An Archaeological Survey along Leon Creek from Bandera to Babcock Roads, San Antonio, Texas

An archaeological survey was conducted along Leon Creek from Bandera to Babcock roads from July 15 through July 24, and September 14 and 15, 1998, by the Center for Archaeological Research, University of Texas at San Antonio, for the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department. Three newly identified prehistoric sites were documented within the project area. Sites 41BX1301 and 41BX1303 are not recommended as being eligible for State Archaeological Landmark status nor are they recommended as being eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places due to the paucity of materials present and to the secondary context in which they were found. The third site, 41BX1302 is located on a T1 terrace of Leon Creek and represents an intact deposit comprised of at least two components, an upper deposit and a buried component. Looting and erosion are disturbing this site and a course of action is strongly recommended to halt the destruction of 41BX1302. It is recommended that 41BX1302 has the potential for State Archaeological Landmark status and for listing in the National Register of Historic Places and that this site should be avoided during the construction of the Leon Creek Greenway. If complete avoidance of 41BX1302 is not possible, testing for site significance is recommended prior to ground-disturbing activities

Archaeological Testing at Crook\u27s Park in San Marcos, Hays County, Texas

Archaeological testing at site 41HY261 was conducted from March 26-31, 1997, by the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) of The University of Texas at San Antonio, for the city of San Marcos Parks and Recreation Department. Testing demonstrates that 41HY261 contains deep, intact, stratified subsurface cultural deposits. Collectively, the artifacts recovered to date represent ca. 5,000 years of hunter-and-gatherer activity. Site 41HY261 has the potential to contribute significantly to the prehistory of the region, and is therefore recommended as eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places

Archaeological Testing and Monitoring of a Service Drive at Mission San Juan Capistrano, San Antonio, Texas

Archaeological testing for the installation of a new service drive and monitoring the removal of the existing service drive at Mission San Juan Capistrano was conducted in November, 1997 and October, 1999 respectively, by the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) for the National Park Service (NPS). The results of the testing and monitoring indicated that no intact Colonial midden deposits were observed, and few Colonial artifacts were recovered within the proposed service drive right-ofway. Three post-Colonial trash deposits were documented within the project area; however, due to the disturbed nature of these deposits which contain stratigraphically mixed nineteenth and twentieth century materials the research potential of such deposits is considered minimal and it is recommended that no further archaeological investigations are required prior to the construction of the service drive. Also included as an Appendix to this report is a brief analysis of an isolated burial discovered during a monitoring project at Mission San Juan in 1999. These remains have since been reinterred by NPS

An Archaeological Survey for the Bexar County Correctional Facility at Cagnon Road, San Antonio, Texas

An archaeological survey was conducted near Cagnon Road by the Center for Archaeological Research of The University of Texas for Bexar County. The project area is the proposed location for the Bexar County Correctional Facility. Intensive pedestrian survey and backhoe trenching were employed to determine the presence and depth of cultural material in the project area. One prehistoric site, characterized by a surface lithic scatter, was identified. Due to thin topsoil and agricultural activities, the site exists in a disturbed context. Furthermore, the presence of shallow Cretaceous age subsoil precludes finding buried in situ cultural material in the project area. Since the Bexar County Correctional Facility will not negatively impact intact cultural deposits it is recommended that construction be allowed to proceed

An Archaeological Survey of the Proposed Retama/Selma Monopole Project

The Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) of The University of Texas at San Antonio conducted an archaeological survey of the proposed Retama/Selma Monopole Project for Southwestern Bell Wireless. The investigations included two backhoe trenches, four shovel tests, and a 100-percent pedestrian survey of the project area and access road. The backhoe trenches and shovel tests did not encounter any subsurface artifacts or features, but the pedestrian survey discovered a lithic scatter in the access road. This site, designated 41GU39, contains an Early Archaic component as evidenced by a Gower point. The artifacts appear to be confined to the surface and a 10-cm-thick plow zone. CAR recommends that the proposed project will have no adverse effect and that the sponsor be allowed to proceed as planned

Archaeological Testing at the Headwaters of the San Marcos River: Southwest Texas State University Raw Water Supply Project

