Steve A. Tomka

Results of Archeological Significance Testing at 41TV410 and 41TV540 and Associated Geomorphological Investigations on a Segment of Onion Creek in Travis County, Texas

In late 2005, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) contracted the Center for Archaeological Research at the University of Texas at San Antonio (CAR-UTSA) to conduct significance testing at 41TV410 and 41TV540, two prehistoric archeological sites located in the floodplain of Onion Creek in southeast Austin in Travis County. The work was conducted in advance of a borrow pit excavation related to the construction on State Highway (SH) 130. The borrow pit represented a project specific location (PSL). PSLs are normally not part of the project per Federal Highway Administration policy. PSLs are the responsibility of the contractor in most cases. However, the testing reported here was mandated by language of the SH 130 comprehensive development agreement. Significance testing was performed late in 2005 and early in 2006. For 41TV540, Dr. Raymond Mauldin served as Principal Investigator and Jennifer Thompson served as the Project Archeologist. At 41TV410, Dr. Mauldin served as Project Archeologist and Dr. Steve Tomka served as Principal Investigator. The archeological work at these sites was not under the purview of either Section 106 or the Antiquities Code of Texas. The work was not conducted under a Texas Antiquities Permit. However, testing at both sites was conducted in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation and guidelines provided by the Texas Historical Commission (THC). CAR completed fieldwork in early January of 2006. At 41TV410, 11 features were uncovered with radiocarbon dates that fell in the Early/Middle Archaic and in the Late Archaic. Recovery of artifacts and ecofacts was extremely low. The 41TV540 work also produced a low density of chipped stone artifacts and tools, and exposed 17 features, many of which dated to the close of the Early Archaic. Preliminary observations on flotation returns suggested good quantities of burned material and faunal remains were present at 41TV540. CAR prepared post-field reports summarizing the work and provided recommendations for both sites. Because both locations appeared to contain intact deposits that could, in our view, contribute to an understanding of the prehistoric cultural development of the region, CAR recommended that the sites were eligible to the NRHP under criterion d. TxDOT agreed with CAR recommendations that 41TV540 was eligible for listing in the NRHP, though they did not request any additional work at the site. TxDOT concluded that site 41TV410 was not eligible for listing on the NRHP. At TxDOT’s instruction, CAR prepared a research design for the analysis of the testing data from 41TV540, as well as a summary of the 41TV410 work. That document (Tomka et al. 2007), which outlined a series of analyses including several new geomorphic studies and a project area geomorphic synthesis, served as a guideline for the present document. Since the archeological and geomorphological investigations reported here, the construction of SH 130 has been completed and deposits containing the sites discussed have been removed. All artifacts, notes, photos, and other material associated with the project are stored at CAR. At this time, decisions regarding the disposal of selected artifact classes, as well as the location for permanent curation of the remaining artifacts and associated records, have not been made. However, it is expected that all project related records and artifacts retained will be permanently curated at CAR.

Archaeological Investigations in the Courtyard of Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purisima Concepción Acuña (41BX12)

Archaeological investigations took place in the courtyard of Mission Concepción between 2002 and 2005 in order to identify remnant architectural remains of Spanish Colonial structures prior to the installation of a drainage system. Archaeological investigations were performed under the auspices of two field schools held by the Department of Anthropology’s Center for Archaeological Research of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). The Center’s Legacy Public Outreach Program also held a field school as part of these investigations. Archival documents indicate that the granary and another structure, possibly the community storeroom or corridor, occupied the courtyard. Investigations in the courtyard uncovered several foundations or architectural alignments that may represent remnants of these structures. Excavations within the said granary area revealed disturbances derived from utilities installations and the construction of a restroom facility during the 1940s. A trash pit containing artifacts dating to the late 1800s early 1900s was uncovered near the northwest corner inside the granary foundations. Test units excavated between the granary and convento situated west of the granary identified three features. East of the granary, high densities of Spanish Colonial ceramics and a plastered surface were exposed. The archaeological investigations were conducted under the Texas Antiquities Permit 2820 with Dr. Steve A. Tomka serving as Principal Investigator. All artifacts collected during this project and all project-associated documentation is permanently curated at the Center for Archaeological Research according to Texas Historical Commission guidelines.

