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Augusta Arsenal Site (9-RI-1045) Feature F6-02 A Finding in the East Corridor of the History Walk Project

Report Number
2379
Year of Publication
2002
County
Abstract

Construction is currently underway on a Transportation Enhancement Project (P.I. Nos. 0000157 & 0002358, Augusta State University History Walk) along the north side of Augusta State University's campus. On 16 July 2002 the project contractor uncovered evidence of a subsurface brick structure in the middle of the project eastern corridor. Archaeologists from the ASU Archaeology Project were notified the following day and subsequently spent several days in he field investigating the finding which is designated feature F6-02. Yield, laboratory and archival research suggests that the feature served as a platform or framework on which to store Civil War vintage artillery pieces which had been dismounted from their wooden carriages. It is known from documentary records that obsolete weaponry was assembled at the Arsenal after the war and stored for a number of decades. Early 20' century photographs show such storage in another location on the eastern end of the Arsenal, not far from the feature. The association of debris and artifacts with the foundation feature presents an interpretative problem since this material appears not to have been part of the feature F6-02 structure itself but probably derived from demolition of structures elsewhere on the post in the late 19' century or the early 20'.