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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWalter Cudnohufsky Assoc Archeological Review 460 Route 6A 01.25.2001MEMO TO: Debbie Gray, Old Kings Highway FROM: Philip L. Whitten, Director Parks & Cemeteries SUBJECT: Route 6A Report Walter Cudnohufsky Associates archaeological potential review first report DATE: January 25, 2001 Attached please find the first report from Walter Cudnohufsky Associates on the review of the playground at route 6A. I will forward other reports as they are sent to me. Wafer Cudnohufsky Associates Box 489 ASHFIELD, MA 01330 PHONE: 413/ 628-4600 FAx: 4131628-0117 F-MAIL wca@crocker.com 22 January 2001 Philip Whitten, Director Park & Cemetery Division Department of Public Works 74 Town Brook Road West Yarmouth, MA 02673 Dear Mr. Whitten, Town Common Thank you for sending the list of participants in the site visit of January 11`s. I Preservation know that both Walt and Bonnie were quite excited by the meeting, and agree it Initiative was a worthy endeavor. Funded by the I am enclosing a brief report on the archaeological potential of the site that was not Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management, available in time for this site visit. I know Mitch Mulholland was quite excited by Historic Landscape Preservation his discoveries, which may or may not be news to you. He has yet to send copies of Grant Program the maps, which are usually by fax and therefore not very legible. But I ik ilI copy Kristen Nelson Program Manager the faxes and forward them to you, if you think the would be useful. More likely, Y Y Y Y, 617-626-1410 S,ou or members of the Historical Commission can use the list of references to make their own (better quality) copies. Project Team When additional notes form this site visit are available, I will get them to you. Mollie Babize Land Ilse Planner Thanks again for setting up the site visit. Walter Cudnohufsky Landscape Architect incerely, Bonnie Parsons Preservation PIanner Joan S. Rockwell tilollie Babize Historical Landscape Architect Tree Specialists, Inc. Enclosures: Arborists & Soil Scientists • Archaeological Potential, Yarmouth Common Coler and Colantonio Structural, Civil & Traffic Engineers Elizabeth Keyes Information Designer Dr. Mitchell Mulholland Historic Archeologist Ivan Myjer Materials Conservator Elizabeth Pizza Landscape Designer Archaeological Potential Waiter Cudnohusky Prehistoric Potential. Whites Brook and its associated wetland is located approximately 500 feet to the east of Yarmouth Common. Whites Brook is a tributary Associates to Chase Garden Creek, a small river that drains an extensive estuary. Cape Cod Bay Box 489 is located approximately 7,200 feet to the northwest. The fresh water in the brook and ASHFiELA,MA 01330 the animals and aquatic resources associated with the wetlands and estuary would have been important to Native American occupants of the area. No sites within the PHONE: 4131628-4600 common are listed in the Inventory of Historical and Archaeological Assets at the FAx: 413/628-0117 Massachusetts Historical Commission, but one prehistoric site (19-BN-48) is situated E-MAIL: wca@crocker.com approximately 1,800 ft to the east, along White's Brook. Unfortunately little is known of this site. The site is listed in the records of the Massachusetts Archaeological Society in Middleboro as site M47NW15 with no information on collections. Approximately 1,100 feet to the northeast of the common is Ted Matthews Pond. The Town Common pond is dammed on the north, but prior to historic times would have been a wetland. Preservation Given the proximity to the brook, Chase Garden Creek, Matthews Pond, and the Initiative location of known sites in similar environmental conditions nearby, undisturbed portions of the Yarmouth Common have a high potential to contain prehistoric sites. Funded by the Massachusetts Department of Soils on the common are Carver loamy coarse sand with slopes of zero to three talManagement, percent (Fletcher, Ruffinoii, Scanu and Thompson 1993). This soil is glacial outwash, p Historic Landscape Preservation Historic Grant Program T is excessively drained, and is very suitable for prehistoric and Contact -period Dative Kristen Nelson American living sites, especially areas that are within 500 feet of a fresh water Program Manager supply. Throughout the Cape and in interior Massachusetts, Carver soils