Pedestrian Survey and NRHP Eligibility Testing of Sites within a Proposed Detention Facility in Webb County, Texas

The Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) of The University of Texas at San Antonio was contracted by MACTEC Engineering & Consulting, Inc. (hereafter, MACTEC) to perform Phase I archaeological survey and Phase II testing prior to the construction of a detention facility in Webb County, Texas. Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) requires federal agencies to take into consideration the effects of proposed undertakings on cultural resources within the Area of Potential Effect (APE). While the proposed undertaking is being developed by The GEO Group, Inc. on privately owned property and is funded by private resources, the anticipated use of the facility by the United States Marshals Service makes this project a federal undertaking as defined under 36 CFR part 800.16(y). As such, the project must comply with Section 106 of the NHPA. The Texas Historical Commission (THC) is the reviewing agency for the project. In December, 2004, CAR conducted an intensive survey of the APE for the proposed construction of the detention facility. The survey followed MACTEC’s preliminary cultural resources assessment and included pedestrian survey with shovel testing within an approximate 160-acre tract, and backhoe trenching of selected locations within the approximate 30-acre APE of the proposed undertaking. Eleven field sites were defined as a result of the intensive survey (Field Site 1 [41WB634], Field Site 2, Field Site 3 [41WB636], and Field Sites 4–11). Subsequently, Phase II investigations were conducted by CAR to evaluate National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) eligibility and State Archeological Landmark (SAL) designation for eight of the originally identified field sites (numbers 2 and 5–11). The Phase II investigations included the hand excavation of test units as well as mechanical auger testing. Based on the combined results of the Phase I survey and Phase II investigations, seven sites were reported to the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory and assigned trinomials (41WB634 through 41WB640). Site 41WB639 was identified as containing archaeological components with significant research potential and therefore is recommended eligible for nomination to the NRHP and for formal designation as a SAL. The site contains a Middle Archaic component buried between 100 cm and 130 cm below surface that may yield information on a regional level. Based on the findings within the proposed project area, the site is interpreted as eligible for listing in the NRHP under Criterion D. Likewise, the site is interpreted as having the potential to contribute to a better understanding of the prehistory of Texas, and therefore eligible for SAL designation based on Criterion 1. Given the depth of the component and the shallow nature of the anticipated disturbances in the vicinity of the site (two feet or about 60 cm below surface), no construction impact is likely to effect the buried component and no further work is recommended at the site. However, in the case that construction parameters are changed and anticipated impacts reach below two feet (60 cm) in depth, data recovery efforts are recommended at the site. In addition, site 41WB634 was identified during the survey as having some research potential, although the NRHP and SAL eligibility of the site has not been determined. According to present construction plans, the site falls outside of the facilities footprint and will not be disturbed by construction activities. No additional archaeological investigations are recommended at the present time. The site contains a temporally unassigned, shallowly buried (10–50 cm below surface) archaeological component. If at a future date the facilities footprint is relocated or hitherto unanticipated subsurface disturbances are planned in the vicinity of this site, Phase II testing is recommended to establish the NRHP eligibility of the site. Finally, archaeological components buried at a depth of 70 cm below surface or deeper have been identified at sites 41WB637, 41WB638, and 41WB639. The NRHP/SAL eligibility of these deposits has not been fully assessed. However, the impacts of activities above these sites will consist of the planting of a grass cover and will otherwise be limited to

Archeological Investigations at Mission Espíritu Santo (41GD1), Goliad County, Texas

