Cultural Resources Survey and Evaluation of Archeological Sites 41WS105, 41WS159, 41WS160, and 41WS161 for the Proposed Fence Line Project in Grasslands Units 48, 62 and 63, Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland, Wise County, Texas

Cite this Record Sarich, Steve and Haefner, Josh (2020) "Cultural Resources Survey and Evaluation of Archeological Sites 41WS105, 41WS159, 41WS160, and 41WS161 for the Proposed Fence Line Project in Grasslands Units 48, 62 and 63, Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland, Wise County, Texas," Index of Texas Archaeology: Open Access Gray Literature from the Lone Star State: Vol. 2020, Article 42. https://doi.org/10.21112/ ita.2020.1.42 ISSN: 2475-9333 Available at: https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/ita/vol2020/iss1/42

The overall project tracts are subject to federal jurisdiction and falls under the regulations of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966, as amended (U.S. Code 16, §470, et seq.). To ensure compliance with Section 106 of the NHPA, the USFS contracted with TRC Environmental Corporation (TRC) to conduct any necessary field investigations required as determined during the coordination process.
The Area of Potential Effects (APE) consists of three Grasslands units where proposed perimeter fence reconstruction will occur. The three Grasslands units include Unit 48, Unit 62, and Unit 63. Together, the three Grasslands units measure 399 acres. A cultural resources survey of these three Grasslands units was performed under Section 106 of the NHPA. For these investigations, Josh Haefner served as the Principal Investigator and Steve Sarich was the Project Archeologist. Field work was conducted by Josh Haefner, Steve Sarich, Benjamin Johnson, Gregg Cestaro, and Haley Wilkerson, the latter two individuals employed by Hicks & Company, the small-business subconsultant for this project.
Results of the background review, completed prior to the field investigation determined that one previously recorded site, 41WS105, is located within the APE; no cemeteries or historic structures were noted within the APE; while one previous cultural resources survey has been performed within or within the vicinity of the APE. This previous survey was a limited seismic survey of Unit 48 and resulted in the discovery of 41WS105.
Prior to survey, TRC coordinated with the USFS on the proposed survey methodology and research design. TRC archeologists performed survey supplemented with shovel testing at the three Grasslands units on October 31-November 08 and December 04 -06, 2019. During the investigations, a total of 412 shovel tests were excavated. Of these tests, 405 were negative for cultural materials. In addition to these tests 65 points were recorded as "No Dig" locations due to ground disturbance, slope, or other impediment. Seven shovel tests were positive for cultural materials. Three new sites were recorded within the APE and an extension to previously recorded 41WS105 (forest service number: 08130800055) was delineated as a result of the survey. As shovel testing at two of the new sites, 41WS160 (08130800526) and 41WS161 (08130800527), noted no buried cultural deposits and historic cultural materials were observable on the ground surface, these boundaries were established by the mapping of the horizontal distribution of artifacts along the ground surface. Boundaries for the 41WS105 and 41WS159 (08130800525) were based on both the distribution of positive shovel tests and the presence of cultural materials on the ground surface. Based on the results of the cultural resources survey, TRC recommends that no further investigations are necessary and the project may proceed as planned with no historic properties affected.    Though impacts from fencing and fireline constructing will likely be limited to a 40-foot corridor around each unit; archeological survey covered the entirety of each Grasslands unit to evaluate and record any cultural resources located within the three boundaries.
Fieldwork was conducted from October 31-November 08 and December 04 -06, 2019. The field effort consisted of pedestrian survey supplemented with shovel testing of the APE. Minimally, TRC excavated shovel tests within each of the Grasslands units at 30 m transect spacing with shovel test intervals no greater than 150 m. In certain instances, this number was increased during site recording to gather additional data on deposition. Hence, a total of 412 shovel tests were excavated during the archeological survey. Of these tests, 405 were negative for cultural materials. In addition to these tests 65 points were recorded as "No Dig" locations due to ground disturbance, slope or other impediment. Seven shovel tests were positive for cultural materials. A total of three new archeological sites were recorded during the current investigations and the site boundaries to previously recorded site 41WS105 (forest service number: 08130800055) was extended approximately 124 m to the northwest. As shovel testing at two of the new sites, 41WS160 (08130800526) and 41WS161 (08130800527) , noted no buried cultural deposits and historic cultural materials were observable on the ground surface, these boundaries were established by the mapping of the horizontal distribution of artifacts along the ground surface. Extended boundary to 41WS105 and delineation of 41WS159 (08130800525) were based on both the distribution of positive

