Peavey Tap 46 kV Transmission Line

The project area was archeologically investigated by SAS field archeologist Ron Schoettmer on March 16, 2011. There was very little surface exposure, so survey relied on shovel testing. Three shovel tests were initially excavated on the south side of the road, and all were negative. The second shovel test on the north side of the road encountered several historic period artifacts, which then prompted a cruciform pattern of nine shovel tests (including two more on the south side of the road) to define site limits. The final result was historic period artifacts in two shovel tests on the north side of the road, one in the APE and one outside of the APE. None of the five tests south of the road had artifacts. We did not keep digging tests to the east, beyond ST 2, as we were well outside of the area of potential effect. The general soil stratigraphy consisted of 0-32 cm, gray-brown sandy plowzone; 32-42 cm, yellowish-brown sand; 42-45 cm, transition to yellowish red clay. In ST 1, the top of the yellowish red sandy clay, at about 32 to 37 cm below surface, appeared to have been burned. One surface artifact was observed and collected, this being a piece of brown bottle glass from the cut bank of the north road shoulder very near ST 1. A small patch of surface exposure at Pole 87 had no artifacts and a firebreak to north also had no artifacts, but visibility in the firebreak was poor. Shovel testing allowed the partial delineation of a late nineteenth to early twentieth century house site that has been given the site number 9HT235 (see attached site map and site photograph).