Mine waste excavation beneath the western road encountered historical artifacts in front of Lots 26, 27 and 28.  This was not initially identified as a well-defined feature because mine waste removal in the area took place piece-meal over several days and from several different directions.  Individual historic artifacts were encountered, plotted, and recovered during these various waste removal episodes.  Once all mine waste had been removed, we realized that a defined historic feature had been exposed.  The feature contained glass, ceramics, shell, bone, and metal objects.  The feature covered an area 38 meters NS by 11 meters EW.

The mine waste had been removed and it was anticipated that the feature would be protected and preserved beneath the clean fill and road construction.  With the understanding that the feature would be protected, no soil samples were recovered or processed from the feature. A few artifacts exposed on the surface were collected and processed.

Glass Artifacts (11)

Four hand-blown bottle fragments were found (pre-1917). Two of these were most likely wine bottles, one was a two-piece-mold beer bottle, and one most likely a soda.  Three honey colored glass bottles were recovered (1914-1930).  One of these was a canning jar, one a preserve jar (H7-18), and one unidentifiable.  One cobalt blue Vick’s Vaporub bottle was recovered, as was a possible kerosene lampshade.

The preserve jar has the stylized “HA” on the base indicating manufacture by the Hazel Glass Company sometime between 1920 and 1964 (Toulouse 1971).

EuroAmerican Ceramics (9)

All ceramics pieces represented tableware.  Pieces of two cups, one saucer, and one main course plate were recovered along with several unidentified pieces.  Ceramic items were made of both Stoneware (5) and cream ware (6).   One piece had a Taylor Smith & Taylor “VERONA” maker’s mark indicating manufacture sometime between 1900 and 1920 (Lehner 1988:461).

Metal (4)

Metal artifacts included an enamelware pot (H7-3) and a fork or spoon handle (H7-4) with “FRAZIL SILVER” stamped on the back.  Although the “Frazil Silver” mark could not be found, the pattern is known as “Tipped” and was first sold by Rogers Bros. in 1847 (Rainwater et.al. 1968:442).

Feature 7 Interpretation

The Feature 7 area was not as clearly defined as the previous features.  It did not include a darker stained soil and artifacts were scattered and much sparser.  It is likely that Feature 7 represents a surface deposit of discards often called a sheet trash deposit. Maker’s marks and other period indicators suggest that Feature 7 materials were discarded between 1880 and 1930.