Between April 30 and June 3, 1998, the Center for Archaeological Research of The University of Texas at San Antonio conducted subsurface testing for cultural resources along the proposed route of a water pipeline for Southwest Texas State University. The area to be impacted by the proposed waterline included a tract on the banks of the headwaters of the San Marcos River and tracts adjacent to the Aquatic Biology Building. The project area is partially within the known boundaries of site 41HY161. The archaeological investigations included shovel testing, backhoe trenching, excavation of three 1 x 1-m units, and monitoring. Upon completion, based on the results of this archaeological work, it was determined that no intact cultural resources would be impacted by the planned trench construction between the west bank of the San Marcos River and the southeast corner of the Aquatic Biology Building. However, intact cultural deposits were identified west of the Aquatic Biology Building dating to the late Paleoindian and Archaic periods. Therefore, clearance for the pipeline route was recommended in areas that did not contain cultural resources and in areas disturbed by recent or historic construction. To avoid disturbance to intact cultural materials, Southwest Texas State University was required to modify the depth of the pipeline trench west of the Aquatic Biology Building

Archaeological Survey at Rancho de las Cabras, San Antonio Missions National Historic Park, 41WN30, Wilson County, Texas

A two-stage archaeological investigation and preliminary geomorphological assessment was conducted at Rancho de las Cabras, San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, by the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) of The University of Texas at San Antonio for the National Park Service (NPS). The investigation was prompted by NPS plans to construct a parking lot and visitors\u27 center near the Spanish colonial ruins (41WN30). The geomorphological investigations are preliminary, with more fieldwork needed to test the proposed working model; however, the geomorphological conclusions suggest widespread potential for finding buried prehistoric sites in the alluvial terraces. Four newly identified surface lithic scatter sites were recorded and mapped. Sites 41WN90, 41WN92, and 41WN93 are presently on NPS property and 41WN91 is located on private land. These sites are located in the upland Early to Middle Pleistocene Leona Formation. Due to the paucity of surface and subsurface cultural material, and to previous subsurface disturbance in the form of deep root cutting and plowing, the four sites are considered to have minimal research potential. The three sites on NPS property are currently included in the National Register nomination filed in 1977; however, the systematic collection of surface artifacts conducted during the current investigation, has in effect, mitigated these sites by exhausting their research potential. Site 41WN91, located on private property, is not recommended as eligible for inclusion in the National Register. During the course of the archaeological investigation, two important cultural areas were identified near the Las Cabras ruins. Artifacts recovered near the western edge of the ruins demonstrate their association with the Colonial ranch; this area has been identified as culturally sensitive. West of the ruins, the second area is comprised of an isolated dark soil (over-thickened A-horizon) which may have formed from anthropogenic activities related to the Colonial ranch. Therefore, prior to any future ground disturbing activities, it is recommended that additional testing be conducted in the archaeologically sensitive area, the over-thickened A-horizon, and the alluvial terraces

Test Excavations at the Culebra Creek Site, 41BX126, Bexar County, Texas

Archaeological test excavations were undertaken at 4IBX126 on Culebra Creek to offset the impact from a proposed Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) highway improvement project on Loop 1604 in northwest Bexar County. Archaeological investigations were conducted in three field seasons: the first two seasons were conducted by TxDOT archaeologists and the third was directed by personnel from the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) of The University of Texas at San Antonio. During the three projects, 55 hand-dug units, 29 backhoe trenches, 36 shovel tests, and eight Gradall trenches were excavated. Seventeen features were recorded; 25 radiocarbon assays were conducted; over 59,000 lithic artifacts were recovered and analyzed; 1,655 liters of sediment float samples were processed; 3,337 kg of burned rock were analyzed; and nearly 300 g of fatmal material and 25 archaeomagnetic samples were analyzed. The testing revealed utilization of the site in the Early, Middle, and Late Archaic periods. The analysis of materials and results of all three field efforts are presented in this single volume. Geoarchaeological investigations show that four terraces (TO, Tl, T2, and T3) in the immediate site area accumulated from the Late Pleistocene through the Holocene. Five Stratigraphic Units (I-V) make up these terraces and overlap one another. The T2 terrace is composed of Stratigraphic Units IT, ill, and IV, while the Tl terrace consists mostly of Stratigraphic Units IV and V. Archaeological materials were discovered in situ within the Tl and T3 terraces and primarily within Stratigraphic Units ill and IV. Radiocarbon assays indicate that Stratigraphic Unit IV formed between at least 4000-2000 B.P., Stratigraphic Unit ill accumulated between approximately 11,500-4000 B.P., and Stratigraphic Unit IT was accreting at least 17,500 years ago. Too little evidence exists to determine the full time ranges of sediment accumulation, and whether significant temporal gaps exist between the sedimentation of these geological units. Archaeological excavations focused on three separate areas: A, B, and C. Area A is a new right-of-way east of the existing right-of-way. Excavations in this area defined a Late Archaic Montell component dating to approximately 2700 B.P. These materials include two burned rock features in situ within Unit IV on the scarp of the T2 terrace. This area probably was occupied by a small residential group during the Late Archaic period. Area B is east of Loop 1604 in the existing right-of-way and on the T2 terrace. Area B contains a Middle Archaic Nolan component in the upper portion of Stratigraphic Unit ill, below a Late Archaic burned rock midden with a central subsurface oven in Unit IV. Area C is in the existing right-of-way west of Loop 1604. Excavations in this area investigated the possibility of an intact Early Archaic occupation; however, no evidence of one was found. In Area B, the Nolan component consisted of lithic artifacts scattered among small burned rock features that probably served as hearths. This component is radiocarbon dated to approximately 4600 B.P. The Late Archaic burned rock midden was apparently used between 4000 B.P. and 2000 B.P. Subfeatures within the central oven indicate multiple cooking events. Ethnographic evidence suggests earth ovens contained food wrapped with insulating material over a layer of hot rocks heated by a coal bed. This was capped with dirt to seal the oven. When cooking was complete, the earth cap is removed to reach the food. CAR conducted earth-oven hot-rock experiments which indicated that local limestone could be used once or at the most twice. Local hot-rock cooking should generate a great deal of burned limestone debris. The framework ofthe feature at 41BX126 represents the cap and rock heating-element dumpings from separate cooking events as well as a few small intact burned rock features that served as ovens or hearths. At the base of the midden were a few depressions that may represent borrow pits used to obtain sediment for the central oven cap. Mixing of temporally distinct artifacts from the Nolan and later occupations occurs in and beyond the midden due to sediment excavation and transportation across the site, and redeposition of materials through erosion of materials off the framework

