History of a Pioneer House: Domestic Archaeology in Context

Abstract

In an innovative effort to gather information about the historical significance of sites within Fort Harrison State Park, a Phase II assessment was conducted over a number of years by the Next Step Education through Archaeology Project (NSEAP). The unique aspect of the NSEAP investigation was the employment of a complete surface reconnaissance in order to assess the cultural significance of the site. Another focus of the program was to introduce science in general and archaeology in particular to potential at-risk public high school students. The students and staff worked together to conduct literature searches, field investigations of material on the ground surface, and artifact analysis to determine site boundaries, site integrity, and periods of occupation. The historic artifacts show a concentrated distribution that may be the remains of a Pioneer period structure. These items represent typical debris from a domestic residential occupation and are assigned a mean ceramic date of about 1845. Recovered prehistoric material suggests a tool maintenance site utilized during the Early and Middle Archaic and Late Woodland periods. Together, the information collected on these various components provides important data for assessment of the site and for future investigations.