resource. Management recommendations and NRHP eligibility assessments follow in Chapter 7.

Table 6-1

Cultural Resources Recorded in the Clear Creek Canyon Open Space Park

State Site or Isolated Find Number Resource Type

1) Site 5JF1777 (Temporary Site CC-1) ...... Possible Prehistoric Rock Shelter 2) Site 5JF1778 (Temporary Site CC-3) ...... Historic Flume 3) Site 5JF1779 (Temporary Site CC-5) ...... Historic Homestead 4) Isolated Find 5JF1745 (Temporary No. CC-IF1) ...... Mineral Exploration 5) Isolated Find 5JF1766 (Temporary No. CC-IF3) ...... Mineral Exploration 6) Isolated Find 5JF1767 (Temporary No. CC-IF5) ...... Historic Quarry 7) Isolated Find 5JF1768 (Temporary No. CC-IF7) ...... Mineral Exploration 8) Isolated Find 5JF1769 (Temporary No. CC-IF11) ...... Mineral Exploration 9) Isolated Find 5JF1770 (Temporary No. CC-IF13) ...... Mineral Exploration 10) Isolated Find 5JF1771 (Temporary No. CC-IF15) ...... Mineral Exploration 11) Isolated Find 5JF1772 (Temporary No. CC-IF17) ...... Mineral Exploration 12) Isolated Find 5JF1773 (Temporary No. CC-IF16) ...... Mineral Exploration 13) Isolated Find 5JF1774 (Temporary No. CC-IF 18) ...... Mineral Exploration 14) Isolated Find 5JF1775 (Temporary No. CC-IF20) ...... Fence Line 15) Isolated Find 5JF1776 (Temporary No. CC-IF22) ...... Fence Line

1) 5JF1777 (Temporary Site CC-1- Possible Prehistoric Rock Shelter)

This site is a southeast facing rock shelter (Figure 6-1) on an east trending slope above Clear Creek. The area is characterized by shallow deposits of dark brown loam on a moderately steep, rocky slope. The area supports juniper, spruce, fir, yucca and gambel oak. The shelter is approximately 10 meters long and two meters deep. A rock-lined, semicircular hearth abuts the shelter’s rear wall. No artifacts are present; the hearth’s temporal affiliation is uncertain.

6-1

Figure 6-1: Rock Shelter Comprising Site 5JF1777.

2) 5JF1778 (Temporary Site CC-3- Historic Flume)

This site is a flume that traverses a one-mile segment of the south bank of Clear Creek. The flume extends from just west of Tunnel No. 1 to the intersection of SH 6 and SH 58. The structure is cement and earthen for approximately 500 feet downstream from Tunnel No. 1; thereafter water is conveyed through an underground pipe for approximately 375 feet. At the end of this pipe, water resurfaces and flows through a wooden chute to the east side of Tunnel No. 1. Downstream from the wooden chute segment, the flume contains a head gate (Gate A) and three flow gates (Gates B,C, and D). Gate A is iron and cement; Gate B is a wooden and on a cement frame; Gate C is an iron gate on a wooden frame; Gate D is a cement and iron overflow gate which diverts water from the flume back into the creek. No artifacts are associated with this structure.

3) 5JF1779 (Temporary Site CC-5- Collapsed House)

This site is the remnant of a one-story house on the crest of a northwest-trending ridge slope. The area supports grasses, thistle, ponderosa pine, fir, gooseberry, and gambel oak. The site comprises a collapsed structure and a sparse scatter of miscellaneous historical artifacts. The house was a Colorado bungalow style structure with a floor area of approximately 26 x 24 feet. The building is completely collapsed and retains no structural integrity (Figure 6-2). Associated artifacts include ceramics, stove parts, a galvanized sink, and a pail.

6-2

Figure 6-2: Collapsed Remnant of Colorado Bungalow Style House on Site 5JF1779.

4) 5JF1745 (Temporary No. CC-IF1- Prospect Pit)

This isolated find is a prospect pit on the slope of a southeast trending ridge spur north of Clear Creek in a mixed conifer forest. The pit measures five 5 x 5 feet. No artifacts are associated with this resource.

5) 5JF1766 (Temporary No. CC-IF3- Prospect Adit)

This isolated find is a prospect adit located on the northeast trending slope of an east trending ridge spur in a mixed conifer forest. Soil is brown silty loam. The adit extends approximately 50 feet; the portal is feet wide and six feet high. No artifacts are associated with this resource.