Physiography
The project area lies within the Oak woods and Prairies physiographic region of Texas, near its interface with the Blackland Prairies to the east (Figure 2-1). To the west, the Cross Timbers and Prairies are bordered by the Rolling Plains. The Oak woods and Prairies region can be further subdivided into four ecological or vegetative sub-regions: the West Cross Timbers, Fort Worth Prairie, Lampasas Cut Plain, and the East Cross Timbers. dominate geologic units of the Cross Timbers and Prairies were formed during the Paleozoic (approximately 30 percent) and Mesozoic eras (70 percent) and the resulting topography is characterized by gently rolling uplands dissected by ephemeral and deeply cut streams.

Flora and Fauna
The proposed project lies within the Cross Timbers and Prairies Ecological Area of Texas (Gould 1960) and in the Texan Biotic Province (Blair 1950 . This region is not well suited for cropland and is mostly used for rangeland and pastureland. Oil production is also a major activity in this region (Gould et al. 1960 (Blair 1950).

Cultural Background
The project area lies within the northeastern reach of the North-Central Texas culture area as defined by Suhm et al. (1962). Other scholars who have contributed to this region's chronological framework include Krieger (1946);Prewitt (1981);Prikryl 1990;and Vehik (1994). Generally, the cultural chronology of the area follows that proposed by Prikryl (1990): Paleoindian (pre 8500 before present), Early Archaic ( The oldest dated site within the North-Central Texas region, with a highly suspect age of 37 B.P., is the Lewisville Site. While claims that the site's many hearth features were excavated in situ may be accurate, critiques cite lack of diagnostic artifacts (n=1) and erroneous radiocarbon dating due to lignite contamination as valid reasons to question claims to the site's antiquity (Stanford 1981). Investigations at the Aubrey Clovis Site (Ferring 1989a(Ferring , 1989b(Ferring , 1990(Ferring , 1995, located north of Lake Lewisville west of Elm Fork, has contributed a significant amount to what is known of regional Clovis occupations. The site is approximately seven to eight meters below the top of the Elm Fork floodplain. While the Lewisville Site assemblage consisted of more than a handful of artifacts, recovered tool and debitage samples at Aubrey number over 10,000 (Ferring 1989a). All of the lithic materials at the Aubrey Site are non-local and indicative of long-distance trade and analysis of this assemblage indicates that a curated technological organization coupled with intensive tool utilization was practiced (Ferring 1989a(Ferring , 1989b. Faunal analysis suggests that there was variable exploitation of small, medium and large game including bison, deer, rabbit, squirrel, fish and turtle. Additionally, mammoth remains have been unearthed at Aubrey, although it is not clear if these animals are associated with subsistence practices. With deposits approaching eight meters below ground surface, this site is an indicator of the elusiveness of intact sites dating to this period. Projectile points of Plainview and Dalton varieties occur with the most frequency (Prikryl 1990), and their association suggests that the area was a borderland where Plainview occupations from the Rolling and High Plains interfaced with the Dalton culture from areas located to the east (Johnson 1987). Due to mixed contexts, site dating has been done by cross referencing projectile points with same types from other, more controlled, sites. Cross dating of the Plainview and Dalton varieties date Paleoindian occupations to ca. 9.5-10 B.P. (Ferring and Yates 1997:5). Peter and Harrison (2011:21) note that these dates may correlate with the advent of early Holocene alluviation within the Trinity River Valley area.
In stark contrast to the Middle Archaic, sites dating to the Late Archaic are -by far the most common in the archaeological record‖ for North-Central Texas (Ferring and Yates 1997: 6). Prikryl (1990) notes that regional surface collections contain between two to three times the amount of Late Archaic point types than points from other archeological periods. When compared to the Middle Archaic, the ratio increases to just over 60:1 (Prikryl 1990: 52-53).
While Ferring and Yates (1997) note that regional buried Late Archaic sites are generally shallow and easily detected, they offer that this alone cannot account for their numbers in the archeological record and posit an increase in population density. Story (1981) offers that this population increase is the result of a shift in exploitation strategies, reduced mobility and a climate shift back to more mesic conditions.

