Phase Ia Archaeological Reconnaissance Survey of Three Proposed Waste Areas Adjacent to SR 67 near Bruceville in Knox County, Indiana

Abstract

At the request of Rogers Group, Inc., the Office of Cultural Resource Management at the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, Indiana University (GBL-OCRM) conducted a Phase Ia archaeological survey of three proposed waste areas adjacent to SR 67 in Knox County, Indiana. Area 1 is located approximately 0.9 miles southwest of Bruceville, Indiana on the northwest side of SR #67. The project area is approximately 2.8 acres in size. The entire 2.8 acres were subjected to shovel probe survey. Area 2 is located approximately 1.9 miles east of Bruceville, Indiana on the south side of SR 67. The project area is approximately 2.7 acres in size. The entire 2.7 acres were subjected to shovel probe survey. Area 3 is located approximately 2.0 miles east of Bruceville, Indiana on the north side of SR 67. The project area is approximately 2.5 acres in size. Approximately 0.8 acres were subjected to shovel probe survey; approximately 1.7 acres were subject to overview (Figure 2). The purposes of survey were 1) to identify and document all cultural resources in the project area, 2) to evaluate any sites found with regard to their eligibility for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and the Indiana Register of Historic Sites and Structures (IRHSS), and 3) to make recommendations for the protection of significant and potentially significant sites. Fieldwork was conducted on March 31 and April 2-4, 7, 2003 by GBL archaeologists Johnie Sanders, Tadewos Assebework, Michael Darland, Jen Dean, Tamara Hull, Stephanie Kazmierzak, and Zarko Tankosic. One previously unrecorded archaeological site, 12 K 1044, a scatter of historic materials, was documented during the survey in Area 2. The scatter’s horizontal extent based on positive shovel probes is 10 meters east-west by 3 meters north-south. All artifacts were recovered from the plowzone. According to archival research, no structures were historically located within the project area. Based on the relatively low density of artifacts, the limited horizontal and vertical extent of the site, and lack of associated structures; it is unlikely that 12 K 1044 will provide significant information on the history of Indiana at either the local or regional level. Thus, it is the opinion of the GBL-OCRM that 12 K 1044 is not eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) or the Indiana Register of Historic Sites and Structures (IRHSS), and no further archaeological investigation is recommended. Cultural resource clearance is therefore recommended for the proposed waste areas provided that all earth-moving activities are restricted to the currently delineated project area boundaries.