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129.112:9 Archeological Collections. ARCHEOLOGICAL ClemsonUniversi PU9DC DOCU*A6*T$ MANAGEMENT DEPOSITORY ITEM COLLECTIONS 604 019 687 922 AT MAY 12 1992 a ADAMS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE MASSACHUSETTS ACMP Series No. 9 Archeology Branch Cultural Resources Center North Atlantic Regional Office National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Illustration on cover: 1828 depiction of the Adams Birthplaces, Adams National Historic Site, by Ann Gray (Massachusetts Historical Society). Archeological Management Collections at Adams National Historic Site Massachusetts ACMP Series No. 9 Darcie A. MacMahon Archeology Branch Cultural Resources Center North Atlantic Regional Office National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Boston, Massachusetts 1991 Preface and Acknowledgments This report is ninth in a series of Archeological Collections Management Project (ACMP) reports produced by the North Atlantic Regional Office of the National Park Service (NPS). The purpose of this project has been to process, catalog, prepare for storage, and analyze the uncataloged archeological collections at the Adams National Historic Site (Adams NHS). All of these collections were from a portion of the Park known as the Adams Birthplaces. The project has resulted in better-documented and more accessible collections, as well as a synthesis of the archeological work performed at the site. This report serves as a general guide for the collections, and for the interpretation of the archeological record as excavated to date. The collections were processed at the Eastern Archeological Field Laboratory in Charlestown, Massachusetts. As the result of reorganization in 1990, the name of the laboratory was changed to the Archeology Branch of the Cultural Resources Center (CRC), which serves the North Atlantic Region of the NPS. In order to avoid undue confusion, the laboratory will be referred to as the Archeology Branch throughout the text. Many people have contributed to the successful completion of this project. Myra Harrison, Manager of the CRC, and Linda Towle, Supervisor of the Archeology Branch of the CRC, have been true project proponents. Without their support, the ACMP would not be possible, and this volume would not have been published. Linda also read this volume, and her comments as an archeological colleague provided substantive contributions. At Adams NHS, Park Curator Judy Curtis helped with the logistics of the project and provided helpful information. I thank her also for her patience in seeing the volume come to completion. Other colleagues at the Cultural Resources Center have given invaluable assistance in every area. Architectural Conservator Carole Perrault generously shared her research on the Adams Birthplaces, most of which will be incorporated into her upcoming Historic Structure Report. Maria Capozzi and Doreen Crowe cataloged the collections, and Maria helped to answer questions about the data long after she had returned the collections to the Park. Grace Ziesing did a fine editing job on the volume, and compiled the manuscript into its publishable format. Louise DeCesare also helped in the final compilation of the manuscript, and in the production of some of the figures. Leslie Mead and Sarah Smith provided additional assistance in drafting the final figures. Last but not least, colleague Kurt Faust was responsible for drafting the preliminary figures for this report. Kurt passed away during the completion of the project, on the same day as the death of one of his favorite presidents—John Adams. This volume is dedicated to Kurt's memory, and to the joy that it has been to know and work with him. Darcie A. MacMahon MA Charlestown, August 18, 1991 iii Table of Contents Preface and Acknowledgements ui Table of Contents iy List of Figures vii List of Tables viii Introduction 1 The Archeological Collections Management Project 1 The Adams NHS Archeological Projects and Collections 5 Pratt and Pratt Project 6 Towle and Hsu Project 7 Historical Background 8 Ownership and Occupancy 8 Tenant Activities 9 The Birthplaces Grounds 9 Project Methodology 10 Prior Condition of the Collections 10 Pratt and Pratt Collection 10 Towle and Hsu Collection 11 ACMP Provenience System 11 Pratt and Pratt Collection 11 Towle and Hsu Collection 12 Collections Processing and Storage 12 ACMP The Classification System 15 Design and