Late Prehistoric I (1250-750 B.P)
During the Late Prehistoric I period, new technologies included the bow and the arrow and ceramics. The intermittent introduction of these technologies suggests a gradual, non-abrupt transition from the Archaic to the Late Prehistoric. Prikryl (1990) notes that characteristic projectile points such as Scallorn, Steiner, and Catahoula varieties were more commonly fashioned from quartzite during the early stages of the Late Prehistoric I. During the latter half of the Late Prehistoric I, there is an increase in the use of chert as a raw material for these point types. A brief xeric episode is posited for approximately 1000 B.P., and differing sources for these projectile points may be tied to adaptive strategies as climate stress either tethered groups to certain resource locales and/or necessitated broader ranging residential movement. Dating to the end of the Late Prehistoric I (1050 B.P-750 B.P), numerous graves were unearthed in Young County at the Harrell Site in periods of Plains Villager occupation at the site, about A.D. 1200-1500. From the arrangements of the individual interments and the discovery of arrow points among the bones, these mass graves have been interpreted as the result of violent events-perhaps raids from enemies competing for increasingly scarce resources such as fertile, well-watered farmland. Coupled with similar evidence of violence from sites across the Southern Plains, the Late Archaic in North-Central Texas appears to be a turbulent time.
Typically, sites dating to the Late Prehistoric I period are located within floodplains and adjacent terraces.

Late Prehistoric II (750-250 B.P.)
The xeric conditions proposed for the Late Prehistoric I may have continued into the Late Prehistoric II period, which catalyzed a shift to a short grass prairie environment (Prikryl 1990). These grasslands may have brought back bison to the region in greater numbers. While other areas of Texas seemed to practice a mobile lifestyle possibly centered on the exploitation of the bison, North-Central Texas was also influenced by more settled cultures to the north and east. Diagnostic projectile points for this time period include Fresno, Perdiz, Maud, Washita, and Harrell. Other artifacts commonly found in assemblages dating to this period are Nocona Plain ceramics and horticultural tools fashioned from bison scapulas. Prikryl (1990) notes that chert continues to be the favored source material for lithic tools. Sites from terrace locales continue to dominate the archeological record, with the bulk of them occurring near or within the Oak woods and Prairies/Blackland Prairie ecotone.

Historic Period
According to Conner (1959) the area of modern-day Wise County was originally included in the Peters Colony Grant given to a Louisville, Kentucky Company by the Republic of Texas between 1841 and 1843 with immigration to the area hailing from the upper south and the north (Meining 1969). With the area of Wise County occupying the "frontier" and still heavily trafficked by tribes, permanent Anglo settlement did not begin until 1853 with Sam Woody's homesteading approximately three miles north of the present location of the town of Aurora. In 1856, Wise County proper was organized from the larger boundary of Cooke County with the county seat county seat named Taylorsville in honor of General Zachary Taylor.
The town was laid out by Absalom Bishop, an early settler in the region. Bishop, a member of the Texas Legislature, did not approve of Taylor's affiliation with the Whig Party, changed the name of the town to Decatur for Commodore Stephen Decatur. Over the next half-decade, the population continued to grow, burgeoned by the Butterfield Stage route which originally passed through Alvord, located within the LBJ National Grassland, before it was relocated through Decatur.
The late 1860s saw the establishment of four stores and a hotel in Decatur, which served as a supplier and market for local ranchers (Barton 2020). The eastern fork of the Chisholm Trail passed near Decatur in this period and is commemorated today by the town's annual event, the Chisholm Trail Barbeque. In 1882 the Fort Worth and Denver Railway reached Decatur, and the gambler's catch phrase "eighter from Decatur" was coined, according to local tradition, by a railway construction worker wanting to roll eights during a Within the area that is now the LBJ National Grasslands, early settlements included Audubon and Flatrock with stock grazing along the prairies being the primary occupation early on. Following the establishment of the railroad through the region, cash crop farming also became a productive industrye (Jurney et al. 1989). The Grasslands were originally managed by the Rural Resettlement Administration and, later, by the United States Soil Conservation Service with the goal of returning eroded land to its natural state, until the early 1950s when ownership and management of its resources were transferred to the USFS.

PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS
According to the Texas Historical Commission (THC) Historic and Archeological Sites Atlas (Sites Atlas), one previously recorded site and one previous survey are within the boundary of Unit 48. Site 41WS105/ 08130800055 is a prehistoric site of unknown temporal affiliation recorded in 2010 by Dixie Environmental Services Co., LP for a 3-D Seismic Survey. The site is defined as a light density prehistoric scatter without enough information to determine eligibility of the site (THC 2019).
Only one previous archeological project has been conducted within the boundary of Unit 48 that was completed in 2010 by Brazos Valley Research Associates (THC 2019). This project is listed as a 3-D seismic survey on behalf of Devon Energy Corporation. According to the Sites Atlas, it is noted as a partial survey and covers the entire extent of Unit 48.

FIELD METHODS
The goals of the cultural resources survey were as follows: • Determine if cultural materials are present within the APE through pedestrian survey and shovel testing of the APE; • If archeological deposits are present within the APE, determine their spatial extent; • If archeological deposits are present within the APE, attempt to determine the general cultural affiliation/age of these deposits; • Document any historic standing structures within the APE Though impacts from fencing and fireline constructing will likely be limited to a 40-foot corridor around each unit, shovel testing and pedestrian survey covered the entirety of each Grasslands unit to evaluate and record any cultural resources located within their boundaries.
The field effort consisted of pedestrian survey supplemented with shovel testing of the APE. Minimally, TRC excavated shovel tests within each of the Grasslands units at 30 m transect spacing with shovel test intervals no greater than 150 m. In certain instances, this number was increased during site recording to gather additional data on deposition. Shovel tests were approximately 30-to 40-centimeter (cm) (11.8inch) in diameter, and excavated to at least 80 centimeters in depth, the base of Holocene deposits, or impenetrable bedrock whichever was encountered first. Vertical control was maintained for each shovel test in arbitrary 10 cm levels. Excavated soils were screened through ¼-inch (6.25-millimeter [mm]) hardware mesh to ensure consistent artifact recovery. Standardized field notes were maintained for each shovel test describing location, soil depth, color, texture, stratigraphy, as well as the types of artifacts recovered. The location and results of all shovel tests were recorded on electronic forms created by TRC with Fulcrum, a mobile form builder and data collection program.
A total of 412 shovel tests were excavated during the archeological survey. Of these tests, 404 were negative for cultural materials. In addition to these tests, 65 points were recorded as "No Dig" locations due to ground disturbance, slope, or other impediment. Six shovel tests were positive for cultural materials. A total of three new archeological sites were recorded during the current investigations and the site boundary to previously recorded site 41WS105 was extended approximately 124 m northwest. As shovel testing at two of the new sites, 41WS160 and 41WS161, noted no buried cultural deposits and historic cultural materials were observable solely on the ground surface, these site boundaries were established by the mapping of the horizontal distribution of artifacts along the ground surface. However, the extended boundary to site 41WS105 and delineation of site 41WS159 were based on both the distribution of positive shovel tests and the horizontal distribution of artifacts on the ground surface.
Representative project overview photographs, site photographs, and in situ artifact and feature photographs were taken throughout the project. An artifact collection policy, as coordinated with the USFS, was followed for cultural materials identified during the survey. No standing structures over 45 years of age were observed within the APE. The final report, field notes, photographs, shapefiles, and associated paper and electronic records will be housed at the TRC office in Austin, Texas. Collected artifacts and the associated report and materials will be curated at the Center for Archaeological Studies in San Marcos, Texas. Ground surface visibility was poor, less than five percent in most places apart from sporadic areas of heavy erosion, and occasionally rising between approximately 10 to 30 percent in areas of savanna grassland. Soils within Unit 48 generally consisted of sandy loam (10YR 3/2) or sandy clay loam soils (7.5YR 5/2) from 0 to 30 centimeters below ground surface (cmbs) followed by clay B-horizon soils (5YR 6/4), and sandy clay soil (5YR 4.3) from 0 to 20 cmbs over a shallow bedrock layer in the southwest portion of the Grasslands unit. Deep sand (7.5YR 6/4) was noted in and around 41WS105 and typically went from 80 to 100 cmbs. Soils within Unit 62 generally consisted of silty clay loam (7.5YR 3/3) or clay loam (10YR 5/4) from 0 to 20 cmbs followed by shallow, reddish brown clay B-horizon soils (2.5YR 2.5/4). Shovel test depth was limited on several occasions due to heavily compacted soils. Soils within the savanna grassland portions of Unit 63 generally consisted of clay loam (10YR 3/6) from 0 to 30 cmbs with underlying red clay B-horizon soils (2.5YR 4/6). Soils within the wooded section of Unit 63 generally consisted of sandy loam (10YR 4/4) from 0 to 30 cmbs with underlying reddish-brown sandy clay (5YR 4/4) or red clay (2.5YR 4/8) B-horizon soils. Complete shovel test data is included as Appendix B.
Seven shovel tests were positive for cultural materials. A total of three new archeological sites were recorded during the current investigations and the site boundary to previously recorded site 41WS105 was extended approximately 124 m northwest. As shovel testing at two of the new sites, 41WS160 and 41WS161, noted no buried cultural deposits and historic cultural materials were observable on the ground surface, these boundaries were established by the mapping of the horizontal distribution of artifacts along the ground surface. Extended boundary to 41WS105 and delineation of 41WS159 were based on both the distribution of positive shovel tests and the horizontal distribution of artifacts on the ground surface. One isolated historic feature/structure, a galvanized steel windmill, was identified within Unit 63 along the southwest boundary near County Road (CR) 2648 (Appendix D).

