Archaeological Monitoring of South Alamo Street Improvements, Pereida Street to César Chávez Boulevard, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas

From October 31, 2018, through February 13, 2019, the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) at The University of Texas at San Antonio conducted archaeological monitoring for the South Alamo Street Improvements Project located in downtown San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. The excavation of 20 boreholes and more than 772 meters of trench were monitored. The work was performed for the City of San Antonio (COSA) to fulfill the requirements of the COSA’s Unified Development Code and the Antiquities Code of Texas. The project was conducted under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 8563. Dr. Paul Shawn Marceaux, CAR Director, served as the Principal Investigator, and Sarah Wigley served as the Project Archaeologist. The project area is located on COSA property along South Alamo Street between César Chávez Boulevard and Pereida Street in central San Antonio. The monitoring consisted of trenching for the installation of an electrical conduit and the excavation of boreholes for new light poles located on either side of South Alamo Street between Turner Street and Pereida Street. The project area runs directly through the two national Historic Districts, the Lavaca Neighborhood Historic District and the South Alamo Street-South St. Mary’s Street Historic District, and it is included in the two local Historic Districts (the Lavaca Neighborhood and King William Historic District). These Historic Districts are known to contain significant historic sites, including the Acequia Madre de Valero (41BX8) and the Concepción Acequia (41BX1887; COSA Office of Historic Preservation 2019a). During the monitoring, part of an intact wall of the Acequia Madre de Valero (41BX8) was uncovered near the intersection of Beauregard Street on the west side of South Alamo Street, although documentation of the feature was limited to the extent of the utility trench. In addition to the acequia wall section, five other architectural features, some potentially Spanish Colonial in nature, were documented, and four new sites designated 41BX2286, 41BX2287, 41BX2288, and 41BX2289 were recorded. A small number of temporally diagnostic historic artifacts were collected during the course of the project. The CAR recommends that the section of 41BX8 (Acequia Madre de Valero) documented during the course of this project is eligible for inclusion to the National Register of Historical Places (NRHP) and designation as a State Antiquities Landmark (SAL), and all impacts should be avoided. Site 41BX8 has previously been determined to be eligible for inclusion on the NRHP, and it is designated as a Historic American Engineering Record and a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark (THC 2019). The portion of the site that was encountered during monitoring remains intact. It was covered with a protective layer of sand before backfilling. Site 41BX2286, a portion of a historic limestone and mortar wall, should also be avoided until its significance can be more clearly defined. Currently, the CAR cannot determine this site’s potential eligibility for inclusion to the NRHP or listing as a SAL due to the limited nature of the investigation. The portion of the site documented during monitoring remains intact. It was covered with a protective layer of sand before backfilling. The CAR recommends that sites 41BX2287, 41BX2288, and 41BX2289 are not significant. The portions of these sites documented during monitoring remain intact and were covered with a protective layer of sand before backfilling. These three sites are not recommended as eligible for inclusion to the NRHP or for designation as SAL. All artifacts collected during the course of this project are curated at the CAR. All forms, documents, and photographs complied during the project and a copy of this report are archived in Project Accession file 2180 at the CAR

Cultural Resources Monitoring for Brackenridge Park River Wall Replacement Project, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas

From January through May 2016, The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) conducted archaeological monitoring of removal and repair of 30.5 m (100 ft.) of the historic river wall along a section of the San Antonio River within Brackenridge Park. The wall is a contributing resource to Brackenridge Park’s listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and its designation as a State Antiquities Landmark (SAL). The CAR’s archaeological monitoring was done under contract with Adams Environmental, Inc. Project Archaeologist Stephen Smith monitored contractor’s excavations at the site. Paul Shawn Marceaux served as Principal Investigator. The CAR did not identify any archaeological material during the course of the construction monitoring, and no more ground-disturbances are planned. Based on the findings, CAR recommends to the project sponsor and Archeology Division of the Texas Historical Commission (THC) no further archaeological monitoring or investigation of the project area is necessary at this time. Though no further work is recommended at this time, it is known that Brackenridge Park contains important archaeological resources; therefore, archaeological monitoring and/or investigation should precede any future ground-disturbing activities in the area

Archaeological Investigations of the Monterrey Park Improvements, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas

On March 4, 2019, The University of Texas at San Antonio Center for Archaeological Research (CAR), in response to a request from the City of San Antonio (COSA), conducted archaeological investigations in the form of exploratory backhoe trenching in advance of proposed improvements to Monterrey Park located in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. The Monterrey Park Improvements Project was funded by the COSA and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). The project was located on COSA property, and therefore, it was conducted under the Antiquities Code of Texas. Archaeological work was performed under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 8798. Due to federal funding received by TPWD for the project, compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) was also required. The COSA’s Office of Historic Preservation (COSA-OHP) and Texas Historical Commission (THC) reviewed the project. Paul Shawn Marceaux served as the Principal Investigator, and Antonia L. Figueroa served as the Project Archaeologist. The archaeological investigations were concentrated along Zarzamora Creek. Archaeological investigations conducted by CAR resulted in the excavation of four backhoe trenches along the creek bank. During backhoe trenching, no cultural material or archaeological sites were encountered. CAR recommends no further work, and improvements in this part of the park can proceed as planned. All project related materials, including the final report, are permanently stored at the CAR curation facility