Format 15 Artifact Categories 16 Summary 18 The Automated National Catalog System and Adams NHS Computer Files 19 Cataloging Associated Collection Documentation 19 ACMP Map Construction 20 ACMP Composite Excavation Plan -20 Geophysical Maps 20 Collections Summary 21 Accession #36, The Pratt and Pratt Collection 21 Artifact Collection Contents 21 Collection Documentation 21 Provenience Problems 22 Missing Artifacts 23 iv Field Methods 24 Artifact Classification Differences 24 Accession #37, the Towle and Hsu Collection 24 Artifact Collection Contents 24 Artifact Conservation 25 Collection Documentation 25 Missing Artifacts 25 Field Methods 26 Classification Differences 26 Prior Research Results 27 Weston Geophysical Survey 27 Pratt and Pratt Survey 27 Field Methods 28 Cultural Features 32 Testing the Geophysical Results 39 Test Pit Data Results 44 Towle and Hsu Excavation 44 Field Methods 45 Cultural Features 45 Artifact Analysis 47 Reconstructed Vessels 48 ACMP Evaluation 49 Evidence of Structures 49 A Feature 49 Feature B 51 Feature C 53 Feature D 56 Feature E 57 Feature F 58 Summary 58 Geophysical Evidence for Additional Structures 59 Additional Outbuildings in Historical Documents and Images 59 Adams Period Deposits 60 Probate Data from Early Site Periods 64 Evidence of Other Site Activities 65 Shoemaking at the Birthplaces 65 Summary 68 Site Disturbances 68 Management Summary 71 Collections Summary 71 ACMP Evaluation 71 Recommendations 74 References Cited 75 Appendices Appendix 1. Archeological Collections Management Tables for Adams NHS .... 83 Appendix 2. Ownership and Occupancy of the Adams Birthplaces 89 Appendix 3. Adams NHS Archival Materials by Accession Number 95 Appendix 4. ACMP Cataloging Flow Chart 99 ACMP Appendix 5. Artifact Definitions 115 Appendix 6. Catalog Placement of Miscellaneous Items 143 Appendix 7. Adams NHS Summary Artifact Inventory 147 Appendix 8. Missing/Extra Artifacts in the Pratt and Pratt Collection 157 Appendix 9. Missing/Extra Artifacts in the Towle and Hsu Collection 169 Appendix 10. Letter from Geosight to NPS Chief of Cultural Resources Re: Geophysical Survey Results 173 VI List of Figures 1. U.S.G.S Topographic Map, Showing Locations of Adams NHS 2 2. 1991 ACMP Photograph of the John Adams Birthplace, Looking North 3 3. 1991 ACMP Photograph of the John Quincy Adams Birthplace, Looking West ... 4 ACMP 4. Composite Excavation Plan 13 5. Photograph Showing an ACMP Storage Box and Bag 16 6. Flow Chart of NPS Archeological Classification 17 7. ACMP Composite Map Showing Resistivity Anomalies 29 8. ACMP Composite Map Showing Ground Radar Anomalies 30 9. Overall View of Pratt and Pratt Excavation 31 10. Photograph of Cased Well, Square 27 32 11. Plan Map of Cased Well, Square 27 33 12. Photograph of Brick Floor in Cellarhole at the John Quincy Adams Birthplace 34 . . 13. Plan and Profile Maps of Cellarhole at the John Quincy Adams Birthplace 35 14. Plan of Square 15 36 15. Profile of Squares 4 and 15 38 16. Photograph of Squares 4 and 15 39 17. Plan Maps of Possible Foundation in Square 25 40 18. Photograph of Square 25 41 19. Photograph of Square 24 42 20. Photograph of Square 18 43 21. Pratt and Pratt Test Pit Artifact Density Map 45 22. Pratt and Pratt Test Pit Date Map 46 23. Photograph of Cellarhole at the John Quincy Adams Birthplace 47 24. Photograph of Cellarhole Foundation at the John Quincy Adams Birthplace .... 48 25. 1828 Depiction of the Birthplaces by Ann Gray 50 26. 1849 Engraving of the John Quincy Adams Birthplace 51 27. Historic Photograph (Mid-1890s) of the John Quincy Adams Birthplace 52 28. Plan and Profile Maps of Square 8 54 29. Historic Photograph (Early 1880s) of the John Adams Birthplace 55 30. Historic Photograph (Early 1880s) of the John Adams Birthplace 56 31. Engraving from 1893 Showing the John Adams Birthplace 57 ACMP 32. Computer Diagram of the Distribution of Early Ceramic Wares 62 33. ACMP Map Showing the Distribution of Early Ceramic Wares 63 34. ACMP Map of Known Modern Ground Disturbances 69 vn List of Tables 1. ACMPs Conducted to Date 5 2. Collections Summary 22 3. Interpretation of Anomalies Identified in the Geophysical Survey 28 4. Major Features from the Pratt and Pratt Survey 31 5. Correlation of Significant Geophysical Anomalies with Archeological Results ... 44 6. Nail Assemblage in the Vicinity of Feature B 53 7. Ceramic Types used as 17th- and 18th-Century Indicators 61 8. Leather in the Adams Birthplaces Assemblage 67 Vlll