Site 41WS105/08130800055 Extension
During the survey of Unit 48, previously recorded site 41WS105 was revisited to determine if additional cultural materials were present within or adjacent to the current site boundaries. The original site boundary is located on a slight ridge overlooking an unnamed tributary of Black Creek and measures approximately 6,420 square meters. 41WS105 was originally recorded during a seismic survey in 2010 on behalf of the Forest Service. The site was originally described as a light density prehistoric scatter on a slight finger ridge running roughly north-south and parallel to a tributary of Black Creek (Shaddox and Hall 2010). It is situated on the western edge of the ridge top and continues down the western slope towards the drainage. At that time, the only artifacts found at this site are described by the analyst as debitage, and very little could be said with no temporally or functionally diagnostic artifacts recorded and an absence of observed features. During the current survey, the site was revisited, and additional materials were found northwest and adjacent to the previously recorded site (Appendix D). The extension is located northwest of the previously recorded boundary with additional materials found in a clear-cut corridor with mixed hardwood forest on either side (Figure 6-4). Heavy slopes are present along the western boundary. The geology consists of Early Cretaceous Antlers Sand. The 1967 Geologic Atlas of Texas, Sherman Sheet notes that Antlers Sand is commonly found in Eastern part of Trans-Pecos and High Plains and consists of sand, clay, and conglomerate. The lower and upper parts are mostly sand, the middle part chiefly clay, and grades northward to interbedded sand and clay. Sand is fine to coarse grained, conglomeratic in lower part, clayey in upper part, and brownish-yellow. Conglomerate, chert, quartz, and quartzite are found as pebbles and granules. Thickness can be as much as 200 ft but is variable because of the irregular surface on which it was deposited. Soils in the area were found to be consistent with the USDA Web Soil Survey (2015) which classifies the soils as Patilo-Heaton fine sands with 3 to 12 percent slopes. These soils are characteristically very deep and located on gently sloping to strongly sloping uplands (USDA 1989). The typical soil profile documented during shovel testing consisted of dark brown sandy loam (10YR 4/2) from 0 to 20 cmbs overlying brown sand or sandy loam (10YR 5/3) from 20 to 100 cmbs, though occasionally terminating in reddish brown sand (5YR 4/4) between 60 to 80 cmbs. The site extension was delineated using 10 m and 20 m radial shovel tests in cardinal directions until two consecutive negative shovel tests were recorded. A total of 19 shovel tests were excavated and only three were positive for cultural materials ( Subsurface lithic debitage was predominantly found between 20 to 40 cmbs, though two pieces were found between 60 to 70 cmbs. The small amount of material and the lack of diagnostic artifacts seems to support the previous description of the site as a limited activity area. Because the site extension is located in a modified clear-cut corridor and no diagnostic artifacts were discovered during the survey, site 41DM273 has very limited research value and does not currently meet any of the criteria necessary for consideration as eligible for listing on the NRHP.