are often 6I7-973-8763 associated with prehistoric sites. Of particular interest is the fact that disturbance on the Common appears to have Project Team been light (especially in the north), in comparison with the surrounding area. Disturbances include an asphalt basketball court in the approximate center, flagpole, Mollie Babize sand playground area in the southeast, parking disturbance in the northwest and Land Use Planner meetinghouse in the south. The remainder appears on the surface not to have been Walter Cudnohufsky developed. This may be one of the few essentially undisturbed Iots in Yarmouth. Landscape Architect Bonnie Parsons Historic Site Potential. The Town's first meetinghouse was probably built on the Preservation Planner Common (Marion Vuilleu -der, personal communication), although its precise Joan S. Rockwell location is not known. The meetinghouse is noted by historian/ newspaper publisher Historical Landscape Architect Charles Swift as having been built somewhat south of the old cemetery "on a little eminence known as Fort Hill." From the notes of Reverend Timothy Alden, Jr. in Tree Specialists, Inc. 1797, it is stated that the remnants of the fort could still be seen (Swift 1975.26). The Arborists & Soil Scientists meeting house was a Congregational Church that was also used for public functions Coler and Colantoruo such as Town Meeting. Swift notes that winds have leveled the hill. The second Structural, Civil & meetinghouse was built on the common in 1716 (Vuilleumier 1989). On the map of Traffic Engineers 1794 (Anonymous 1794) the 'North Meetinghouse" is indicated on the southern part of the common, immediately north of what is today Route 6A. A cemetery indicated Elizabeth Keyes Information Designer as an "ancient cemetery" is shown on the USGS Quadrangle immediately to the north and northwest of the common. It is probable that the cemetery was associated with Dr. Mitchell Mulholland the early meetinghouse. In 1830 (Matthews 1830), a meetinghouse was still indicated Historic Archeologist at the same location. Immediately to the east of the meetinghouse was a rope walk, Ivan Myjer an establishment that made rope and other cordage. In 1880 (Walker 1880), the Materials Consernator church building is clearly mapped showing a curved driveway from Route 6A to the Elizabeth Vizza front of the building. The structure is labeled "Yarmouth Mfg. Co. Old Church, P.O." Landscape Designer The nature of the Yarmouth Manufacturing Company is not known and would require additional research. The rope walk is gone at this point, replaced by four houses east of Church Street. Vuilleumier (1989) notes that the building burned in 1902, at which time it contained a "post office, general store, and social club." In 1910 (Walker 1910), the common is indicated as an undeveloped lot, owned by Louis B. Thar -her. Thacher deeded the parcel to the town in 1924 (Veuilleumier 1989). Mitch Mulholland, The Environmental Institute Blaisdell House, University of Massachusetts, Amherst Yarmouth Archeeological Potential No historic archaeological sites are on record at the MHC, but only because forms have not been completed..- Historic archaeological remains may exist beneath the surface-Portionsof this site arebithe area:of-a-sand playground which.borders Old church.Street. For. the most part,:.thesouiherri.portion-of the..Common appears to be undisturbed since: the fire ;iii 1902z In the:18'_ and -19!` centuries timber w45 in short supply and high demand:. Capp -Cod -builders were notoriously frugal with. building materials: Buildings often were dismantled board by board ands reused in other buildings. Even foundation stones were removed for. reuse. Subsurface testing: would be required to determine the nature of the remains of the meetinghouse(s). Fires tend to leave a record rich in artifacts. Because glass, pottery and metal become fragmented they are usually left at the site and covered over. It is possible that human burials may also be located here. The "ancient cemetery" is located to the northwest and is on the opposite side of Centre Street. The association of this cemetery with the meetinghouse should be clarified. Dates of burials could be compared with the known dates of the meetinghouse at this location (pre-1716). If the burial ground west of Centre Street was associated with the meetinghouse, it is still possible that earlier graves could exist on the common. Any