6) 5JF1767 (Temporary No. CC-IF5- Historic Quarry)

This isolated find is a quartz quarry located on a south trending ridge north of Clear Creek in a mixed conifer forest with brown silty loam soil. The quarry is 98 feet long and 65 feet wide. No artifacts are associated with this feature.

7) 5JF1768 (Temporary No. CC-IF7- Prospect Shaft)

6-3 This isolated find is a prospect shaft on the north trending slope of a gulch feeding Clear Creek. The area supports shrub communities; soil is reddish brown silty loam. The shaft opening is rectangular and measures 28 x 15 feet. Depth is undetermined. The shaft interior is retained by cribbing; waste rock is piled down slope. No artifacts are associated with this feature.

8) 5JF1769 (Temporary No. CC-IF11- Prospect Pit)

This isolated find is a prospect pit on a southeast trending ridge above Clear Creek in a mixed conifer forest with reddish brown silty loam soil. The pit is six feet long, three feet wide, and 1.5 feet deep. No artifacts are associated with this resource.

9) 5JF1770 (Temporary No. CC-IF13- Prospect Pit)

This isolated find is a prospect pit on a south trending ridge spur above Clear Creek. Reddish brown sandy loam soil and shrub communities characterize the area. The pit is 12 feet in diameter and seven feet deep. No artifacts are associated with this feature.

10) 5JF1771 (Temporary No. CC-IF15- Prospect Adit)

This isolated find is a prospect adit on the east trending slope of a gulch. The area supports shrub communities; soil is light brown sandy loam. The adit is four feet wide, three feet high, and approximately 15 feet deep. A stacked stone wall extends approximately 10 feet southward from the adit portal. No artifacts are associated with this resource.

11) 5JF1772 (Temporary No. CC-IF17- Prospect Adit)

This isolated find is a prospect adit on an east trending cliff above an unnamed branch of Clear Creek. Shrub communities and a reddish brown sandy loam characterize the area. The adit is four feet wide and six feet high, and is approximately 30 feet deep. No artifacts are associated with this adit.

12) 5JF1773 (Temporary No. CC-IF16- Prospect Pit)

This isolated find is a prospect pit on a saddle above Clear Creek. The area supports shrub communities; soil is brown sandy loam. The pit is four feet in diameter and one foot deep. No artifacts are associated with this resource.

13) 5JF1774 (Temporary No. CC-IF18- Prospect Pit)

The isolated find is a prospect pit on a west trending ridge spur above Clear Creek. Shrub communities and brown sandy loams characterize the area. The pit is 20 feet in diameter and five feet deep. No artifacts are associated with this isolated find. 14) 5JF1775 (Temporary No. CC-IF20- Fence Line)

6-4 This isolated find is a fence remnant along a southwest trending slope above Clear Creek. The area supports shrub communities and mixed conifer forest; soil is brown sandy loam. The fence is constructed of wooden posts and barbed wire and extends approximately 520 feet. No artifacts are associated with the fence.

15) 5JF1776 (Temporary No. CC-IF22- Fence Line)

This isolated find is a fence remnant on a southeast trending ridge above Clear Creek. The area supports shrub communities and mixed conifer forest; soil is brown sandy loam. The fence is constructed of wooden posts and barbed wire and extends approximately 1500 feet. No artifacts are associated with the fence.

6-5 7 SITE EVALUATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

To determine potential site significance, all resources were evaluated according to eligibility criteria for nomination to the NRHP, set forth in the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, under 36 CFR 60.4 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations. Those criteria state:

The quality of significance in American history, architecture, archaeology, and culture is present in districts, sites, buildings, and objects of state and local importance that posses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association, and

a) that are associated with events that have made significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history; or

b) that are associated with the lives of persons significant in our past; or

c) that embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or the represent the work of a master, or that possess high artistic values, or that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or

d) that have yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.

As discussed below and summarized in Table 7-1, Sites 5JF1777 and 5JF1778 are recommended as requiring further information to make valid determinations of significance. Site 5JF1777 requires further assessment of its potential to address criterion d; Site 5JF1778 requires further assessment of its potential to address criteria a, b, and/or c. No further actions are recommended for site 5JF1779 or any of the isolated finds recorded in the project area.

Site 5JF1777 is a rock shelter of undetermined cultural affiliation. Since hikers frequent this area, the absence of surface artifacts is not surprising. The shelter may contain shallowly buried cultural material. Further information, in the form of test excavation, would be necessary to make a final determination of this site’s significance. The site is recommended as potentially eligible for NRHP inclusion pending further research. Avoidance of the site area during any ground disturbing activities is recommended.