41WS159/08130800525
Site 41WS159 is an assemblage of historic cultural materials partially located within a mixed grass prairie setting with the eastern boundary of the site overlapping a small stand of mixed hardwood trees (Appendix D). The northeast boundary overlaps a channelized drainage that parallels the gravel road that leads to a pump station. A gate and dirt path parallels the drainage running, northwest to southeast (Figure 6-11). A transmission line corridor runs northeast to southwest and parallels CR 2648. The geology consists of Early Cretaceous Antlers Sand. The 1967 Geologic Atlas of Texas, Sherman Sheet notes that Antlers Sand is commonly found in Eastern part of Trans-Pecos and High Plains and consists of sand, clay, and conglomerate. The lower and upper parts are mostly sand, the middle part chiefly clay, and grades northward to interbedded sand and clay. Sand is fine to coarse grained, conglomeratic in lower part, clayey in upper part, and brownish-yellow. Conglomerate, chert, quartz, and quartzite are found as pebbles and granules. Thickness can be as much as 200 ft but is variable because of the irregular surface on which it was deposited. Topographically the area is uniformly flat. There was some evidence of push piles located in the wooded area perhaps related to the dirt road or channelized drainage. Subsoil consists of shallow, red clay typically found no deeper than 30 to 40 centimeters below surface. Measuring approximately 1,103 square meters in size, site 41WS159 is a small assemblage of historic artifacts found at surface and subsurface. The site was delineated using 10 m and 20 m cardinal radial shovel tests until two consecutive negative shovel tests could be established. Of the 20 recorded shovel tests only four were positive for historic cultural materials ( (2018), the milk glass shards likely date between 1870 and 1950. The colored glass shard appears to be citron green which dates to the last quarter of the 19th century. The colorless glass likely does not date prior to 1870, but is likely more recent than that (Toulouse 1969). Some modern trash left by hunters was found within the stand of trees. Push piles were also found within the stand of trees to the east, possibly associated with the channelized drainage or dirt roadway to the northeast. Archival research was conducted at the Wise County Clerk's office and the Wise County Heritage Museum to determine former occupation and to obtain any family history information regarding past property owners. According to an 1895 historic plat of Wise County Clerk 1903). According to family history records, John Barnett Howard and Lillie Caroline Chance moved to Texas at the turn of the century and purchased a farm two miles west of Greenwood (WCHSC 1982). This is the only written record of a farmstead located within the general vicinity of the artifact assemblage. The plot of land that J.B. Howard purchased was subsequently conveyed to J.T. Washburn in 1910 (Wise County Clerk 1910). James Thomas Washburn was born in 1868 and moved to Wise County around 1906 where he "farmed in the Greenwood community until Mrs. Washburn's death in 1931" (Wise County Messenger 1954). While this is a vague account, there is a good possibility that this is the same farm formerly owned by J.B. Howard. Noted impacts include natural erosion, as well as artificial impacts from the channelized drainage, dirt road, the installation of transmission line poles, and push piles located in the wooded area ( Figure 6-18). There is also anecdotal evidence from hunters in the area that a hunting interest group occasionally does trash clean up within the Grasslands units and may constitute an unintentional, artificial impact. Because of the small number of commonly found historic materials and several natural and artificial disturbances, site 41WS159 has very limited research value and does not meet any of the criteria necessary for consideration as eligible for listing on the NRHP.

