Geophysical Investigations of Proposed Interpretative Garden at the Second Fort Smith Site, Fort Smith National Historic Site (3Sb79), Sebastian County, Arkansas
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GEOPHYSICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF PROPOSED INTERPRETATIVE GARDEN AT THE SECOND FORT SMITH SITE, FORT SMITH NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE (3SB79), SEBASTIAN COUNTY, ARKANSAS By Steven L. De Vore Midwest Archeological Center Technical Report No. 114 NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Midwest Archeological Center GEOPHYSICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF PROPOSED INTERPRETATIVE GARDEN AT THE SECOND FORT SMITH SITE, FORT SMITH NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE (3SB79), SEBASTIAN COUNTY, ARKANSAS By Steven L. De Vore Midwest Archeological Center Technical Report No. 114 NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Midwest Archeological Center United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Midwest Archeological Center Lincoln, Nebraska 2009 This report has been reviewed against the criteria contained in 43CFR Part 7, Subpart A, Section 7.18 (a) (1) and, upon recommendation of the Midwest Regional Office and the Midwest Archeological Center, has been classified as Available Making the report available meets the criteria of 43CFR Part 7, Subpart A, Section 7.18 (a) (1). ABSTRACT During July 16 to 19, 2007, the Midwest Archeological Center and Fort Smith National Historic Site staffs conducted geophysical investigations at the second Fort Smith site within the Fort Smith National Historic Site (3SB79) in the City of Fort Smith in Sebastian County, Arkansas. The project was conducted in response to the park’s request for the non-destructive and non-invasive investigations of a triangular area between the Officers Quarters location and the modern railroad tracks in response to a proposed plan to construct interpretative heirloom garden plots and place some fruit trees behind the concrete slabs marking the locations of the two Officers Quarters. The project location coincided with the backyards of the Officers Quarters on the west side of the second Fort Smith enclosure. During the investigations, 1,140 square meters or 0.28 acres were surveyed with a fluxgate gradiometer, a resistance meter and twin probe array, a ground-penetrating radar cart system and 400 mHz antenna, and an electromagnetic induction meter in the conductivity mode. The magnetic gradient, resistance, and ground conductivity data collected at the cemetery site provided information of the physical properties (magnetic, resistance, conductance, and ground-penetrating radar reflections) of the subsurface materials. Several small scale magnetic gradient, conductivity, resistance, and ground-penetrating radar anomalies were identified. A series of linear magnetic, resistance, conductivity and ground-penetrating radar anomalies appear to represent the remnants of the Coca-Cola security fence, the garage, rubble from the second Fort Smith, and buried utility lines. Based on the evaluation of the geophysical anomalies, the majority of the anomalies appear to be associated with the 20th century Coca-Cola bottling plant, especially the garage. Due to the high impact of the construction and demolition of the Coca-Cola bottling works, this portion of the Fort Smith National Historic Site (3SB79) apparently lacks intact historic features associated with the second Fort Smith site. It is still possible that historic features associated with the prehistoric or fort period may exist at a depth beyond the range of the ability of the geophysical instruments to detect. Since the plans for the interpretative heirloom gardens call for the use of raised garden plots, there is no further need for archeological investigations of the project area in the proposed garden plot locations. i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project was completed with the support and assistance from the Fort Smith National Historic Site staff. Sincere appreciation is extended to FOSM Superintendent William Black and FOSM Facility Manager Gary Smith for their support and insight into the park history and previous cultural resource investigations. FOSM Museum Technician Emily Lovick and FOSM Park Guide Jeremy Lynch assisted in the geophysical project by helping set up the geophysical grid units and laying out, moving, and packing the geophysical survey ropes, as well as helping with the mapping of the project area and participating in the resistance and ground penetrating radar survey efforts. All of the FOSM park staff went out of their way to make me feel welcome and provided assistance in getting the work done efficiently, safely, and as comfortably as possible during the geophysical investigations of the proposed interpretative heirloom garden construction during mid-summer in northwestern Arkansas. At the Midwest Archeological Center, I would like to thank Archeological Assistance and Partnership Program Manager Dr. Ralph Hartley and Park Archeology Program Manager Jeff Richner for their direction and leadership throughout the course of this project. I am also grateful for the support that Manager Dr. Mark Lynott, Administrative Officers Bonnie Farkas and Jill Lewis, and the rest of the MWAC staff provided, for without their help this project would not have been completed as smoothly or efficiently as it was. Linda Clarke, Darin Schlake, and Sara Vestecka provided logistical, computer, transportation, and personnel support during the project, which was much appreciated. Finally, I’d like to thank Allan Weber and Anna Loach for their editing and report preparation in the publishing of this document. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract .............................................................................................................................i Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... ii Table of Contents .............................................................................................................iii List of Tables .....................................................................................................................v List of Figures ..................................................................................................................vi 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................1 2. Environmental Setting .................................................................................................3 3. Cultural History of the Arkansas Valley Region ..........................................................7 Paleoindian ................................................................................................................8 Dalton ........................................................................................................................8 Archaic ......................................................................................................................9 Woodland ..................................................................................................................9 Mississippian.............................................................................................................9 Protohistoric/Contact ...............................................................................................10 European Encounters ...............................................................................................10 Early American Migration and Settlement ..............................................................11 Civil War ..................................................................................................................12 Homesteading and Industry .....................................................................................13 Modern Development and Recreation .....................................................................15 4. Previous Archeological Investigations at Fort Smith National Historic Site ..............17 5. Geophysical Prospection Techniques ..........................................................................19 Passive Geophysical Prospection Techniques ..........................................................19 Active Geophysical Prospection Techniques ...........................................................21 6. Geophysical Survey Methodology ..............................................................................29 Magnetic Survey Methodology ................................................................................31 Soil Resistance Survey Methodology ......................................................................32 iii Vertical Electrical Sounding Methodology ..............................................................33 Ground Conductivity Survey Methodology .............................................................33 Ground-penetrating Radar Survey Methodology .....................................................34 7. Data Processing ...........................................................................................................37 Processing Magnetic Data ........................................................................................37 Processing Soil Resistivity Data ..............................................................................41 Processing Vertical Electrical Sounding Data ..........................................................43 Processing Ground Conductivity Data .....................................................................44 Processing Ground-penetrating Radar Data .............................................................44 8. Data Interpretation ......................................................................................................47 Interpretation