Phase II and Phase III Archaeological Database and Inventory
18CV480 CCNPP Site 7
Diagnostic Artifact Data
Features
Summary
Site 18CV480, also known as CCNPP Site 7 or GAI Site 7, is a mid 19th to early 20th century domestic site located on the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Facility in Calvert County, Maryland. The site occupies a broad rolling upland north of Goldstein Branch and is bounded by modern roads on the north and south. The site measures roughly 152 X 312 meters and encompasses a low-lying lower field and a larger upper field. The upper field is bisected by a gravel driveway. The site encompasses the location of the former “Parran’s Park” farmstead (MIHP# CT-58), which was largely demolished by the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BG&E) in 1972. Remaining structural elements of the farmstead include two 20th century frame tobacco barns, a shed, a modern metal garage, and a trailer. A gravel parking area surrounds the garage, trailer, and one of the tobacco barns and is accessed via the aforementioned gravel driveway. Soils at the site include Ingleside loamy sands and Matapeake loams.
The site was first investigated archeologically in late 2006 during a Phase Ib investigation of the property. The Phase Ib study was conducted because of the proposed expansion of the nuclear facilities at the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant. The project impact area included approximately 683 acres of former BG&E property south and west of the existing nuclear facilities. A new nuclear power generating facility would be constructed, along with ancillary facilities, temporary construction laydowns, and wetland and stream mitigation. As a result, Phase I survey was carried out throughout the 683 acre parcel, with many areas progressing to Phase Ib or Phase II levels of investigation. Since the Parran’s Park farmstead was documented in the Maryland Inventory of Historic Places (MIHP# CT-58), the site was immediately assessed at the Phase Ib level, since there was a significant possibility that intact deposits related to the farmstead were present.
Phase Ib investigations at 18CV480 consisted of systematic 15 m interval shovel testing (STPs) across the lower and upper fields, followed by radial STPs around positive finds and close-interval shovel testing in the vicinity of the easternmost tobacco barn. Both radial and close-interval STPs were spaced 5 m apart. Close interval shovel testing could not be conducted around the other tobacco barn (and nearby shed) because of the presence of the gravel parking lot and access road. STPs measured 50 cm in diameter and were hand-excavated in natural strata to at least 10 cm into the subsoil and 10 cm below the deepest point of artifact recovery. Excavated soils were screened through hardware mesh and field notes were recorded on standardized forms. A total of 140 STPs were excavated within the site, with 46 positive STPs producing 294 historic artifacts.
Shovel tests generally revealed an Ap-B soil horizon sequence, with artifacts recovered primarily from the A/Ap horizon. No cultural features were identified. Shovel testing did, however, document an artifact concentration in the area of the former Parran’s Park residence at the west end of the upper field. Nearly all systematic shovel tests excavated in this area were positive. Positive STPs were more scattered elsewhere. As mentioned previously, 294 historic artifacts were recovered during Phase I work. These artifacts are discussed in combination with the Phase II artifacts below. Diagnostics indicate a mid-19th to 20th century temporal affiliation for the site. Based on these findings, Phase II testing was recommended, which was subsequently carried out in 2007.
As part of the Phase II study, archival background research was conducted. Sites 18CV480 and 18CV482 (see associated synopsis report) are located within the same parcel of land in the nuclear plant expansions project area. Their ownership histories are identical from the early 20th century on. But prior to that, the parcel was two separate tracts: Locust Grove (also known as The Home Place) and the Wilson Farm. The boundaries between these two farms have disappeared from the landscape over time and are not illustrated in court records. Furthermore, the family that purchased and combined the two parcels in the early 20th century (the Goldsteins) also purchased other parcels which they subsumed into a single farm. Assigning each site singularly to either farm would be a dubious assertion at best. The two parcels are described jointly below.
Both tracts are believed to have originally been part of a large plantation/estate owned by the Somervell family. The Locust Grove tract was certainly part of the Somervell property, but the Wilson Farm is less certain. Joseph A Wilson acquired his farm by a deed that has been lost due to a fire in the Calvert County courthouse that destroyed many early records. However, Wilson was involved in the settlement of the Somervell estate and there is other historical evidence that suggests some familial connection between some of the Wilsons and the Somervells.
