Article Title

Intensive Cultural Resources Survey Of 53 Acres Along Seber Road In Harris County, Texas

Authors

J Bryan Mason
James Hughey
Ryan Van Dyke

Agency

Texas Historical Commission

Abstract

HRA Gray & Pape, LLC., of Houston, Texas performed an intensive archaeological pedestrian and reconnaissance-level walkover survey on an estimated 21.4-hectare (53-acre) property designated for residential development in Harris County, Texas. The project is being conducted on private property in anticipation of potential United States Army Corps of Engineers permitting requirements.

All fieldwork and reporting activities were completed with reference to the Texas Antiquities Code 26.24, Council of Texas Archeologists guidelines, federal (National Historic Preservation Act) laws and guidelines (United States Department of the Interior 1981), and guidance for conducting cultural resources surveys pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (Advisory Council on Historic Preservation 2001).

Site file research was completed using the online Texas Archaeological Sites Atlas maintained by the Texas Historical Commission. No previously recorded historic properties, historic markers, National Register of Historic Places, or archaeological sites were identified within a 1.6-kilometer (1-mile) radius during the background research. The review of the Texas Historical Commission files online did identify 2 areas that had been previously surveyed within the 1.6-kilometers (1-mile) search radius; however, these surveys did not identify archaeological resources.

Field investigations were conducted on March 10, 2014 and required approximately 48 person hours to complete. All fieldwork and reporting activities were conducted and completed with reference to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended and Texas survey Standards. The survey consisted of walkover, shovel testing, and photo-documentation of the permit area/Area of Potential Effects. Subsurface investigation included the excavation of 42 shovel tests, all of which were negative.

During this investigation, no new or previously identified archaeological sites were recorded. Shovel testing identified soil profiles that gave no indication of buried cultural horizons. One extant historic-age storage barn was identified along the northwestern boundary of the property. The structure, constructed sometime after 1944, includes walls made of lumber and the roof was constructed of corrugated metal. None of the construction materials or methods appeared to be of unique design.

Based on the negative results of this survey, HRA Gray & Pape, LLC. recommends no further cultural resources investigations within the property, and that the project be allowed to proceed as planned.

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