Site 5JF1778 is a historic flume on the south side of Clear Creek Canyon. The structure is intact and exhibits integrity of materials, workmanship, design, location, and setting. Routine Master Title Plat research on the project area prior to fieldwork failed to locate any records relating to this structure. The flume’s potential significance to the economic development of the Golden area and other potential associations have not been assessed. Further information, in the form of archival research, would be necessary to make a final determination of this site’s significance. The site is

7-1 recommended as potentially eligible for NRHP inclusion pending further research. Avoidance of the site area during any ground disturbing activities is recommended.

Site 5JF1779 is a collapsed single family dwelling. The structure, which was used as a vacation home, retains no integrity of materials, workmanship, or design. No significant archaeological deposits are associated with this structure. For these reasons the site is recommended not eligible for inclusion in the NRHP. No further actions are recommended for this property.

Table 7-1

Eligibility Evaluations and Recommendations for Cultural Resources Recorded in the Proposed Clear Creek Canyon Open Space Park.

SITE NUMBER SITE TYPE EVALUATION RECOMMENDATION

1) 5JF1777 Prehistoric Rock Shelter Need Data Test/Avoid 2) 5JF1778 Historic Flume Need Data Archival Research/Avoid 3) 5JF1779 Historic Building Not Eligible No Further Work

7-2 8 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

A Class III cultural resource inventory of the proposed Clear Creek Canyon Open Space Park was conducted in support of the planning process for Jefferson County’s Open Space Program. The survey area comprises 2,655 acres distributed along both sides of Clear Creek Canyon and State Highway 6, west of Golden.

This inventory recorded three sites and 12 isolated finds. The majority of these resources are associated with prospecting; the sites include a possible prehistoric rock shelter (5JF1777), a historic flume (5JF1778), and a collapsed house (5JF1779). Site 5JF1777 and 5JF1778 are recommended as requiring further information prior to a final determination of NRHP eligibility.

The survey resulted in fewer sites and a lower diversity of site types than anticipated. Factors contributing to the relative paucity of cultural properties include the steep and exposed nature of the terrain and extensive modern disturbance along the base of Clear Creek Canyon. The absence of prehistoric sites on the canyon rim may reflect avoidance of the area or may indicate the extent to which this area has been surface collected. Virtually all level surfaces in the project area contained at least one modern fire ring, indicating the extent to which the area is used recreationally.

Based on surveys of similar Front Range canyons, the highest density of prehistoric sites was expected to occur on terraces near the confluences of Clear Creek and its major tributaries. Modern road construction and/or or quarries have disturbed most of these areas in the proposed Open Space Park. Any record of the prehistoric use of lower Clear Creek Canyon appears to have been obliterated by modern impacts.

Historical use of the project area appears to have been sparse and limited mainly to mineral exploration. Modern road construction and earth moving activities have obliterated remains of earlier placer prospecting and mining operations in Clear Creek.

8-1 9 EVALUATION OF RESEARCH

The present inventory contributed to the developing understanding of historic and prehistoric use of lower Clear Creek Canyon by documenting two historical and one possibly prehistoric archaeological site and 12 historical isolated finds. These results address historical and prehistoric land use through indicating a general absence of sustained settlement or resource exploitation within the study area.

Among 12 Jefferson County Open Space properties, totaling over 8,000 acres, which have been surveyed since 1997, the proposed Clear Creek Canyon Open Space Park is unique in this regard. Other Open Space properties in foothill settings have contained evidence of homesteads, developed mining, ranching, and historic irrigation, as well as intermittent and occasionally intensive use by prehistoric groups. The proposed Clear Creek Canyon Open Space Park appears to represent an area that, because of its steep topography and lack of economic resources, has received minimal usage throughout time.

9-1 10 REFERENCES CITED

Adkins, J. Frank, and Carolyn M. Kurtz 1993 Falcon=s Nest Site (5JF211), Ken-Caryl Ranch, Jefferson County, Colorado. Volume I: Overview. Report Prepared by the Denver Chapter of the Colorado Archaeological Society, Denver.

Anderson, Duane C. 1966 The Gordon Creek Burial. Southwestern Lore 32(1):1-9.

Antevs, Ernst 1955 Geological-Climatic Dating in the West. American Antiquity 10(4):317-335.

Benedict, James B. 1975a The Murray Site: A Late Prehistoric Game Drive in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Plains Anthropologist 20(7):161-174.

1975b Scratching Deer: A Late Prehistoric Campsite in the Green Valley, Colorado. Plains Anthropologist 20(70):267-278.

