Archaeological Reconnaissance of Three Proposed Building Sites Totaling 0.89 Acres in Greencastle, Putnam County, Indiana

Abstract

At the request of Percy A. Snyder, Executive Director of Opportunity Housing of Putnam County, the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology (GBL) performed a cultural resources reconnaissance survey of three proposed building sites totaling 0.89 acres in Greencastle, Putnam County Indiana. Although only a small portion of each of these three properties will actually be impacted by the proposed construction (one new home will be built on each), entire parcels were surveyed by GBL archaeologists. A total of approximately 0.86 acres was surveyed by means of a systematic shovel probe survey and approximately 0.03 acres was investigated with a intensive visual pedestrian survey. The purposes of the present archaeological reconnaissance were to: 1) identify and document cultural resources in the proposed project area; 2) if cultural materials or features were discovered, assess their potential for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and the Indiana Register of Historic Sites and Structures (IRHSS); and 3) make recommendations pertaining to the significance and future treatment of cultural resources within the project area. Fieldwork was performed on April 3, 1998 by GBL archaeologists Wendy L. Natt and Mary E. Pirkl. One small, very light historic refuse scatter (12 Pm 300) was identified during the course of the survey. However, due to several factors, the GBL concludes that site 12 Pm is not likely to contain significant, intact, buried deposits and therefore most likely would not be eligible for inclusion on the State or National Registers. Moreover, 12 Pm 300 is actually located outside of the proposed area of impact and therefore probably will not suffer any subsurface disturbance as a result of the construction activity. No further archaeological testing is recommended for this site. The GBL therefore recommends cultural resource clearance for building construction at all three of the Greencastle properties surveyed.