"Intensive Archeological Survey Of Old Airport Road At Burgess Creek In" by Brandon S. Young, Timothy B. Griffith et al.

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Article Title

Intensive Archeological Survey Of Old Airport Road At Burgess Creek In Parker County, Texas

Authors

Brandon S. Young
Timothy B. Griffith
Maryellen Russo

Agency

Texas Historical Commission

Abstract

On August 10 and 11, 2011, Blanton & Associates, Inc. (B&A) conducted an intensive non-collection archeological survey (augmented by backhoe trenching) at the request of Aguirre & Fields, LP and on behalf of the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) Ft. Worth District, of Old Airport Road at Burgess Creek in Parker County Texas (CSJ: 0902-38-062). Investigations occurred prior to proposed roadway improvements including the relocation of approximately 1,600 feet of Old Airport Road southwest of its existing location and a new bridge at Burgess Creek. Survey efforts discovered two historic archeological sites; 41PR147 and 41PR148. Site 41PR147 is a hand-dug water well and 41PR148 consists of three soil erosion control structures likely constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the mid to late 1930s. Given the lack of any unusual construction technique or design, no associated surface or subsurface artifact scatter, and no associated features, it is B&A’s opinion that 41PR147 cannot provide any new or important information and is not, therefore, eligible for inclusion to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) or worthy of State Archeological Landmark (SAL) designation. It is also the opinion of B&A that the NRHP and SAL eligibility of site 41PR148 is currently unknown. Based on the above data, B&A recommends that the proposed construction at 41PR147 should be allowed to proceed as planned without additional investigations, as no archeological historic properties eligible for inclusion to the NRHP or sites warranting SAL designation would be affected by the project. B&A further recommends that because the eligibility of site 41PR148 for inclusion to the National Register of Historic Places is currently unknown, it should be avoided by the proposed construction. No artifacts were collected during the current survey. Project records and a copy of the final report will be curated at the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) at The University of Texas at San Antonio.