Phase Ia Archeological Assessment of the Shepherd Parkway Interchange/Access Road Alternative for the St
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PHASE IA ARCHEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE SHEPHERD PARKWAY INTERCHANGE/ACCESS ROAD ALTERNATIVE FOR THE ST. ELIZABETHS WEST CAMPUS REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT, WASHINGTON, D.C. Prepared For: General Services Administration National Capital Region 301 7th Street SW Washington, D.C. 20407 November 2009 PHASE IA ARCHEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE SHEPHERD PARKWAY INTERCHANGE/ACCESS ROAD ALTERNATIVE FOR THE ST. ELIZABETHS WEST CAMPUS REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT, WASHINGTON, D.C. Prepared For: General Services Administration National Capital Region 301 7th Street SW Washington, D.C. 20407 Prepared By: Paul P. Kreisa, PhD, RPA and Jacqueline M. McDowell, MA Paul P. Kreisa, PhD, RPA Principal Investigator Greenhorne & O’Mara, Inc. 6110 Frost Place Laurel, Maryland 20707 In Cooperation With: Jones Lang LaSalle 1801 K Street NW Suite 1000 Washington, D.C. 20006 November 2009 Phase IA Archaeological Assessment Shepherd Parkway PUBLIC REPORT SUMMARY As part of its planning process and to comply with federal regulations such as the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966, as amended, the General Services Administration conducted a Phase IA archeological assessment of a portion of the Shepherd Parkway, which is owned by the National Park Service. The survey was done in connection with the proposed redevelopment of the West Campus of St. Elizabeths Hospital for the Department of Homeland Security. The proposed redevelopment includes improvements to the existing transportation network to allow access to the West Campus for the anticipated increased work force. This report addresses one proposed alternative, which consists of improvements to the Malcolm X Avenue-Anacostia Freeway (I-295) interchange and construction of a controlled access road to the West Campus. Selection of this alternative will involve construction of road facilities within approximately 10.4 acres of the larger National Park Service Shepherd Parkway property located to the east of the Anacostia Freeway. Research indicates that portions of the Shepherd Parkway parcel are likely to contain archeological resources. This is partly because the subject property is close to the Anacostia River and Native American archeological sites have been found on similar landforms in the area. There is also a high potential for archeological sites dating to and after the Civil War. Civil War sites are likely associated with the U.S. Cavalry Depot and Camp Stoneman, and those dating after the Civil War are likely associated with tenants of the former Giesborough Manor plantation. The Shepherd Parkway covers 205 acres and is managed by the National Park Service National Capital Parks-East. The Shepherd Parkway is land that was set aside to build a road to be called the Fort Circle Drive, but was never constructed. The current proposed area of road construction covers a 10.4-acre parcel that extends south of St. Elizabeths West Campus and along the eastern side of the Anacostia Freeway (I-295). The area that includes the Shepherd Parkway parcel originally was part of three patents: Penncotts Invention, South Kirby, and Giesborough. Penncotts Invention was patented by James Pencott, South Kirby by Thomas Wentworth, and Giesborough by Thomas Dent. During the 1700s Giesborough and what had been Pencotts Invention were acquired by the Addison family. The Addisons were prominent in the region, and the son of Colonel Thomas Addison, also named Thomas, served as an officer in the English army for a number of years. Upon his return to Giesborough in 1764, he was granted a 1,613-acre patent for Giesborough Manor. This property contained the original 850-acre patent as well as surrounding land that included Discovery (originally Pencotts Invention) and other properties, including vacant land, which most likely included South Kirby. By 1808, most of the property was sold to Dr. John Shaaff, who died in 1819 and left Giesborough Manor to his wife and children. In 1833, George Washington Young acquired 624 acres of Giesborough, including the Shepherd Parkway parcel, from the heirs of John Schaaf. Young divided the property into upper and lower halves, giving the lower half of the estate to his brother Ignatius Fenwick Young. George W. Young was a wealthy plantation Greenhorne & O’Mara, Inc. iii Phase IA Archaeological Assessment Shepherd Parkway owner, but the Civil War would have a major impact on his estates, including Giesborough, where a major Union Cavalry depot was established in 1863. When the war ended, Young tried to sell the property but was unsuccessful. Young died in 