deep excavations at this location should be preceded by an archaeological survey. Summary. If the soil in the Yarmouth Common is relatively undisturbed, then the park has a high potential to contain prehistoric sites associated with Whites Brook and the Chase Garden Creek estuary. The common may also contain the subsurface remains of a late -eighteenth and early nineteenth century meetinghouse(s), a late nineteenth century manufacturing firm, post office and general store. The building was destroyed by fire after the turn of the century. Shallow construction (i.e.12 inches or less) would be unlikely to disturb buried archaeological resources, or graves. Deep excavation could impact archaeological sites and an archaeological survey is recommended prior to construction. Resources. Anonymous: Map of Yarmouth, Massachusetts (1794). On file at the Massachusetts Historical Commission, Office of the Secretary of State, Boston. Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Harbor and Land Commission: Atlas of the towns of Barnstable....Yarmouth.....(1907) In Special Collections Department, W.E.B. DuBois Library, University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Matthews, Benjamin, Jr.: Map of Yarmouth, Massachusetts (1830). On file at the Massachusetts Historical Commission, Office of the Secretary of State, Boston. Fletcher, Peter, Rino Ruffinoli, Richard Scanu and Bruce Thompson: Soil Survey of Barnstable County, Massachusetts (1993). Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Swift, Charles )~rances:1975 History of Old Yarmouth. In collections of W.E.B. DuBois Library, University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Vuilleumier, Marion: The Town of Yarmouth, Massachusetts: A History,1638-1989 (1989). Historical Society of Yarmouth. Walker, George H. & Co.: Atlas of Bristol County, Massachusetts (1880). Walker, George H. & Co.: Atlas of Barnstable County, Massachusetts (1910). Walker Lithograph and Publishing Co., Boston. In Special Collections Department, W.E.B. DuBois Library, University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Walling, Henry: Map of Barnstable County, Massachusetts (1858). Smith & Ingram, New York. (do not have) Mitch Mulholland, Me Environmental Institute Blaisdell House, University of Massachusetts, Amherst MEMO TO: Debbie Gray, Old Kings Highway FROM: Philip L. Whitten, Director Parks & Cemeteries SUBJECT: Route 6A Report Walter Cudnohufsky Associates archaeological potential review first report DATE: January 25, 2001 Attached please find the first report from Walter Cudnohufsky Associates on the review of the playground at route 6A. t will forward other reports as they are sent to me. Waiter Cudnohufsky Associates Box 489 AsHFiELD, MA 01330 PHONE: 413/ 628-4600 FAx: 413/ 628.0117 &MAIL: wcaCcrocker.com 22 January 2001 Philip Whitten, Director Park & Cemetery Division Department of Public Works 74 Town Brook Road West Yarmouth, MA 02673 Dear Mr. Whitten, Town Common Thank you for sending the list of participants in the site visit of January 11tr'. I Preservation know that both Walt and Bonnie were quite excited by the meeting, and agree it Initiative was a worthy endeavor. Funded by the I am enclosing a brief report on the archaeological potential of the site that was not Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management, available in time for this site visit. I know Mitch Mulholland was quite excited b q y Historic Landscape Preservation his discoveries, which may or may not be news to you. He has yet to send copies of Grant Program the maps, which are usually by fax and therefore not very legible. But I will copy Kristen Nelson Program Manager the faxes and forward them to you, if you think they would be useful. More likely, 617-626-1410 you or members of the Historical Commission can use the list of references to make their own (better quality) copies. Project Team When additional motes form this site visit are available, I will get them to you. Mollie Babize Land Use Planner Walter Cudnohufsky Landscape Architect Bonnie Parsons Preservation Planner Joan S. Rockwell Historical Landscape Architect Tree Specialists, Inc. Arborists & Soil Scientists Cofer and Colantonio Structural, Civil & Traffic Engineers Elizabeth Keyes lnfmmation Designer Dr. Mitchell Mulholland Historic Archeologist Ivan Myjer Materials Conservator Elizabeth Vizza Landscape Designer Thanks again for setting up the