Article Title

An Archaeological Survey of the Proposed Fannin County Bridge Study Areas Fannin County, Texas

Authors

Molly A. Hall
Nick Coleman
Joy C. Tatem

Agency

Texas Historical Commission

Abstract

North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) is proposing to construct the Lower Bois d’Arc Creek Reservoir in northeast Fannin County, Texas. Due to the proposed inundation, nine bridge/culvert locations will be inundated, and new bridges/culverts will be constructed. White Hawk, which is handling the engineering for the project, contracted with AR Consultants, Inc. to evaluate the proposed bridge locations to determine if significant cultural resources are within the study areas. Prior to and during the cultural resources survey, it was thought that 11 locations would be impacted and 11 were surveyed. After the survey was complete, it was determined that locations 4A and 8 would not be impacted by this project. Even so, the survey results for these two locations is included in this report. All road improvements and new construction will take place within a study area that can vary from 140 to 300 feet wide. In total, 112.11 acres were surveyed.

The routes were surveyed on August 29-31, 2016, January 30-February 2, and May 11 2017. During the survey, four historic sites (41FN253, 41FN255, 41FN256 and 41FN257) and one site (41FN254) with historic and prehistoric components were recorded. No historic artifacts were collected; prehistoric artifacts and notes from these sites will be curated at the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory at the University of Texas in Austin. As land access on private land was only granted within the easement, the sites on private land could only be fully defined, recorded, and evaluated within these corridors. Sites found on land owned by NTMWD were recorded fully. Because of this, site 41FN257, which sits on private land, was not fully recorded.

Therefore, only the portion of the site within the project area can be evaluated, and site 41FN257 is recommended not eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places or as a State Antiquities Landmark. Sites 41FN253, 41FN254, 41FN255, and 41FN256, which were recorded fully, are also recommended not eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places or as State Antiquities Landmark.

Given the results of this survey, AR Consultants, Inc. recommends that further cultural resource investigations are unnecessary for this project, and requests that the Texas Historical Commission concur with this recommendation.

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