41WS160/08130800526
Site 41WS160 is a small assemblage of historic cans and unknown metal artifacts. The site is located at the base of a western facing, eroded, gravel slope within the tree line to the west of a two-track road in the northern half of Unit 48 (Appendix D). It is situated in a relatively flat area in the mixed hardwood tree line. The geology consists of Early Cretaceous Antlers Sand. The 1967 Geologic Atlas of Texas, Sherman Sheet notes that Antlers Sand is commonly found in Eastern part of Trans-Pecos and High Plains and consists of sand, clay, and conglomerate. The lower and upper parts are mostly sand, middle part chiefly clay, and grades northward to interbedded sand and clay. Sand is fine to coarse grained, conglomeratic in lower part, clayey in upper part, and brownish-yellow. Conglomerate, chert, quartz, and quartzite are found as pebbles and granules. Thickness can be as much as 200 ft but is variable because of the irregular surface on which it was deposited. The site was discovered during systematic shovel testing of LBJ National Grasslands Unit 48. It consists of a concentration of sanitary cans, oil cans and unknown metal fragments. A possible hearth/campfire is located within the area, but heavy leaf litter limited ground surface visibility (Figure 6-19). As shovel testing at the site 41WS160 noted no buried cultural deposits and historic cultural materials were observable on the ground surface, these boundaries were established by the mapping of the horizontal distribution of artifacts along the ground surface. No artifacts were collected, and any diagnostic artifacts were documented and photographed in situ (Figures 6-20 -6-24).
There is some modern sheet metal in association with the can assemblage. According to Horn (2005)  Noted impacts include natural erosion of the sloped are immediately east of the site as well as bullet holes in the cans indicating impacts from hunters. The cans and metal artifacts are heavily rusted, and oxidation will likely continue. There is also anecdotal evidence from hunters in the area that a hunting interest group occasionally does trash clean up within the Grasslands units and may constitute an unintentional, artificial impact. Because of the small number of commonly found historic materials and several natural and artificial disturbances, site 41WS160 has very limited research value and does not meet any of the criteria necessary for consideration as eligible for listing on the NRHP.

41WS161/08130800527
Site 41WS161 is an assemblage of late 19 th or early 20 th century historic artifacts mixed with modern materials (Appendix D). Located northwest of and immediately adjacent to CR 2645, the site is in a sparse stand of mixed hardwood, young growth trees (Figure 6-25). There was some evidence of tree cutting and removal. Topographically, the area is uniformly flat. Open pasture is directly to the northwest of the sparse woodland. The geology consists of Early Cretaceous Antlers Sand. The 1967 Geologic Atlas of Texas, Sherman Sheet notes that Antlers Sand is commonly found in eastern part of Trans-Pecos and High Plains and consists of sand, clay, and conglomerate. The lower and upper parts are mostly sand, the middle part chiefly clay, and grades northward to interbedded sand and clay. Sand is fine to coarse grained, conglomeratic in lower part, clayey in upper part, and brownish-yellow. Conglomerate, chert, quartz, and quartzite are found as pebbles and granules. Thickness can be as much as 200 ft, but is variable because of the irregular surface on which it was deposited. The site was discovered during systematic shovel testing of LBJ National Grasslands Unit 62. The site appears to be a trash dump consisting of a concentration of recent historic and modern materials. The artifact assemblage includes bricks and cut stone, metal fragments, a fragmented stoneware crock, a plastic bottle, a plastic bag, and modern sheet metal ( Figures  6-26 -6-30). An active residence is located southwest of the site along CR 2645, and a storage shed is southeast of the site on the opposite side of County Road 2645. Shovel tests adjacent to the site were negative and indicated shallow, red, sandy clay loam/sandy clay subsoil at 40 cmbs or less. The site was delineated based on the surface assemblage. Three fragments of a blue and gray stoneware utilitarian vessel, likely a crock, were found amongst the assemblage. One of the sherds is decorated with two parallel, cobalt blue bands that run the circumference of the crock. The lack of additional diagnostic characteristics makes precise dating difficult. It is likely a 19th to early 20th century utilitarian vessel. Additionally, a brick fragment is stamped with "DENT…FIRE B…" The brick fragment may be associated with the Denton Pressed Brick Company established in 1901 and later acquired by the Acme Brick Company in 1912 (Beck 2016). Noted impacts include natural erosion in a small number of areas and roadway construction towards the southeast where the site coincides with CR 2645. There is also anecdotal evidence from hunters in the area that a hunting interest group occasionally does trash clean up within the Grasslands units and may constitute an unintentional, artificial impact and loss of site resolution. Because of the small number of commonly found historic materials, the presence of modern materials, and several natural and artificial disturbances, site 41WS161 has very limited research value and does not meet any of the criteria necessary for consideration as eligible for listing on the NRHP.