The Somervells had been in the area since the early 18th century and held a substantial estate. The 1850 Census identifies Alexander Somervell as a 44 year-old white male farmer, holding $20,000 worth of real estate, with a wife and 5 children. Furthermore, the Slave Schedule identified Alexander Somervell as the owner of 56 slaves. Historic mapping from 1862 identifies structures in the general vicinity of the site during the Somervell’s period of ownership, but the first map to show a house in the precise location of Site 18CV480 is a 1905 USGS quad map. The Locust Grove tract was passed from Alexander Somervell to his son Charles, and then to his wife Margaret. Again, the disposition of the tract that became known as the “Wilson Farm” is less certain.
At the death of Margaret E. Somervell, Locust Grove was transferred at private sale to a Willis G. Dowell by Joseph A. Wilson (an attorney in Prince George’s County), his son Joseph S. Wilson (the adjoining landowner), and the other executors of Margaret Somervell’s estate. The ownership of Locust Grove is in question between 1883 (when Dowell acquired it) and 1891, when Joseph S. Wilson, acting as a trustee for the sale, oversaw the sale of the parcel to a Morris C. Menghis. The property would then be sold to Joseph S. Wilson in February of 1892, who then sold it to James Locks and his wife July 28th, 1892. Joseph S. Wilson died in 1904.
The Locks would eventually sell most of the property (less two small lots) to a John W. Breeden on March 8, 1915. Breeden would, in turn, sell the property to Frederick C.H. Wessel in 1920. Wessel sold the tract to Goodman Goldstein in October of 1925, reuniting the tract with the Wilson Farm and other properties (much of which came out of the old Somervell estate).
Again, the Wilson Farm tract was acquired by a deed that was lost in the Calvert County courthouse fire. Records in a later equity case, however, record the transfer. Joseph A. Wilson (Joseph S.’ father) acquired the property from other members of the Wilson family and from individuals with the surname Dare; a name that provides a tenuous link between Wilson and the Somervells. Joseph A. Wilson died in 1888 and willed the property to his wife, Sarah. The date of her death is not recorded, but trustees for the sale of the farm took out advertisements in the Calvert Gazette and Calvert Journal. According to these advertisements, the farm featured “about ½ mile of waterfront, with a natural oyster bar opposite the dwellings, where most delicious oysters grow. The farm is improved by a large dwelling, two tobacco barns, and other buildings. The land is rolling, with some very productive bottom land. The location of the dwelling is ideal and would make a most delightful summer home”. Nonetheless, it appears that Joseph S. Wilson eventually acquired the property and may have lived there for a period. He is clearly a resident of Prince George’s County at other times as well. The “summer house” reference in the advertisement above may be telling.
Joseph S. Wilson died in 1904 and the property apparently passed to his brother Augustus S. Wilson. Augustus was apparently in the midst of financial difficulties at the time. In 1904, he defaulted on a mortgage and, thus, his creditors became party to a suit over the estate of Joseph A. Wilson. The ultimate outcome appears to have been the sale of the Wilson Farm tract in 1916 by a Thomas Van Claggett, John B. Gray, and Arthur Dowell, who had been appointed as trustees of the sale. The tract was sold to Goodman Goldstein who, again, reunited it with Locust Grove. The Goldstein Family would eventually sell the property to BG&E in 1967.
Phase II field investigations began with the excavation of 591 STPs at 4.6 meter (15 ft) intervals around structures of interest and 7.62 meter (25 ft) intervals across the rest of the site. STP excavation methods were the same as those utilized during the Phase Ib study. This was followed by excavation of judgmentally placed test units. The distribution of all artifacts from STPs showed a high density of artifacts in the area around just to the north and west of the metal garage. Aerial photographs from the early 20th century indicate that the garage was built atop the former farmhouse. This would place the artifact concentration in an area where small outbuildings were located between the house and a woodlot to the north. Lesser amounts of artifacts were recovered from elsewhere at the site.
Based on these data, 16 test units of varying sizes (30 X 90 cm up to 1.5 X 1.5 m), totaling 19.8 square meters (213 square feet), were opened up to investigate the area north and west of the metal garage. It was thought that structural remains, possible activity areas, yard areas, etc. might be located here because of the greater artifacts densities. Test units were typically hand-excavated by arbitrary 10 cm levels within natural strata to a minimum depth of 9.1 cm (.3 ft) into the B horizon and 9.1 cm below the last recovered artifact. Excavated soils were screened through hardware cloth and recovered artifacts were placed in bags labeled with the appropriate provenience information. Select diagnostic artifacts were point provenienced and bagged separately. Relevant data was recorded on standardized forms and measured profiles and photographs of one wall were used to document completed units in profile. Potential cultural features exposed during test unit excavations were troweled clean to clearly determine boundaries. Plan views and photographs were then taken before cross-sectioning of the feature for profiling. A portion (generally at least 3 liters) of the fill was collected as a flotation sample. The remainder of the feature fill was screened through hardware cloth. A measured drawing of the feature profile was then drawn before excavating and screening the remaining features fill. For large or linear features, only a portion of the feature was exposed and sampled during Phase II testing.
