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HomeMy WebLinkAboutArcheological investigation W.Side Mulberry 1:4r-c August 27, 2013 ORN ISLAND PR13031 ARCHAEOLOGY LLC Andy Crouch, PE City Engineer City of Jeffersonville 500 Quartermaster Court Jeffersonville, IN 47130 Subject: Proposal and Workplan: Phase II /III Archaeological Investigation of the West Side of Mulberry Street, from Market to Maple Streets, Archaeological Site 12CL936, Jeffersonville, Clark County, Indiana Dear Mr. Crouch: Corn Island Archaeology LLC (CIA) is pleased to offer this technical proposal and workplan to provide archaeological services in support of the City of Jeffersonville in connection with the proposed development of the west side of Mulberry Street between Market and Maple streets. Specifically, CIA proposes to assist the City with a Phase II archaeological evaluation of archaeological site 12CL936, which is located in Colston Park or Play Square Park. The investigation is required in anticipation of the proposed construction of brownstone residences along the west side of Mulberry Street. Site 12CL936 consists of the buried remains of a row of late nineteenth -early twentieth century residences, businesses, and public buildings. The site was identified in 2012 through a Phase I archaeological survey by Gray & Pape of Cincinnati, Ohio in connection with the Big Four Bridge Approach Ramp Project (Roberts et. al 2010). The site was considered to be potentially eligible for listing to the National Register of Historic Places, but no additional work was conducted as it was determined that the site would not be impacted by the construction of the Big Four Bridge ramp. In December 201, CIA conducted archeological investigation within Colston Park, including the area of site 12CL936 (Wetzel et al. 2012). It was confirmed that site 12CL936 contained structural remains and features associated with late nineteenth century residences once located along Mulberry Street. Intact archaeological features such as privies and cisterns as well as building foundations were found to be present at the site. The site was again considered eligible for listing to the National Register of Historic Places. As recorded, site 12CL936 overlaps the site defined herein as site 12CL967, the Old Jeffersonville City Cemetery. 10320 Watterson Trail Suite C Louisville, Kentucky 40299 Phone (502) 614 -8828 Mobile (502) 592 -2355 FAX (502) 614 -8940 cornislandarch @twc.com City of Jeffersonville Page 2 12CL936 August 27, 2013 COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS This project will occur on lands currently owned by the City of Jeffersonville. The property will be improved by a private developer. There is no federal funding, and no federal permits or licenses are required. Therefore, this project does not fall within the purview of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and there is no lead federal agency. However, because the remains at the site predate 1870, they must be afforded appropriate consideration at the state level. "The Indiana Historic Preservation Act (IC 14- 21 -1), as amended by Public Law 175 in 1989 and House Enrolled Act No. 1129 in 2008, provides protection for archaeological sites and historic burial sites regard less of their location on state or private lands. All archaeological sites with artifacts dating before December 31, 1870, are protected under this act." (Indiana Law Question and Answer Sheet http://www.in.qov/dnr/historic/files/lawqa.pdf). To verify that the remains at the site pre -date the year 1870, various lines of evidence were researched. The earliest map that shows the footprints of buildings to which CIA can attach a timeframe for remains at the site is the 1886 Sanborn Fire Insurance map that shows a row of ten developed lots on the west side of Mulberry Street between Market and Maple streets. Earlier Sanborn maps suggest that lots had been previously laid out, but do not show actual building footprints. It is known that no building occurred north of Market Street until after 1830. However, the 1865 -66 Edward's City Directory for Jeffersonville provides ample evidence of occupation prior to 1870 along this section of Mulberry Street. While this source does not provide addresses, it does list the occupants by city block and side of the street. A very cursory examination of this source by historian Jeannie Burke yielded information regarding following residents of the subject blocks in 1965 -66. The entire directory has not yet been examined, and it is probable that other residences or businesses will be identified with further review. West side of Mulberry, between Market and Maple streets: • City School, two story structure at corner of alley West side of Mulberry, between Chestnut and Maple streets: • John Anderson; grocer, resides same • Georgiana Buchanan; born in Barbados, minor English royalty, nurse in New Orleans during yellow fever epidemic • James W. Cooper; salesman • John Demines; African American • Margaret Frazier • Henry Foster, boarder West side of Mulberry, between Market and Chestnut streets: • Amanda Hall; grocer, resides same. Member of First Baptist Church • Elbert S. Bruner City of Jeffersonville 12CL936 Page 3 August 27, 2013 The proposed investigation will be coordinated with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology (IDNR -DHPA) prior to any earth- moving activities. CIA will submit to IDNR -DHPA for approval this detailed workplan describing the planned field methodology. The proposed investigation will be performed in accordance with Indiana Code (IC 14 -21 -1; IC 23- 14 -57; and IC 35- 43- 1 -2.1) regarding archaeological resources. Because of the proximity to a known cemetery, cemetery laws may also apply if a grave is inadvertently encountered during the study. Although this investigation is not subject to federal review, it will be performed in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation located at 48 F.R. 44716, as well as the requirements specified in Guidebook: Archaeological Guide lines to Support 310 IAC and the Indiana Historic Preservation Act of 1981 (IDNR -DHPA 1989). The investigation will be conducted by qualified personnel who meet the Secretary of the Interior's standards for professional archaeologists. CIA's archaeological project managers are members of the Register Professional Archaeologists (RPA) and abide by the RPA code of ethics. STATEMENT OF WORK The following workplan consists of archival research and development of a sampling strategy for the ten lots, fieldwork, analysis, and reporting. The fieldwork will have several components, including hand - excavation of test units, stripping the upper layer of soil to reveal features, and feature excavation as appropriate. These are discussed more below. As recorded, site 12CL936 encompasses 1.67 acres, or 6750 square meters. Per the guidelines of the IDNR -DHPA, ten percent of the site (in this case 675 square meters) must be examined through excavation. This must include hand - excavation and can include mechanical stripping of disturbed upper soils or overburden. In urban settings such as with this project, stripping is one way to expose cultural features for further exploration. Archival Research /Sampling Strategy Some preliminary archival research has been done for the project area in connection with other projects in the vicinity. For the Phase II study, additional archival research will focus on the specific block (west side of Mulberry Street) to identify the period of development and the nature of the occupation that occurred at the location. Archival research is needed both for the broader context of the neighborhood as well as individual lots, as can be discovered. The archival research will include a review of Sanborn Fire Insurance and other historic maps, and research on the families that occupied the houses over the years. Deeds, chain of title, census data, and city directories can provide relevant information on the occupants of the block over time. The objective of the sampling strategy is to obtain representative data through excavation at a sample of the Tots that were situated along the block. Ideally, the areas selected for excavation will be based 1) apparent integrity (lack of disturbance); 2) indications of structures /features on the Sanborn Fire Insurance maps; and 3) results of the archival City of Jeffersonville Page 4 12CL936 August 27, 2013 research. The following criteria will be considered, to the extent that this information is discoverable by archival research: 1. Diversity in age of the development of the lot. Records show that the Tots were occupied sometime between 1830 and 1865 and no later than 1920 (not including recent in -fill or subsequent demolition and rebuilding). 2. Diversity in social or economic class of the occupants. 3. Diversity in ethnicity of the residents. 4. Diversity in occupation of the residents. 5. The selected lots should include those which had been used for a function other than residential. For instance, several groceries, a church, and a school (among other commercial establishments) were known to exist on the block. Test Unit Excavation Up to eight hand - excavated test units will be excavated at site 12CL936. The hand - excavated test units will generally be in the form of 1 -x -1 -meter squares, or in combinations of 1 -x -1 -meter units as appropriate. The purpose of the test units will be to obtain detailed information on the stratigraphy, obtain information on artifact density, and collect a representative assemblage of artifacts that will allow interpretation of function and period of use. As front yards typically do not produce meaningful information, the test unit excavations will be focused on the rear yards, and will be guided by information derived from archival research and Sanborn Fire Insurance Mapping. It may be difficult to identify the boundaries