site visit, Enclosures: Archaeological Potential, Yarmouth Common Yarmouth Common Archaeological Potential Walter Cudnohufsky prehistoric Potential. Whites Brook and its associated wetland is located approximately 500 feet to the east of Yarmouth Common. Whites Brook is a tributary Associates to Chase Garden Creek, a small river that drains an extensive estuary. Cape Cod Bay Box 489 is located approximately 7,200 feet to .the northwest. The fresh water in the brook and ASHFIELD, MA 01330 the animals and aquatic resources associated with the wetlands and estuary would have been important to Native American occupants of the area. No sites within the PHONE- 413/62g-4600 common are listed in the Inventory of Historical and Archaeological Assets at the FAx 413/628-0117 Massachusetts Historical Commission, but one prehistoric site (19-BN-48) is situated E-MAIL: wca@crocker.com approximately 1,800 ft to the east, along White's Brook. Unfortunately little is known of this site. The site is listed in the records of the Massachusetts Archaeological Society in Middleboro as site M47NW15 with no information on collections. Approximately 1,100 feet to the northeast of the common is Ted Matthews Pond. The Town Compton pond is dammed on the north, but prior to historic times would have been a wetland. Preservation Given the proximity to the brook, Chase Garden Creek, Matthews Pond, and the Initiative location of known sites in similar environmental conditions nearby, undisturbed portions of the Yarmouth Common have a high potential to contain prehistoric sites. Funded by the Massachusetts Department of Soils on the common are Carver loamy coarse sand with slopes of zero to three Environmental Management, Historic Preservation percent (Fletcher, Ruffinoli, Scanu and Thompson 1993). This soil is glacial outwash, ,Landscape Grant Program is excessively drained, and is very suitable for prehistoric and Contact -period Native Kristen Nelson American living sites, especially areas that are within 500 feet of a fresh water Program Manager supply. Throughout the Cape and in interior Massachusetts, Carver soils are often 617-973-8763 associated with prehistoric sites. Of particular interest is the fact that disturbance on the Common appears to have Project Team been light (especially in the north), in comparison with the surrounding area: Disturbances include an asphalt basketball court in the approximate center, flagpole, Mollie Babize sand playground area in the southeast, parking disturbance in the northwest and Lund Use Planner meetinghouse in the south. The remainder appears on the surface not to have been Walter Cudnohufsky developed. This may be one of the few essentially undisturbed lots in Yarmouth. Landscape Architect Bonnie Parsons Historic Site Potential. The Town's first meetinghouse was probably built on the Preservation Planner Common (Marion Vuilleumier, personal communication), although its precise Joan S. Rockwell location is not known. The meetinghouse is noted by historian/ newspaper publisher Historical Landscape Architect Charles Swift as having. been built somewhat south.of the old cemetery "on a Iittle eminence known as Fort Hill." From the notes of Reverend Timothy Alden, Jr. in Tree Specialists, Inc. 1797, it is stated that the remnants of the fort could still be seen (Swift 1975:26). The Arborists & Soil Scientists meeting house was a Congregational. Church that was also used for public functions Coley and Colanionio such as Town Meeting. Swift notes that winds have leveled the hill. The second Structural, Civil & meetinghouse was built on the common in 1716 (Vuilleumier 1989). On the map of Trait Engineers 1794 (Anonymous 1794) the "North Meetinghouse" is indicated on the southern part of the common, immediately north of what is today Route 6A. A cemetery indicated Elizabeth Keyes Information Designer as an "ancient cemetery" is shown on the USGS Quadrangle immediately to the north and northwest of the common. It is probable that the cemetery was associated with Mitchell Mulholland the early meetinghouse. In 1830 (Matthews 1830), a meetinghouse was still indicated Historic Archeologist His at the same location. Immediately to the east of the meetinghouse was a rope walk, Ivan Myjer an establishment that made rope and other cordage. In 1880 (Walker 1880), the Materials conservator church building is clearly mapped showing a curved driveway from Route 6A to the Elizabeth