Archaeological Monitoring for the San Pedro Avenue, Main Avenue, and Navarro Street Roundabout Project, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas

From March 2017 to February 2018, the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) conducted archaeological monitoring for the San Pedro Avenue, Main Avenue, and Navarro Street Roundabout Project in downtown San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. Adams Environmental, Inc., on behalf of the City of San Antonio (COSA), contracted CAR to conduct the archaeological monitoring in association with road and utilities improvements. The project fell under COSA’s Unified Development Code (UDC) (Article 6 35-630 to 35-634) and required review by the Texas Historical Commission (THC) under the Antiquities Code of Texas. The archaeological work was performed under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 7906. Dr. Paul Shawn Marceaux served as Principal Investigator, and Antonia L. Figueroa served as the Project Archaeologist. The fieldwork consisted of archaeological monitoring of excavations associated with San Antonio Water System (SAWS) utilities installation and COSA roadwork. Much of the project area has been subjected to vehicular traffic and has been impacted by previous utilities. No new archaeological sites were documented during the archaeological monitoring, and only modern material was observed. CAR recommends no further archaeological work and that improvements proceed as planned. Records generated during this project were prepared for curation according to THC guidelines and are permanently curated at the CAR

Bexar County Courthouse Monitoring/Restoration, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas

In October 2014 and February 2015, the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) conducted archaeological monitoring of the construction associated with Main Street, next to the Bexar County Courthouse, Bexar County, Texas. The archaeological investigations and construction monitoring were conducted under Texas Antiquities Committee Permit No. 7065 with Dr. Paul Shawn Marceaux serving as the Principal Investigator and Antonia Figueroa as the Project Archaeologist. The goal of archaeological monitoring was to identify any historical properties or features that might be present in the project area. To achieve this goal, a CAR staff member monitored construction crews while they excavated the old road and soil beneath it. In Section 1, the southern portion of Main Street, no features were uncovered, and CAR staff observed only a few artifacts. In Section 2, the northern portion, 14 features were documented, including one brick lined privy. These features were left intact and were incorporated into site 41BX1753, a State Antiquities Landmark (SAL), that was previously recorded by Post, Buckley, Schuh, and Jernigan, Inc. (Hanson 2009). CAR recommends further investigations if Main Street is disturbed in the future, as intact deposits are present. All collected artifacts and project associated documentation are permanently curated at the CAR facility

The archaeology and ethnohistory of the Hasinai Caddo : material culture and the course of European contact

textThis dissertation compiles information related to Caddo archaeology and history and examines in detail the collections from various Historic Caddo sites and Spanish missions. The study uses materials from these sites, along with the archival records from early European expeditions and colonization efforts, to try to identify archaeological correlates of the groups that constituted the Hasinai Caddo. The objective is to determine if specific attributes of ceramic style and technology reflect the position and geographical extent of the principal tribes of the Hasinai Caddo as indicated by the historical records. To accomplish this I examined numerous collections from clusters of historic period sites in the Neches and Angelina River valleys of east Texas, including sites occupied by the Hasinai Caddo and two of the three Spanish missions discovered in east Texas. The study analyzes, organizes, and characterizes distinct ceramic assemblages and other artifacts in the collections. Another goal of this research is to better define the periods of use and chronological relationships of Historic Caddo sites. Ceramic frequency seriations of established types, supported by other evidence, demonstrate chronological orderings reflected in the collections. The cultural landscape of the Hasinai Caddo, broadly characterized, consisted of sedentary groups living in dispersed farmsteads as thriving agriculturalists, organized in a complex hierarchy of social and spiritual leaders. Sustained contact with Spanish missionaries brought trade materials and technology in tandem with social objectives and policies, many aimed at replacing Caddo cultural identity under the guise of religious conversion, relocation, and trade. While the number of Caddo groups identified in the ethnohistoric record decreased as time passed, it is clear from the archives that groups of the Hasinai endured and maintained distinct affiliations during the contact period. The ceramic analyses support the historic record on this point and demonstrate how assemblages are part of well-established and persistent ceramic traditions. At the same time, the study documents distinct archaeological signatures that may represent socio-cultural, political, and/or economic differences in the Hasinai Caddo. Evidence also demonstrates how the Hasinai Caddo were both willing participants in, and at the same time rejected, the Spanish mission system.Anthropolog