of individual lots as they once were, but measurements provided on the maps will be used to attempt to identify specific lots. • The excavation of the 1 -x -1 -meter units will be performed in a series of arbitrary 10- centimeter (cm) levels within natural and /or cultural strata. The excavations will extend into culturally sterile subsoil. The arbitrary 10- centimeter layers may be altered at the Field Director's discretion to accommodate noticeable changes in soil color and /or texture that might signal changes in the natural or cultural stratigraphy. Soil will be screened through 1 /4 in mesh hardware cloth and all artifacts recovered will be placed in bags labeled with the appropriate provenience information. • If features are encountered within the test units, 100 percent of the feature within the test unit will be excavated. • Detailed notes for each excavation level will be recorded and a representative wall of each unit will be documented by a detailed profile drawing and photography. • Each unit will be backfilled when excavation is complete and the unit has been fully documented. • The location of each unit will be mapped in relation to the datum at the site using GPS technology. Stripping It is proposed that site 12CL936 be subjected to invasive field investigation. As the front yards of house lots are not typically productive, fieldwork will be focused on the rear yards. City of Jeffersonville Page 5 12CL936 August 27, 2013 Roughly ten percent, or 675 square meters, of ground will be mechanically stripped of the upper soil layers to expose any features that may be present. Mechanical stripping will take the form of shallow trenching or broader block scrapes, as considered appropriate to the suspected deposits. An attempt will be made to sample the entire site (with the exception of that portion of the site that overlaps the Old City Graveyard). The precise locations of each trench or scrape will be guided by Sanborn Insurance mapping that commonly shows the locations within the yards of historic privy pits, outbuildings, and other specialized activity areas. Initial exploration will be done by trenching; broader block scrapes may be emplaced to further examine any anomalies discovered. Mechanical stripping will be done using a backhoe equipped with a smooth - bladed bucket. Excavation will proceed in shallow passes of the bucket. The excavation will be monitored at all times by a qualified archaeologist. As features are identified, they will be trowel cleaned, photographed and mapped. Then they will be covered and protected for further examination and potential excavation. Once all of the stripping is done, the number and diversity of exposed features will be known. At that time, depending on the number and type of feature, excavation will occur. CIA will consult with the IDNR -DHPA regarding the appropriate level of excavation to occur during the Phase II investigation. If the number of features is low and if the features are not large and complex, it may be advisable to excavate the features as part of the Phase II study. If there is a large number of features, or if the features include large complex features (privies, cisterns, etc.), then it may be necessary to determine a sample of the features that will be excavated during the Phase II investigation, or to defer excavation to a Phase III study. This will be determined in consultation with the IDNR -DHPA. Based on the preliminary archival work done by CIA, it appears likely that complex or deep cultural features will be found. Feature Excavation If it is determined that features will be excavated as part of the Phase II study, they will be first documented. Feature excavation will then proceed as follows: • Each cultural feature will be recorded in planview and mapped in relation to the site datum. • Features will be bisected and one half excavated in 10- centimeter levels within natural layers. • The cultural fill will be screened through %4 -inch mesh hardware cloth. Artifacts recovered will be placed in a bag labeled with the appropriate provenience information. • The profile of the remaining half will be documented by detailed drawings and photography. • The remaining feature fill will be excavated and screened through %4 in mesh hardware cloth. Special care will be taken to excavate individual fill zones if p resent. City of Jeffersonville Page 6 12CL936 August 27, 2013 Artifact Analysis and Curation As artifacts are found, they will be washed, labeled, and stored in clean ziplock bags. The appropriate analyses will be done, with special emphasis placed on the age of the artifacts and the activities associated with their uses. It is anticipated that further excavations at site 12CL936 could yield large numbers of historic artifacts, especially if privies are exposed and excavated. In order to effectively and adequately examine the deposits at the site, while at the same time keeping overall project time and cost budgets