Vizza front of the building. The structure is labeled "Yarmouth Mfg. Co, Old Church, P.O." Landscape Designer The nature of the Yarmouth Manufacturing Company is not known and would require additional research. The rope walk is gone at this point, replaced by four houses east of Church Street. Vuilleumier (1989) notes that the building burned in 1902, at which time it contained a "post office, general store, and social club." In 1910 (Walker 1910), the common is indicated as an undeveloped lot, owned by Louis B. Thacher. Thacher deeded the parcel to the town in 1924 (Veuilleumier 1989). Mitch Mulholland, The Environmental Institute Blaisdell House, University of Massachusetts, Amherst Yarmouth Archaeological Potential No historic archaeological sites are on record at the MHC, but only because forms have not been completed Historic archaeologgical remains may exist beneath the surface. Portions of -this site are.in.the lI area:of:a sand playground wh clt:bo:rders Old Chur. . Street ;,:For: the most `part. •.the southerri.portion: of the:Common appears to be undisturbed krice;th6 fire ;iii.1902.: In the' le, and lV9 centuries timber was in short Supply' _aAa.high demarid... Cape Cod -builders were notoriously frugal with.building materials. Buildings often were. dismantled boardby board and reused in other buildings. Even foundation stones were removed for. re -use. Subsurface testing would be required to determine the nature of the remains of the meetinghouse(s). Fires tend to leave a record rich in artifacts. Because glass, pottery and metal become fragmented they are usually left at the'site and covered over. It is possible that human burials may also be located here. The "ancient cemetery" is located to the northwest and is on the opposite side of Centre Street. The association of this cemetery with the meetinghouse should be clarified. Dates of burials could be compared with the known dates of the meetinghouse at this location (pre-1716). If the burial ground west of Centre Street was associated with the meetinghouse, it is still possible that earlier graves could exist on the common. Any deep excavations at this location should be preceded by an archaeological survey. Summary. If the soil in the Yarmouth Common is relatively undisturbed, then the park has a high potential to contain prehistoric sites associated with Whites Brook and the Chase Garden Creek estuary. The common may also contain the subsurface remains of a late -eighteenth and early nineteenth century meetinghouse(s), a late nineteenth century manufacturing firm; post office and general store. The building was destroyed by fire after the turn of the century. Shallow construction (i.e.12 inches or less) would.be unlikely to disturb buried archaeological resources, or graves. Deep excavation could impact archaeological sites and an archaeological survey is recommended prior to construction. Resources. Anonymous: Map of Yarmouth, Massachusetts (1794). On file at the Massachusetts Historical Commission, Office of the Secretary of State, Boston. Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Harbor and Land Commission: Atlas of the towns of Barnstable.... Yarmouth.....(1907) In Special Collections Department, W.E.B. DuBois Library, University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Matthews, Benjamin, Jr.: Map of Yarmouth, Massachusetts (1830). On file at the Massachusetts Historical Commission, Office of the Secretary of State, Boston. Fletcher, Peter, Rino Ruffinoli, Richard Scanu and Bruce Thompson: Soil Survey of Barnstable'County, Massachusetts (1993). Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Swift, Charles Frances:1975 History of Old Yarmouth. In collections of W.E.B. DuBois Library, University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Vuilleumier, Marion: The Town of Yarmouth, Massachusetts: A History, 1638-1989 (1989). Historical Society of Yarmouth. Walker, George H. & Co.: Atlas of Bristol County, Massachusetts (1880). Walker, George H. & Co.: Atlas of Barnstable County, Massachusetts (1910). Walker Lithograph and Publishing Co., Boston. In Special Collections Department, W.E.B. DuBois Library, University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Walling, Henry: Map of Barnstable County, Massachusetts (1858). Smith & Ingram, New York. (do not have) Mitch Mulholland, The EntrironmentaI Institute Blaisdell House, University of Massachusetts, Amherst