San Antonio Mission Trails Statewide Transportation Enhancement Project Volume I

This report represents the first volume detailing the results of archeological and archival investigations associated with the San Antonio Mission Trails Project. The project consists of a system of hike-and-bike trails under development by the City of San Antonio. Its purpose of the trails is to connect the Alamo with the four other Spanish Colonial missions in San Antonio. The project is divided into five packages or phases. Only the first four phases include archeological investigations. Because the project is estimated to last several years, rather than waiting for the completion of the entire project before issuing the report of findings, each volume issued in this series will report on the findings of a specific package or closely related packages. Archeological investigations performed for all phases of the Mission Trails Project were, or will be, conducted under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 2051. In October of 1998, the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) of the University of Texas at San Antonio contracted with the City of San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, to provide archeological services to assess damage done by unmonitored construction activities to areas surrounding Mission San Francisco de la Espada, San Antonio, Texas. These investigators were part of the Mission Trails Project which was intended to provide archival research and monitoring of all construction activities in areas of the project that had the potential to impact cultural resources eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places or for designation as State Archeological Landmarks. Between December 1998 and April 1999, CAR performed the archeological investigations at Mission Espada. A total of 49 units was excavated in three areas designated as the Northwest Gateway, the Hike-and-Bike Trail, and Drainage System A. In addition, excavation by construction crews in Drainage Systems A and B and replacement of pipes within the Espada Acequia was monitored. Two blackhoe trenches were excavated in the Drainage System A and seven in Drainage System B. Sixteen test units excavated in the Northwest Gateway revealed the remnants of a limestone foundation wall; possibly a portion of the original west wall of the mission, built around 1756. The units also revealed limestone paving outside the wall. Evidence seen during the excavation of the Northwest Gateway units shows that the area has been disturbed many times, probably beginning in Colonial times and continuing to the present. Damage to what remains of the foundations is due, among other things, to the multiple attempts to insert posts in this area and possibly to road grading as well. Installation of utilities through the area has also had an impact. Even though the area has been badly damaged by various activities through time, a large number of Colonial artifacts are still present, and evidence of the unreconstructed southern gate room is still present. Twenty-six units were excavated in the Hike-and-Bike Trail area. This area presents a picture of varied disturbance; some units appeared to be in areas of essentially intact deposits and had no twentieth-century artifacts below the first 10-cm level, while others were in extensively disturbed areas. A portion of the Hike-and-Bike Trail was bladed prior to CAR’s monitoring of the construction activities. The historic deposits along the Hike-and-Bike Trail are not deeply buried, and although in some areas there may have been little or no damage done to these deposits by the blading of the trail, in other areas significant damage was done. Test units revealed that at least some areas of the trail have essentially intact Colonial deposits, and these deposits tend to be near the ground surface. Seven test units and two backhoe trenches were excavated in Drainage System A. A Colonial-period pottery kiln and a pit feature were encountered. The pit feature was located near the kiln and may have been a borrow pit for clay. No significant cultural deposits were identified during the monitoring of the replacement of pipes in the Espada Acequia and the excavation of the seven backhoe trenches in Drainage System B