within reasonable parameters, it is suggest that a selective analysis of the recovered assemblage be done which focuses effort on those items from which meaningful data can be derived. It is proposed that artifacts collected be cleaned, then sorted according to South's classification scheme (South 1977), and counted. The artifacts will then be separated and subjected further analysis as follows: • Nails will be separated by cut, wrought, wire, or unidentified, then further separated into whole or broken. Pennyweight will then be recorded for whole nails while broken nails will be subjected to no further analysis and will be discarded. Unidentified nails will be subjected to no further analysis but will be curated. • Glass will be separated into the following categories: flat, curved /container, and lamp. Flat glass will be counted, thickness measured, and then discarded. Container glass will be separated by color type, and diagnostic fragments (rims, bases, decoration) will be counted, and diagnostic features will be recorded. Nondiagnostic fragments will receive no further analysis other than weight and will be discarded. • Refined ceramics will be sorted into type (whiteware, peariware, yellowware, redware, etc.). Body fragments with no diagnostic features will receive no further analysis and will be curated. Diagnostic fragments (fragments that are rims, bases, handles, or have decoration or makers' marks) will receive full documentation. • Unrefined ceramics will be sorted by slip type and diagnostic fragments (bases, rims, handles, etc.) will receive full documentation. • Other diagnostic items (shot -gun shell casings with makers, marks, buttons with defining characteristics, coins, etc.) will receive full documentation. • Non - diagnostic items (unidentified, fragmentary metal, container glass with no identifying markers, coal fragments, plaster, etc.) will be documented by material type and count. A ten percent sample will be curated. Samples discarded will be weighed. The sample will include fragments of mortar and plaster that exhibit impressions. Following approval of the detailed report of findings of the fieldwork at site 12CL936, artifacts will be transferred to the Clark County Historic Museum. City of Jeffersonville Page 7 12CL936 August 27, 2013 PHASE III DATA RECOVERY The purpose of the Phase II evaluation is to ascertain if the remains at site 12CL936 are eligible for listing to the National Register of Historic Places. While it is known that artifacts and features have been identified at the site, it is by no means certain that the site is eligible, or that it will require additional work. Based on previous investigations, it appears likely that the site will meet eligibility criteria, but the Phase H investigation may reveal that considerable disturbances are present at the site. If so, this would diminish the significance of the resource. For this reason, plans for a Phase III data recovery are premature. However, once the Phase II fieldwork has been done, the IDNR -DHPA is open to consideration of the continuation of the Phase II fieldwork, rolling the project into an immediate Phase III study, if that it is determined to be appropriate. In this scenario, fieldwork would continue without cessation. Following the completion of the Phase II fieldwork, the IDNR -DHPA will be consulted, and the appropriateness of a Phase III and its timing will be determined at that time. Furthermore, the IDNR -DHPA has also stated that, if a Phase III is determined to be necessary, they will consider accepting the Phase II and Phase III findings in a single report. With the submission of a satisfactory Management Summary of the Phase II /III, they will be open to allowing construction to begin at the site while the full technical report is being prepared. It must be emphasized however, that this conditional approval is contingent upon the completion of the final report. Because the findings and recommendations of the Phase II investigation are not known at this time, it is not possible to determine a scope of work or costing for a Phase III study. This will be done, if necessary, once the fieldwork for the Phase II is completed. In general, the IDNR -DHPA requires that 25 percent of the site be excavated, with ten percent being hand - excavated, during Phase III projects. DELIVERABLES AND SCHEDULING CIA will prepare a draft technical report of findings per the standards of the Secretary of the Interior and the IDNR -DHPA. The document will provide a description of the field investigations along with the findings of the fieldwork. The report will present the conclusions of the field study and will provide clear recommendations regarding the appropriateness for clearance of the area for construction or the need for additional cultural resources investigations, as appropriate. If it is determined that a Phase III will be required, the submission of the Phase II report will be deferred until