Isolated Feature -Windmill
An isolated feature, a galvanized steel framed windmill, was found along the northeast side of the northwest-southeast running CR 2648 within the boundaries of Unit 63 (Appendix D). Directly adjacent to the windmill was a galvanized steel modern stock tank (Figures 6-31 -6-35). The windmill is located within a sparse stand of mixed hardwood, young growth trees. The area immediately surrounding the windmill and stock tank had been cleared of trees and the windmill built on a slightly raised, graded surface approximately 7 m in diameter. Shovel testing adjacent to the isolated feature were negative for cultural features. The galvanized stock tank is labeled Farmaster and was a modern manufacturer of a various farm equipment headquartered in Columbus, NE. The company merged with Behlen Manufacturing Company in 1983 according to the company's history (Behlen Manufacturing 2019). Metal frame windmills span a broad range of time being first developed in 1876, increasing in popularity by the 1890s and declining in use over the course of the 1930s, 40s, and 50s as alternate technology was developed (National Park Service 2019). However, windmills for pumping water are still being used by small farms across the Great Plains. Given the presence of the Farmaster stock tank, it is likely that the windmill was constructed between the mid to late 20 th century. The galvanized steel windmill is a common design throughout the rural United States and has very limited research value and does not meet any of the criteria necessary for consideration as eligible for listing on the NRHP.

PROJECT SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The USFS is proposing to reconstruct perimeter fencing surrounding three Grasslands units located within the LBJ National Grassland in Wise County, Texas as implementation of the LBJ Prairie Savanna Restoration Project. This project is necessary to create a 40-foot fireline around LBJ National Grasslands units as these units are overgrown with dense vegetation and have limited to no mobility through them, posing a wildfire hazard. Impacts entail bulldozing to clear these perimeters of all trees and other woody vegetation, both above and below ground and new fence construction including utilization of metal tposts and the use of an auger to drill into the ground to set metal corner posts and concrete bracing. As part of the proposed perimeter fence reconstruction, the USFS has contracted with TRC to perform an inventory of cultural resources within three proposed Grasslands units (Units 48, 62, and 63) which includes background and historic research, archeological field survey, site delineation, a determination of the condition of recorded cultural resources, and recommendation of eligibility for listing on the NRHP).

Project Recommendations
A background review prior to fieldwork depicted no recorded SALs, NRHP-eligible or listed properties, or cemeteries located within or adjacent to the APE. TRC archeologists performed systematic shovel testing, pedestrian survey, and visual inspection at three Grasslands units (Units 48, 62, and 63) on October 31-November 8 and December 4 -6, 2019. During the investigations, a total of 477 shovel tests were recorded across the APE including No Dig shovel tests. Six shovel tests were positive for cultural materials. Three new sites were recorded within the APE and an extension to previously recorded site 41WS105 was delineated as a result of the survey. While the revisit of 41WS105 resulted in a small number of additional lithic artifacts, it did not yield any diagnostic artifacts that would indicate a specific temporal or cultural affiliation. The three new sites, 41WS159, 41WS160, and 41WS161, consist of historic cultural materials ranging between the late 19 th to the middle part of the 20 th century. In the case of 41WS161, there were a number of modern materials intermixed with the historic assemblage. In each case, there was evidence of a combination of natural and artificial impacts affecting the integrity of the assemblages. Boundaries for the 41WS105 extension and 41WS159 were based on both the distribution of positive shovel tests and the presence of cultural materials on the ground surface. As shovel testing at two of the new sites, 41WS160 and 41WS161, noted no buried cultural deposits and historic cultural materials were observable on the ground surface, these boundaries were established by the mapping of the horizontal distribution of artifacts along the ground surface. During the investigations an isolated historic windmill with an adjacent modern galvanized steel stock tank was encountered within Unit 63. The galvanized steel windmill is a common design throughout the rural United States and has very limited research value and does not meet any of the criteria necessary for consideration as eligible for listing on the NRHP. Based on the results of the survey, TRC recommends that no further investigations are necessary, and the project may proceed as planned.
In the event that any human or potential human remains are encountered during construction activities, all work should cease immediately in that specific area and the contractor shall notify local law enforcement, who in turn shall notify the local medical examiner's office. If these remains are not considered recent by the medical officer (i.e., most likely prehistoric in age), then TRC archeologists should be notified and THC contacted. This page intentionally left blank.