REPORT ON THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE EXAMINATION OF THE ENTRANCE DRIVE, CARRIAGE HOUSE, GREENHOUSE, VEGETABLE GARDEN, FLOWER GARDEN AND GRAPERY AT GORE PLACE, WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS FISKE CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS BOSTON CULTURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT STUDY NO. 17 2006 Cover Illustration: Detail of the Gore Place property as depicted by the Historic American Buildings Survey in 1936. REPORT ON THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE EXAMINATION OF THE ENTRANCE DRIVE, CARRIAGE HOUSE, GREENHOUSE, VEGETABLE GARDEN, FLOWER GARDEN AND GRAPERY AT GORE PLACE, WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS PREPARED FOR GORE PLACE SOCIETY BY J.N. LEITH SMITH AND GREGORY DUBELL FISKE CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS BOSTON CULTURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT STUDY NO 17 2006 Fiske Center for Archaeological Research The Fiske Center for Archaeological Research and protect the cultural heritage and historic (formerly the Center for Cultural and landscape of the Commonwealth of Environmental History) was established in 1996 Massachusetts and the surrounding region. As a with a mission that includes research, public public service unit of the Department of service, and educational initiatives. The Center Anthropology, the FCAR also serves an impor- maintains archaeology and conservation labora- tant educational role at the University of tories and supports research in landscape and Massachusetts, Boston by creating opportunities environmental archaeology, historical archaeol- for students to participate in public service proj- ogy, and environmental history. Center projects ects. often have an applied focus, seeking to promote ii ABSTRACT A landscape restoration plan for the 45-acre Gore architectural remains that include fragments of Place property in Waltham and Watertown, MA, marble tile flooring identical to that in the Gore calls for restoration of grounds, gardens and Mansion. A stone-lined drain, glass bell jar frag- structures to depict and interpret the late eigh- ments as well as a soapstone brick possibly asso- teenth- and early nineteenth-century occupation ciated with the greenhouse heating system were of Massachusetts governor and United States also found. Investigations in the vegetable and senator, Christopher Gore, and his wife, flower gardens revealed intact soils and late Rebecca. The restoration plan includes archaeo- eighteenth- / early nineteenth-century artifacts logical investigation to help identify the location suggesting Gore-period garden features may be and integrity of six historically documented fea- preserved and are potentially archaeologically tures on the Gore Place grounds. Blocks and identifiable. Work in the area of the transects of shovel test pits at 5, 10 and 20 meter grapery/fruitwall revealed remains of the large intervals along with 1 x 1 m excavation units and greenhouse that occupied the site from the sec- trenching were employed in the archaeological ond quarter of the nineteenth century until ca. site examination of these areas. Testing in the 1921. Intact greenhouse soils and foundations area of the present entrance drive revealed evi- suggest that the original fruitwall footing is pre- dence of significant landscape alteration charac- served within the later greenhouse foundation. terized by a unique process of top soil removal All of these features are well preserved and followed by filling first with a layer of stone, exhibit a high level of integrity. Those areas of then loamy sand and gravel and finally replace- the property not tested during the survey may be ment of topsoil, all in an effort to create flat and archaeologically sensitive and may requrie test- well-drained yard space. The existing entrance ing in advance of future proposed impacts. drive is hypothesized to have been constructed Recommendations specific to each area include during the Gore occupation as was a separate options for grounds restoration and interpreta- service drive. Work at the site of the 1793 car- tion as well as additional archaeological investi- riage house succeeded in pinpointing the location gations to proceed in tandem with proposed of the original foundation, a task that contributes landscape changes. The report also includes a to the structure’s relocation. The site of the summary of scholarly research associated with Gore-period greenhouse was also identified by design landscape archaeology with reference to Massachusetts. iii MANAGEMENT SUMMARY The Gore Place Society contacted the Center for vegetable and flower gardens and grapery/fruit- Cultural and Environmental History at the wall. The archaeological site examination con- University of Massachusetts, Boston to conduct ducted under State Archaeologist permit #2716 an archaeological site examination at historic succeeded in identifying the Gore period Gore Place in Waltham and Watertown, MA. A entrance drive, original carriage house and master landscape plan developed by Halvorson greenhouse foundations, the location of the veg- Design Partnership of Boston has as its goal the etable and flower gardens as well as that of the restoration of Gore Place grounds and structures grapery area green house. All areas were found to reflect the late eighteenth- and early nine- to maintain a high degree of archaeological teenth-century occupation of Christopher and integrity and are archaeologically sensitive Rebecca Gore. Archaeological investigations Areas not tested by the survy may be archaeolog- were recommended by the master plan to deter- ically sensitive and may require testing prior to mine the location and assess the integrity of six future proposed impacts. Recommendations call areas or landscape features including the for additional archaeological investigation in entrance drive area, carriage house, greenhouse, each area to be coordinated with proposed land- scape modifications and interpretive plans. iv v TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ....................................................................................................................................iii Management Summary ............................................................................................................iv Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................v List of Figuresvi List of Tables viii I. Introduction ..........................................................................................................................1 II. Project Location and Environmental Context ......................................................................3 III. Background..........................................................................................................................4 A. Native American Cultural Context of Southern New England ..........................................................4 1. Paleo-Indian Period (ca. 12,000-10,000 B.P.) 2. Early Archaic Period (ca. 10,000-8000 B.P.) 3. Middle Archaic Period (ca. 8,000-6,000 B.P.) 4. Late Archaic Period (ca. 6,000-3,000 B.P.) 5. Early Woodland Period (ca. 3,000-1,600 B.P.) 6. Middle Woodland Period (ca. 1,600-1,000 B.P.) 7. Late Woodland Period (ca. 1,000-450 B.P.) 8. Contact Period B. Native American Archaeological Sites Around the Project Area..............................................6 C. Historic Development of Waltham and Watertown ..............................................................6 D. Summary History of the Gore Place Property....................................................................10 1. Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-Century Ownership/Occupation 2. Gore Occupation ca. 1786-1834 3. Lyman Occupation ca. 1834-1838 4. Green Occupation ca. 1838-1856 5. Walker Occupation ca. 1856-1907 6. Episcopal Church Ownership ca. 1907-1911 7. Metz Occupation ca. 1911-1921 8. Waltham Country Club Occupation 1921-1935 9. Gore Place Society Occupation ca. 1935-Present E. Archaeological Potential of the Gore Place Property ..........................................................15 F Previous Investigations ..................................................................................................18 IV. Archaeological Site Examination......................................................................................19 A. Research Design B. Scope of Work C. Field Methodology D. Site Examination Results V. Interpretations and Discussion ..........................................................................................43 VI. Recommendations ............................................................................................................54 References Cited......................................................................................................................58 Appendix A: Artifact Catalog ................................................................................................61 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure I.1. Gore Place Project Area on USGS Boston South Quadrangle ......................................1 Figure III.1. Historic American Buildings Survey Plan of Gore Place Drawn in 1936 ................11 Figure III.2. Detail of 1831 Plan of Waltham Depicting Gore Place Property (Courtesy Massachusetts State Archives). ..................................................................................12 Figure III.3. Detail of the Estate of Theodore Lyman Drawn Between 1834 and 1838. ..............13 Figure III.4. Detail of the Estate of J.S. Copley Greene, Esq., Drawn in 1841. ............................14 Figure III.5. Detail of Atlas