the Phase III work is done, and the results of both studies both will be submitted as a single report. If the Phase II evaluation concludes that the site is not eligible for listing to the National Register of Historic Places, then a Phase III study will not be necessary. In that case, CIA will move forward with the production of the full technical report of the Phase II work. The report preparation will take 2 to 4 months to prepare, depending upon the complexity of the findings. However, CIA will work with the IDNR -DHPA to facilitate clearance for construction to begin prior to completion of the report through the preparation of a City of Jeffersonville Page 8 12CL936 August 27, 2013 Management Summary. The summary must be sufficient to convey the project parameters and findings to the IDNR -DHPA. It may take a week to prepare. If a Phase III study is required, a Management Summary will be prepared following the completion of the Phase II /III fieldwork. This should allow construction to begin while the combined Phase II /Phase III report is prepared. Submission of the report(s) will be coordinated with City of Jeffersonville. Draft copies will be sent to your office for review prior to submission for agency review. Upon receipt of comments from the City, six hard copies of the report will be submitted to your office for agency circulation and review. Following agency review, CIA will make any required revisions and prepare final reports for filing with the appropriate agencies. Fieldwork will commence within two weeks of written notice to proceed from the City. With favorable weather, Phase II fieldwork could be completed within 12 workdays or less, depending upon findings. This assumes a crew of 4 to 6 staff. If no Phase III study is involved, the report can be prepared within two to four months of the completion of fieldwork, again, depending on findings. KEY UNDERSTANDINGS Our ability to adequately provide the services outlined above and to adhere to the schedule and fees outlined below is contingent upon the following stipulations. • The IDNR -DHPA must approve this technical workplan. • It is not expected that any permits are required to conduct this project, aside from approval of the workplan by the IDNR -DHPA. • The City of Jeffersonville will provide the backhoe and operator for this project. • Ten percent of the site (675 square meters) will be subjected to archaeological field investigation to satisfy Phase II evaluation requirements by the IDNR -DHPA. • This proposal does not include costs for the Phase III data recovery. If that study is required, it will be scoped and cost estimated immediately following the completion of the Phase 11 fieldwork. Since the Phase II and Phase III investigations would be presented in a single report, there would be an economy of scale related to the costing of the Phase III, with costs shared as much as possible between those presented below in this Phase II fee proposal. • CIA will have unrestricted access to the property. • The City will make a reasonable effort to protect the property from looters during the investigation. • Weather will permit the completion of the field investigation in the allotted time frame. • The portion of site 12CL936 that overlaps the Old City Cemetery will not be developed; therefore, this portion of the site will not be included in the Phase II study area. • No human burials are expected to be encountered. However, if discovered, human remains will be addressed according to Indiana state laws. The Clark County Coroner and the IDNR- DHPA will be contacted immediately. All work will cease within the area containing human remains. City of Jeffersonville Page 9 12CL936 August 27, 2013 FEES Based on the scope of work described in this proposal and our understanding of the project, the cost of our services for performing the Phase II evaluation of site 12CL936 will be a lump sum fee of $33,000.00. Costs are based upon the standard (non - overtime) burdened hourly rates appended to this proposal, plus expenses. If additional costs are incurred due to unanticipated changes in scope, the costs will be negotiated with the City of Jeffersonville. However, no additional work will be undertaken without express approval of the City. If this proposal meets with your approval, please sign and date below, and return a copy of the proposal to us as authorization to proceed with the project. If you have any questions or wish to discuss this proposal /workplan in more detail, please feel free to contact me at your convenience. Sincerely, Anne T. Bader, RPA Principal ACCEPTED BY: Date: City of Jeffersonville Page 10 12CL936 August 27, 2013 Burdened Hourly Rates for CIA Personnel Project Manager /Principal Investigator $ 80 Senior Archaeologist $ 75 Junior Archaeologist $ 60 GIS Analyst $ 55 Archaeological Technician III $ 45 Archaeological Technician II $ 35 Archaeological Technician I $ 30 Graphics Technician $ 35 Clerical /Admin $ 30