Two Archeological Surveys In The Texas Department Of Transportations Atlanta District: FM 450 At Little Cypress Bayou, Harrison County (CSJ 0843-02-012), And County Road 4114 At Brutons Creek, Morris County (CSJ 0919-20-030)

Abstract

Prewitt and Associates, Inc., was contracted by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to perform two intensive archeological surveys in TxDOT’s Atlanta District under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 6385. This work was completed prior to replacement of a bridge and realignment of approaches on Farm-to-Market Road (FM) 450 at Little Cypress Bayou in Harrison County (CSJ 0843-02-012) and replacement of a bridge and improvement of approaches on County Road 4114 at Brutons Creek in Morris County (CSJ 0919-20-030). The Area of Potential Effects (APE) for the FM 450 project is 50 acres and includes existing and new TxDOT right of way; approximately half of the APE was surveyed in 2010 (McKee 2010). The APE for the County Road 4114 project is 1.2 acres and includes a short segment of existing right of way and 0.9 acres of temporary construction easements. Prewitt and Associates archeologists surveyed the remaining 25 acres of the FM 450 APE and the County Road 4114 APE in December 2012 and January 2013. These investigations required a total of about 11 person-days of effort. The FM 450 survey included the excavation of 50 shovel tests and 11 trenches. This effort identified a small amount of modern trash on the upland margin at the north end of the project area and prehistoric site 41HS973 on the floodplain near Little Cypress Bayou. Site 41HS973 consists of a diffuse scatter of seven pieces of lithic debitage identified on two sandy rises on the Little Cypress Bayou floodplain. The investigation indicated that the archeological deposits in the investigated part of the site lack both integrity and significance. Thus, Prewitt and Associates recommends that the recorded portion of 41HS973 is not eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion D (36 CFR 60.4; 36 CFR 800.4, 5) or designation as a State Archeological Landmark (13 TAC 26.2, 8). The County Road 4114 survey included the excavation of 15 shovel tests and 4 trenches in and adjacent to the temporary construction easements. No archeological materials or deposits were identified during this investigation. Both surveys were conducted under no artifact collection policies. Identified artifacts were noted, briefly described, and returned to the point of recovery