1979 Getting Away From It All: A Study of Man, Mountains, and the Two-Drought Altithermal. Southwestern Lore 45(3):1-12.

1981 The Fourth of July Valley Site. Center for Mountain Archaeology Research Report No. 2. Ward, Colorado.

Benedict, James B., and Byron L. Olson 1978 The Mount Albion Complex: A Study of Prehistoric Man and the Altithermal. Center for Mountain Archaeology Research Report No. 1. Ward, Colorado.

Black, Kevin D. 1992 A Cultural Resources Inventory at Dinosaur Ridge, Jefferson County, Colorado. Prepared by the Colorado Historical Society, Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, Denver.

Butler, William B. 1990 Reinterpreting the Magic Mountain Site. Southwestern Lore 56(3):8-21.

Cassells, E. Steve 1983 The Archaeology of Colorado. Johnson Books, Boulder, Colorado.

10-1

Chronic, Halka 1998 Roadside Geology of Colorado. Mountain Press Publishing Company, Missoula, Montana.

Eighmy, Jeffery L. 1984 Colorado Plains Prehistoric Context. Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, Colorado Historical Society, Denver.

Frison, George C. 1978 Prehistoric Hunters on the High Plains. Academic Press, New York.

Guthrie, Mark R., P Gadd, R. Johnson, and J.J. Lischka 1984 Colorado Mountains Prehistoric Context. Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, Colorado Historical Society, Denver.

Hand, O.D. 1981 An Archaeological Reconnaissance of Mt. Glennon. Prepared by the Colorado Historic Preservation Office, Denver, for Jefferson County Open Space Program.

1995 Cultural Resource Survey of the C-470 Extensions at Alameda Parkway and U.S. Highway 6, Jefferson County, Colorado. Transportation Project C 4701-077. Prepared by Archaeological Unit, Colorado Department of Transportation.

Harrison, Cheryl 1994 Standley Lake Kinnear Ditch Pipeline Replacement Project, Jefferson County, Colorado. Prepared for City of Westminster (Project No. 93-CO-38) by Author.

Herb Edson Associates 1987 Report on Air Quality of the Proposed Red Mesa Project. Report Submitted to DTC, Englewood, Colorado.

Hermsen Consultants 1995 Historic Resources Survey Report: C-470 Extension and Alameda/C-470 Interchange Project. Prepared for Cities of Golden and Lakewood, Jefferson County and the Colorado Department of Transportation by Hermsen Consultants, Littleton.

Hunt, Charles, B. 1954 Pleistocene and Resent Deposits in the Denver Area, Colorado. Geological Survey Bulletin 996-C. Washington, D.C.

10-2

Irwin, Henry J., and Cynthia C. Irwin-Williams 1959 Excavations at the LoDaisKa Site in the Denver, Colorado, Area. Denver Museum of Natural History Proceedings No. 8.

1961 Radiocarbon Dates from the LoDaisKa Site, Colorado. American Antiquity 27(1):114-116.

Irwin-Williams, Cynthia C., and Henry J. Irwin 1966 Excavations at Magic Mountain: A Diachronic Study of Plains-Southwest Relations. Denver Museum of Natural History Proceedings No. 12, Denver.

Irwin, Henry J. and Hannah M. Wormington 1970 Paleo-Indian Tool Types in the Great Plains. American Antiquity 35(1):24-35.

Jennings, Jesse D. 1974 Prehistory of North America. McGraw-Hill, New York.

1983 Ancient North Americans. W.H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco.

Jepson, Daniel A., and O.D. Hand 1994 Archaeological Excavations at a Portion of the Dutch Creek Site (5JF463), a Multicomponent Camp in Jefferson County, Colorado. Colorado Department of Transportation Archaeological Research Series No. 4. Archaeological Unit, Colorado Department of Transportation.

Joyner, Kathryn L., and David J. McGuire 1982 Archaeological Investigations at Kipling Extension Between West Jewell Avenue and Morrison Road, Denver, Colorado. Colorado Department of Highways Salvage Report No. 37. Denver.

Kainer, R.E. 1976 Archaeological Investigation of the Spring Gulch Site (5LR252). Unpublished M.A. Thesis, Department of Anthropology, Colorado State University.

Kalasz, Stephen M., Christian J. Zier, D.A. Jepson, M. McFaul, W. Doering, and M.A. Van Ness 1992 Archaeological Excavation of the Cass Site (5WL1483), Weld County, Colorado. Ms. on file, Colorado Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, Colorado Historical Society, Denver.

King, Joseph E. 1984 Colorado Engineering Context. Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, Colorado Historical Society, Denver.