Excavations identified 17 distinct features within the domestic nucleus of 18CV480. Ten of these features fell in yard and hillslope north of the former farm house location. The features in this area included portions of an intact Ab horizon, four stone wall or pier sections, four postholes/molds, and demolition rubble. No evidence of the historic era house, buildings, or trees remains on the site. The level area where the house once stood was evidently bulldozed when the house was razed. Features in the area of the former house are limited in number and include a deep pit feature, the driveway, a possible building foundation pier, and four postholes/molds.
Geomorphological assessment of the Phase II results concluded that portions of the site have been disturbed by modern activities. The large upper field west of the former house location is actually an excavated basin that may have been used as a source of soil materials during power plant construction and has been used as a disposal area for water intake sediments during plant operation. The northern part of the test unit area also appears to have been excavated and then filled through earthmoving. Shovel testing within previously cultivated fields generally documented an Ap-Bt soil horizon sequence within eroded soils.
Phase Ib and Phase II investigations produced a combined assemblage of nearly 25,000 artifacts, all but 7 of which were historic or modern. The 7 prehistoric artifacts were non-diagnostic lithics. The historic items include 813 activity items, 7,902 architectural artifacts, 76 clothing items, 3 furniture items (1 decorative item, a piece of plaster, and a statuary part), 14,672 kitchen-related artifacts, 14 personal objects, 27 tobacco-related artifacts (25 white ball clay pie fragments, 1 stoneware pipe fragments, and 1 other item), 16 arms items (15 ammunition items and 1 gunflint), and 1,413 miscellaneous objects (all unidentifiable items). The activity items included 13 toys, 1 musical instrument, 7 recreation items, 18 household items, 431 pieces of lighting glass, 3 hand tools, 189 storage items (cans/tins), 95 machine parts, 1 automobile part, 18 miscellaneous small hardware objects, 5 writing-related items, and 32 miscellaneous activity items. The architectural assemblage includes 988 brick and block fragments, 3,472 pieces of mortar/cement, 9 pieces of roofing material, 7 pieces of flooring material, 1,023 window glass fragments, 2,382 nails or spikes (199 cut, 260 wire), 17 door parts, 2 plumbing parts, and 2 indeterminate architectural objects. Clothing items were 4 pieces of cloth, 34 clothing fasteners, a belt ore strap, 29 shoe parts, 1 sewing tool, and 7 other clothing-related items. Kitchen-related artifacts were 1,763 ceramic sherds, 97 pieces of decorative table glass, 45 tumblers/stemware fragments, 5,878 pieces of bottle/jar glass, 29 other glassware fragments, 1 piece of kitchenware (pots/ utensils), 224 pieces of bone, 6,628 pieces of shell, and 7 other kitchen-related artifacts. Identified ceramics include 12 pearlware sherds, 1,405 whiteware, 68 ironstone, and 30 yelloware sherds. The personal items encountered were 5 coins, 1 cosmetic object, 2 hygiene items, 2 jewelry objects, and 4 other personal items.
Excavations at 18CV480 revealed a mid-19th to 20th century domestic farmstead site. The nucleus of the site, represented by the house location and adjacent yard areas was centered in a 101 X 43 meter area near the extant metal garage. The habitation area is heavily disturbed, as much of the house area was mechanically stripped of it’s a horizon (along with artifacts) and lacks integrity. There are localized areas with good integrity on the northern end of the habitation area. The outlying tobacco barns, activity areas, and fields have a low density artifact scatter.
Excavations identified 17 cultural features within the domestic nucleus of Site 18CV480. In general, the former house location and the adjacent yard areas lack good integrity. The site was occupied for a long period and includes modern artifacts mixed with older artifacts. The site does not possess the potential to address important questions relating to the history of this region. The site should not be considered a significant archeological resource.
|