1867 and his widow in 1878, and the property was gradually sold off by their heirs. Prior to the current effort, no archeological investigations had been undertaken within the Shepherd Parkway parcel, and no sites, either Native American or historic, had been recorded. However, a review of historic maps and photographs showed that Civil War and later sites were likely present. Civil War era sites associated with the U.S. Cavalry Depot and Camp Stoneman could be present. The highest potential for unrecorded structural remains is located around and south of Malcolm X Avenue. Several structures, possibly tenant houses, appear to be within or near the southern portion of the parcel. Post-World War II aerial photographs show a small housing complex north of Malcolm X Avenue. The proximity of this housing complex to Bolling Air Force Base suggests that it could have housed base personnel during the war. A 1957 aerial photograph indicates that the structures had been removed, and by 1963, a cloverleaf interchange had been constructed over the area. Based on this research, areas with low and moderate to high potential for sites were identified, and field methods were identified for each area. It is recommended that areas with moderate to high potential be investigated by shovel test pits excavated at 10-m intervals, and areas with low potential be visually examined at 5-m intervals. Additionally, geomorphological investigations are recommended to see if the landforms contain deeply buried archeological resources. Finally, if found, a metal detection survey should be conducted at the location of a potential Civil War gum emplacement. Greenhorne & O’Mara, Inc. iv Phase IA Archaeological Assessment Shepherd Parkway MANAGEMENT SUMMARY Greenhorne & O’Mara, Inc., under contract to Jones Lang LaSalle of Washington, D.C., themselves under contract to the U.S. General Services Administration, conducted a Phase IA archeological assessment of a portion of the Shepherd Parkway National Park Service property in Washington, D.C. between April and July 2009. The U.S. General Services Administration is preparing to implement portions of a master plan for the redevelopment of the St. Elizabeths Hospital West Campus to house facilities associated with the Department of Homeland Security. The project will involve the development of up to 4.5 million gross square feet plus parking to accommodate up to 14,000 federal employees. Associated with the proposed redevelopment are improvements to the existing transportation network. The transportation enhancements will allow access to the West Campus for the anticipated increased work force. One alternative, which is the subject of this Phase IA report, consists of improvements to the Malcolm X Avenue-Anacostia Freeway (I-295) interchange and construction of a controlled access road to the West Campus. Selection of this alternative would involve construction of road facilities within the National Park Service Shepherd Parkway property to the east of the Anacostia Freeway. Based on this research, portions of the Shepherd Parkway parcel have a high probability for the presence of archeological resources. Given the proximity of the subject property to the Anacostia River, and the presence of identified prehistoric archeological sites on similar landforms, this area has a moderate to high potential for the presence of prehistoric Native American resources. There also appears to be a high potential for Historic period resources dating to the Civil War and postbellum periods. Potential resources associated with the Shepherd Parkway parcel also include antebellum resources associated with the Giesborough Manor plantation. Civil War-era resources are likely associated with the U.S. Cavalry Depot and Camp Stoneman, while postbellum resources are likely associated with tenants of the former Giesborough Manor plantation. Based on the potential for the presence of prehistoric Native American and Historic period archeological resources, a Phase I archeological survey of those portions of the property not adversely impacted by previous land usages is recommended. Greenhorne & O’Mara, Inc. v Phase IA Archaeological Assessment Shepherd Parkway Greenhorne & O’Mara, Inc. vi Phase IA Archaeological Assessment Shepherd Parkway TABLE OF CONTENTS PUBLIC REPORT SUMMARY .......................................................................................... iii MANAGEMENT SUMMARY .............................................................................................. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................................... vii LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................... ix LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................. xi 1.0 INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................