Excavations were carried out at Mission Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zuñiga (41GD1) in November of 2004 and February of 2005 by the Center for Archaeological Research of The University of Texas at San Antonio under contract with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The work was conducted in advance of the planned construction of a French drain system. Shovel tests, 1-x-1-meter test units, and controlled backhoe trenches were used to explore areas that would be impacted by the proposed drainage system along the northern walls of the chapel and museum (granary) and across the center of the courtyard. Based on the findings of the shovel tests, test units, and trenching, three areas with significant deposits were identified. The first area is associated with a probable midden deposit located in the northwest section of the mission, the second is located along the northern wall of the granary (museum), adjacent to the priest’s quarters, while the third consists of two colonial-period features located west of the presentday workshop. Although at the start of the fieldwork it was assumed that no intact cultural deposits survived within the courtyard of the mission, the excavations revealed that selected areas do retain intact colonial-age deposits with significant research potential. These areas should be more fully delimited and explored as future opportunities for their investigations arise. The fieldwork was conducted under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 3593 with Antonia Figueroa and Jennifer Thompson serving as co-Principal Investigators. All artifacts collected were processed in the Center for Archaeological Research laboratory and transferred to Texas Parks and Wildlife for permanent curation.

Archaeological Survey of the Proposed Medina River Park, Bexar County, Texas

From July to August 2003, the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) at The University of Texas at San Antonio conducted an archaeological survey of the proposed 363-acre Medina River Park located in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. The 100 percent pedestrian survey was performed for Carter & Burgess, Inc. on behalf of the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department. The proposed park will consist of several hike and bike trails, roads, and parking facilities. CAR staff revisited eight previously recorded sites, all of which were originally recorded between 1981 and 1984 during the Applewhite Reservoir survey (41BX346 [A & B], 41BX347, 41BX348, 41BX350, 41BX519, 41BX675 [Thompson Cemetery], 41BX837, and 41BX857 [Palo Alto Crossing]). During the 2003 survey, four new sites were recorded by CAR (41BX1577, 41BX1578, 41BX1579, and 41BX1580). One of the sites (41BX675) was determined to be eligible or potentially eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places or for listing as a State Archeological Landmark. Site 41BX675 is the location of a cemetery identified during previous archaeological work, though no surface indications of graves were noted during the current survey. The National Register of Historic Places and State Archeological Landmark eligibility of site 41BX1577 remains unknown. CAR recommends the avoidance of disturbances to both sites. No further eligibility-related work is recommended on the remaining 10 sites. Nonetheless, given that some of the sites possessing high archaeological visibility may be subject to secondary impacts once the park is opened, a program of site management is proposed including systematic surface collections and the monitoring of collection and erosion impacts to surface-exposed archaeological materials. All artifacts collected during these investigations are curated at the CAR facility according to Texas Historical Commission guidelines. These investigations were conducted under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 3163, with Dr. Steve A. Tomka serving as Principal Investigator.

Archeological Survey and Testing of Selected Prehistoric Sites along FM 481, Zavala County, Texas

Between April 1981 and December 1982, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) personnel conducted archeological fieldwork along an approximately 13-km segment of FM 481 in northwest Zavala County. The work was part of an evaluation of the impacts of road improvements to a series of sites along the right-of-way. All of the sites but one (41ZV202) were found not to be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places and not to warrant designations as State Archeological Landmarks. Additional work, not reported here, was later conducted at 41ZV202. As part of Work Authorization #57015PD004, the Environmental Affairs Division of TxDOT contracted with the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) of The University of Texas at San Antonio to report on the fieldwork carried out at the sites during the early 1980s, identify data types warranting additional research, and conduct the appropriate analyses. The current document provides descriptions of the work undertaken along FM 481, assesses the analytical utility of the data types recovered, and reports the results of limited new research of selected data types. Note that all documentation of the project, including notes, photographs, and a sample of recovered artifacts are curated at the Center for Archaeological Research. The sample includes all projectile points, as well as other chipped and ground stone tools, and the debitage recovered for a 10% sample of proveniences.