Phase II Subsurface Archaeological Testing for the Proposed Buena Vista 138/12.47 kV Substation and 138 kV Tap Line, Monroe and Greene Counties, Indiana

Abstract

From 8 December 2003 to April 2004, the Glenn A. Black Office of Cultural Resource Management (GBL-OCRM) conducted a limited Phase II archaeological testing and mitigation of eight prehistoric sites--12MO578, 12MO580, 12MO1188, 12MO1190, 12MO1205, 12GR1714, 12GR1725, and 12GR1726--located in Monroe and Greene counties, Indiana, for which construction avoidance was not possible. An additional seven sites potentially eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) were avoided or the pole locations were placed in areas not suitable for testing. The aims of the work were two-fold: 1) to obtain a stratified sample of the archaeological deposits associated with each of the above sites in front of the proposed construction; and secondly, to mitigate adverse affects by placing the test unit over the pole location. In addition to testing each pole location for possible in tact cultural deposits, an archaeologist affiliated with the GBL-OCRM monitored the placement of the poles at each of the above sites. This work was requested by Hoosier Energy under solicitation number 147003621. The testing and construction monitoring plan was approved by the Indiana Department of Historic Preservation and Archaeology (DNR letters dated November 21, 2003 and February 5, 2004; Appendix C). The eight sites tested were previously identified during the Phase Ia survey for the Buena Vista substation and tap line conducted by the GBL-OCRM between November 2002 and April 2003. The Phase Ia survey identified 29 new prehistoric archaeological sites and one new historic site. Nine previously recorded prehistoric sites were also relocated within the current Hoosier Energy substation tract and tap line corridors during the initial Phase Ia (Will and Pope 2003). The sites fall within the Indian Creek drainage, a source area for Indian Creek chert, which was widely used by the inhabitants of the valley. Chipped stone debitage and tools were the principal data categories recovered from the prehistoric sites and previous research demonstrated the potential of the prehistoric sites in the valley to yield important information pertaining to hunter-gatherer mobility and technology (Munson and Munson 1978, 1984). Because of the density of prehistoric sites in the valley, potential of the sites to contribute important information to prehistory at the local, subregional and regional levels, apparent spatial patterning of subsurface and surface artifacts revealed by the Phase Ia survey data, it was recommended that the property comprising the prehistoric sites be considered an archaeological district. We also noted that the sites in the region were threatened by destruction from agricultural practices and development (Will and Pope 2003). Thus, at the conclusion of the Phase Ia survey, the GBL-OCRM recommended Phase II testing for 14 prehistoric sites and one historic site. The IDNR/DHPA concurred with the GBL-OCRM findings and recommendations regarding management of the 15 sites potentially eligible for the NRHP (DNR letter dated September 11, 2003; Hoosier Energy letter dated August 22, 2003; Appendix C). Seven of the 15 sites were avoided by construction, and the remaining eight were subjected to limited testing in order to mitigate the impact of the pole emplacement. Excavation areas were limited to the pole emplacement footprint in order to minimize further destruction of the sites through extensive mitigation. This report presents the results of the Phase II/mitigation for the eight sites listed above.