Leach, Larry L. 10-3

1966 Excavations at Willowbrook: A Stratified Site Near Morrison. Southwestern Lore 32(2):25-46.

Leonard, Stephen J., and Thomas J. Noel 1990 Denver: Mining Camp to Metropolis. University Press of Colorado. Niwot Company, Denver.

Madole, Richard F. 1989 Geomorphology and Late Quaternary Stratigraphy. In Archaeological Excavation of Recon John Shelter (5PE648) an the Fort Carson Military Reservation, Pueblo County, Colorado, edited by Christian Zeir. Report to the National Park Service, Interagency Archaeological Service, Denver.

Madole, Richard F., and Meyer Rubin 1984 Reinterpretation of Holocene Alluvial Chronology in Major Valleys of the Northern Colorado Piedmont. In American Quaternary Association, Program and Abstracts of the Eighth Biennial Meeting. Boulder, Colorado.

Martorano, Marilyn A. 1987 Cultural Resources Survey of the Proposed Red Mesa Ranch Quarry Project, Jefferson County, Colorado. Prepared for Denver Technological Center, Englewood by Goodson & Associates, Inc., Lakewood.

Mehls, Steven F. 1984a Colorado Plains Historic Context. Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, Colorado State Historic Preservation Office, Denver.

1984b Colorado Mountains Historic Context. Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, Colorado State Historic Preservation Office, Denver.

1984c The New Empire of the Rockies: A History of Northeast Colorado. Colorado Bureau of Land Management Cultural Resource Series No. 16.

Mineral Systems, Inc. 1987 Report on the Geology on the Red Mesa Project Area. Prepared for DTC, Englewood, Colorado.

Morris, E.A. 1982 Archaeological Research Strategy in the South Platte River Valley of Northeastern Colorado. In Directions in Archaeology: A Question of Goals (P.D. Francis and E.C. Poplin, eds.). Proceedings of the Fourteenth Annual Conference of the Archaeological Association of the University of Calgary, Alberta.

Nelson, Charles E. 1967 The Archaeology of Hall-Woodland Cave. Southwestern Lore 33(1):1-13. 10-4

1969 Salvage Archaeology on Van Bibber Creek. Southwestern Lore 34(4):85-106.

1971 The George W. Lindsey Ranch Site, 5JF11. Southwestern Lore 37(1)1-14.

1981 Cherry Gulch Site (5JF63): A Projectile Point Study. Southwestern Lore 47(2):1-30.

Nelson, Charles E., and Jessie M. Graeber 1966 Excavation of Graeber Cave, North Turkey Creek. Southwestern Lore 32(2):47-54.

Scott, Glen R. 1960 Quaternary Sequence East of the Front Range Near Denver, Colorado. In Guide to Geology of Colorado. Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists, Denver.

1962 Geology of the Littleton Quadrangle, Jefferson, Douglas, and Arapahoe Counties, Colorado. U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin, 1121-L. Washington D.C.

1980 Radiocarbon Dates of Deposits of Piney Creek Alluvium in Southeastern colorado. Southwestern Lore 46(3):18-22.

Simmons, R. Laurie, and Thomas H. Simmons 1992 Historic Resources Survey: Camp George West, Golden, Colorado (Final Submittal). Report Prepared for the City of Golden, Department of Planning and Community Development by Front Range Research Associates, Inc., Denver.

Stanford, Dennis 1979 The Selby and Dutton Sites: Evidence for Possible Pre-Clovis Occupation of the High Plains. Pre-Llano Cultures of the Americas: Paradoxes and Possibilities, Robert L. Humphrey and Dennis Stanford, editors. Anthropological Society of Washington D.C.

Thornbury, William D. 1965 Regional Geomorphology of the United States. John Wiley & Sons, New York.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 1980 Soil Survey of Golden Area, Colorado: Parts of Denver, Douglas, Jefferson, and Park Counties. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.

1984 Land and Resource Management Plan: Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grasslands. U.S. Forest Service, Estes-Poudre Ranger District, Fort Collins, Colorado.

Wheat, Joseph B. 1979 The Jurgens Site. Plains Anthropologist Memoir 15.

10-5

Wood John J. 1967 Archaeological Investigations in Northeastern Colorado. Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado, Boulder.

Wood, W.R. 10 Pottery Sites Near Limon, Colorado. Southwestern Lore 37(3):53-85.

Master Title Plats

1974 Township 3 South Range 70 West of the 6th Principal Meridian, Colorado. Bureau of Land Management Records, Lakewood, Co.

1974 Township 4 South Range 70 West of the 6th Principal Meridian, Colorado. Bureau of Land Management Records, Lakewood, Co.

10-6