20190687 Ver 1_AR19-01-0017noeligiblesites_20190528

Project Tracking No.:
19-01-0017
NO NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
la
o ELIGIBLE OR LISTED ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES
PRESENT FORM
This form only pertains to ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES for this project. It is not,
. valid for Historic Architecture and Landscapes. You must consult separately with the 4
Historic Architecture and Landscapes Group.
PROJECT INFORMATION
Project No: R-5870 County: Alexander
WBS No: 47917.1.1 Document: PCE
P.A. No: APD-1232(007) Funding: ❑ State ® Federal
Federal Permit Required? ® Yes ❑ No Permit Type: USACE and FHWA
Project Description:
The project calls for the construction of anew access road into Alexander Industrial Parkin Alexander
County (TIP R-5870). The archaeological Area of Potential Effects (APE) for the project is defined as
approximately half -mile (0.8 km) long corridor running from SR 1422 (White Plains Road) to SR 1584
(WE. Baab Industrial Road). The APE is 150 feet (45.72 m) wide extending 75 feet (22.86 m) on either
side of the proposed centerline.
SUMMARY OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDINGS
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Archaeology Group reviewed
the subject project and determined:
® There are no National Register listed or eligible ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES present
within the project's area of potential effects. (Attach any notes or documents as needed)
❑ No subsurface archaeological investigations were required for this project.
® Subsurface investigations did not reveal the presence of any archaeological resources.
® Subsurface investigations did not reveal the presence of any archaeological resources
considered eligible for the National Register.
® All identified archaeological sites located within the APE have been considered and all
compliance for archaeological resources with Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act and GS 121-12(a) has been completed for this project.
"NO NATIONAL REGISTER ELIGIBLE OR LISTED ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES PRESENT"
form for the Amended Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2007 Programmatic Agreement.
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SUMMARY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES REVIEW
Brief description of review activities, results of review, and conclusions:
NCDOT has conducted an archaeological reconnaissance and field investigation for the proposed access
road into the Alexander Industrial Park (R-5870) in Alexander County, North Carolina. The project is
located west of Hiddenite and east of Taylorsville. It is plotted along the western edge of the Hiddenite
USGS 7.5' topographic quadrangle map and crosses over into the Taylorsville map (Figure 1).
Background Research
A site files search was conducted at the Office of State Archaeology (OSA) on February 1, 2019. Two
projects (ER 16-2046 and 17-1504) have been previously reviewed by OSA adjacent to the proposed road.
ER 16-2046 was for an industrial pump station, while ER 17-1504 was for an industrial building. Both are
located just to the south. No archaeological survey was recommended for either project due to a low
probability for significant archaeological resources. Five archaeological sites (31AX7, 31AX27, 31AX28,
31AX31, and 31AX32) are also found within a mile of the proposed road. These precontact sites appear to
be situated on eroded ridge noses that overlook small drainages. There setting is similar to the current
project area. However, most have been determined not eligible for the National Register. Only 31AX7
remains unassessed.
According to the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office online data base (HPOWEB 2019),
there are no known historic architectural resources within the APE that may yield intact archaeological
deposits.
An examination of historic maps shows that most maps prior to the 20th century provide only general
details illustrating just major roads and settlements. By turn of the century, maps begin to depict more
accurate details, and the project area can be placed. The 1895 USGS Hickory map shows a road similar to
White Plains, but no structures are plotted nearby (Figure 2). The much later 1938 North Carolina State
Highway Map for Alexander County continues to illustrate little to no development in the area (NCSHPWC
1938) (Figure 3). As a result, no significant historic features are likely to be encountered by this project.
A review of the USDA soil survey for Alexander County shows the following soil types within the APE:
Clifford sandy clay loam (Ce132), Codorus loam (CoA), and Fairview sandy clay loam (FcC2; FcD2)
(USDA NRCS 2019). The Clifford and Fairview series are along the slopes and ridge noses. They are well
drained with a slope between 2 and 15 percent. Only the FcD2 variant exceeds 15 percent, but this steep
slope was not apparent during the field investigations. Soil erosion is also reported to be moderate on both
soil types. The Codorus series is found in the narrow floodplain. It is nearly level and somewhat poorly
drained. The Clifford and Fairview series have the potential to yield archaeological resources due to
favorable conditions if soil disturbance is low. However, it is unlikely for any evidence of early habitation
to be present on the Codorus series due to persistent wetness.
Fieldwork Results
The archaeological field reconnaissance and survey for the proposed R-5870 project was conducted on
February 4, 2019. This included a visual inspection and the excavation of 12 shovel tests (STs) (Figure 4).
The project area is situated on ridge noses to either side of a small drainags. This drainage is a tributary to
Bull Branch, located to the east. These waterways are all part of the Yadkin -Pee Dee drainage basin.
Properties are mixed with a hay field at the western end, a forest in the center, and an industrial complex in
the east. The hay field suffers from moderate to heavy erosion (Figure 5). Large portions of the field have
"NO NATIONAL REGISTER ELIGIBLE OR LISTED ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES PRESENT"
form for the Amended Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2007 Programmatic Agreement.
