The following report is a summarization of the work completed and the archaeological resources located, for the Darien Waterworks Improvement Project. The reporting period is from January 18, 1978 to, and including, February 17, 1978. Work progress was impeded due to inclement weather, with at least a third of the days in this period being non-working ones. The majority of waterline pipe placement was along U.S. Highway 17, with a number of residential roads also being completed during this report period. No archaeological resources were found during this report period. As mentioned above, most of the work completed this period was along U.S. Highway 17. The area around this roadway is marshy land and lower in elevation than the waterfront bluff area of Darien (as seen on the U.S.G.S. Darien and Ridgeville Quadrangle Maps, the bluff area is approximately 13 meters [40 feet] above sea level compared to the land around U.S. Highway 17, which is 7-8 meters [2025 feet) above sea level). The stratigraphy encountered along U.S. Highway 17 indicates that a variety of fills were used to elevate the area to a level surface, for the highway's construction. In other areas, yellow tan sand or light tan sand was encountered directly below asphalt; or, on unpaved roads, a thin (8-12 centimeters) layer of humic sand. Habitation in this marshy, low-lying area would have been difficult, and no archaeological evidence was found to support the contrary.
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