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Project Tracking No.:
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subsoil exposed at the surface. The forest, however, is lightly disturbed with a clear distinguish between
soil layers. The little disturbance within the forest consists of old road/trail traces and gullies (Figure 6).
Finally, the industrial complex is heavily disturbed from earth moving activities (Figure 7 and 8). The
surface has been graded and filled to create a level landform.
Twelve shovel tests were excavated with ten (#1-10) west of the drainage and two to the east (#11-12) (see
Figure 4). Due to exposed subsoil and fair surface visibility of 75 percent or more, STs were placed at
60-m intervals in the hay field. The interval was reduced to 30-m in the forest. No shovel tests were
excavated near the industrial complex due to obvious ground disturbance. All STs were negative for
cultural material, and no archaeological resources were identified on the surface.
Subsoil in the hay field is either a yellowish red (5YR 4/6) clay in the west or a red (2.5YR 4/6) clay in the
east. Occasionally, a surface layer of dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) sandy clay loam covered the subsoil. If
present, this layer is 10 to 15 cm (ca. 4 to 6 in) thick. In the forest, soils varied between STs. The surface
layer was generally 15 to 30 cm (ca. 6 to 12 in) thick. This upper layer is either a brown (7.5YR 5/4) wet
sandy loam, a dark yellowish brown (IOYR 4/4) wet sandy loam, or a yellowish red (5YR 4/6) clay loam.
Soils contained more moisture near the drainage. Subsoil also varied from a red (2.5YR 4/6) clay to a
yellowish red (5YR 4/6) clay to a yellowish brown (1 OYR 5/6) sandy clay. In STs 11 and 12, east of the
drainage, up to 40 cm (ca. 16 in) of fill covered subsoil.
Recommendations
The archeological investigations for the proposed R-5870 access road project in Alexander County
identified no archaeological sites. All excavated STs were negative for cultural material, and the surface
inspection failed to identify any above ground archaeological resources. Areas not tested were heavily
disturbed. It is very unlikely that intact and significant archaeological deposits will be encountered. No
further archaeological work is recommended for this project. However, if design plans change to impact
areas outside of the archaeological APE, then further consultation might be necessary.
SUPPORT DOCUMENTATION
See attached: ® Map(s) ❑ Previous Survey Info
Signed:
C. Damon Jobs
NCDOT ARCHAEOLOGIST
® Photos ❑Correspondence
2/11/19
Date
"NO NATIONAL REGISTER ELIGIBLE OR LISTED ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES PRESENT"
form for the Amended Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2007 Programmatic Agreement.
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REFERENCES CITED
HPOWEB
2019 North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office GIS Web Service.
http:HgisNCDCR.gov/hpoweb/. Accessed January 28, 2019.
North Carolina State Highway and Public Works Commission (NCSHPWC)
1938 North Carolina State Highway Map for Alexander County, North Carolina. North
Carolina State Highway and Public Works Commission, Raleigh.
United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Services (USDA NRCS)
2019 Alexander County Soil Survey. Available online at
http://webosilsurvey.nres.usda.gov/app/. Accessed January 28, 2019.
United States Geological Survey (USGS)
1895 Hickory, North Carolina 30 minute quadrangle map. Reprinted in 1950.
2013 Hiddenite, North Carolina, 7.5-minute quadrangle map.
2013 Taylorsville, North Carolina, 7.5-minute quadrangle map.
"NO NATIONAL REGISTER ELIGIBLE OR LISTED ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES PRESENT"
form for the Amended Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2007 Programmatic Agreement.
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One Mile Radius Shaded
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Figure 1. Topographic Setting of the Project Area, Hiddenite and Taylorsville (2013): NC USGS 7.5'
Topographic Quadrangle.
"NO NATIONAL REGISTER ELIGIBLE OR LISTED ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES PRESENT"
form for the Amended Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2007 Programmatic Agreement.
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� Project Area
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Figure 2. The 1895 USGS Hickory topographic map showing the location of the project area.
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Figure 3. The 1938 North Carolina State Highway Map for Alexander County showing the location of
the project area.
'NO NATIONAL REGISTER ELIGIBLE OR LISTED ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES PRESENT"
form for the Amended Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2007 Programmatic Agreement.
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Figure 5. General View of the hay field. looking east.
Figure 6. General View of an old road/trail trace within the forest, looking west.
"NO NATIONAL REGISTER ELIGIBLE OR LISTED ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES PRESENT"
form for the Amended Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2007 Programmatic Agreement.
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Figure 7. General View of the graded and level surface at the industrial complex, looking north.
Figure 8. General View of the disturbance at the eastern end of the project at the industrial complex,
looking south.
"NO NATIONAL REGISTER ELIGIBLE OR LISTED ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES PRESENT"
form for the Amended Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2007 Programmatic Agreement.
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