DTIC ADA375680: Cultural Resources Survey of a Proposed Construction Area Along the Vermilion River, Lafayette Parish, Louisiana

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by  Defense Technical Information Center

CULTURAL RESOURCES SERIES
Report Number: CEMVN/PM-00/02
11 ill
U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers
New Orleans District
CULTURAL RESOURCES SURVEY OF
A PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION AREA
ALONG THE VERMILION RIVER,
LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA
Final Report
January 2000
Coastal Environments, Inc.
1260 Main Street
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Prepared for:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
New Orleans District
(Contract No. DACW29-97-D-0017,
Delivery Order No. 0012)
20000331 069
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A
Approved for Public Release
DTic QUALITY INSPECTED 3 Distribution Unlimited
Unclassified
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PAGE
REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved
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1a REPORT SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 1b. RESTRICTIVE MARKINGS
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4. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER(S) 5. MONITORING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBERS
CEMVN/PM-00/02
6a NAME OF PERFORMING ORGANIZATION 6b. OFFICE SYMBOL 7a NAME OF MONITORING ORGANIZATION
Coastal Environments, Inc. (If applicable) U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
CEI New Orleans District
6c. ADDRESS {City, State, and ZIP Code) 7b. ADDRESS (City, State, and ZIP Code)
1260 Main Street P.O. Box 60267
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802 New Orleans, Louisiana 70160-0267
8a NAME OF FUNDING/SPONSORING 8b. OFFICE SYMBOL PROCUREMENT INSTRUMENT IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
ORGANIZATION (If applicable) Contract No.DACW29-97-D-0017
same as 7a Delivery Order No. 0012
8c. ADDRESS (City, State, and ZIP Code) 10. SOURCE OF FUNDING NUMBERS
PROGRAM PROJECT NO. TASK NO. WORK UNIT
same as 7b ELEMENT NO. ACCESSION NO.
N /A Civil Work Funded
11. TITLE (Include Security Classification)
Cultural Resources Survey of a Proposed Construction Area Along the Vermilion River, Lafayette Parish, Louisiana.
12. PERSONAL AUTHOR(S)
Katherine M. Roberts
13a TYPE OF REPORT 13b. TIME COVERED 14. DATE OF REPORT (Vear, Month, Day) 15. PAGE COUNT
Final FROM 1999 TO 2000 2000 January 31 53
16. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
17. COASTI CODES 18. SUBJECT TERMS (Continue on reverse if necessary and identify by block number)
FIELD GROUP SUB-GROUP Lafayette Parish Flood Wall Teche Street Site
05 06 Vermilion River Demanade Park Subdivision Demanade Boulevard
Holocene Point Bar Auger Borings Marksville Period,
Deposits Baytown Period,
Plaquemine Period
19. ABSTRACT (Continue on reverse if necessary and identify by block number)
This study presents the results of a cultural resources survey conducted by Coastal Environments, Inc., (CEI) along the right-
of-way (ROW) for a proposed flood wall located on the west bank of the Vermilion River in the city of Lafayette, Lafayette Parish, Louisiana.
The flood wall is part of a larger project undertaken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), New Orleans District, to construct flood-
control devices along the Vermilion and its tributaries. The study area extends for 823 m along the Vermilion River, encompasses 12,345 m2
(3.05 acres), and includes part of an existing site, 16LY55. Fieldwork for this project, consisting of an intensive pedestrian survey in which
auger borings were excavated every 10 meters, was conducted by a three-person team.
Remains of a previously recorded site (i.e., Teche Street—16LY55), as well as what has been designated a new site (i.e..
Demanade Boulevard—16LY99), were encountered. At the Demanade Boulevard site, prehistoric remains can be tied to the early Marksville
period and the Coles Creek period. Ceramic data from the Teche street site suggest that the main occupation occurred between A.D. 200
and A.D. 500 (late Marksville through early Baytown periods). Small quantities of ceramics dating between A.D. 1200 and 1400,
indicative of a Plaquemine occupation, were also recovered. Both sites are considered potentially eligible for inclusion in the National
Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and further work is recommended.
20. DISTRIBUTION AVAILABILITY OF ABSTRACT 21. ABSTRACT SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
|x] UNCLASSIFIED/UNLIMITED QsAMEASRPT. Q DTIC USERS Unclassified
22a NAME OF RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL 22b. TELEPHONE (Include Area ) 22c. OFFICE SYMBOL
Kenneth Ashworth [phone] CELMN-PD-RN
DD Form 1473, JUN 86 Previous editions are obsolete. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PAGF
Unclassified
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
NEW ORLEANS DISTRICT. CORPS OF ENGINEERS
RO. BOX 60267
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA 70160-0267
REPLY TO
ATTENTION OF:
January 18, 2000
Planning, Programs, and
Project Management Division
Environmental Planning and
Compliance Branch
To The Reader:
This cultural resource effort was designed and guided by the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, as part of our
cultural resource management program. The author conducted an
intensive pedestrian survey and testing investigation of a
proposed floodwall project along the Vermilion River in Lafayette
Parish. We concur with the author's findings and recommendations.
The Louisiana State Historic Preservation Officer also concurs
with authors' conclusions and recommendations.
(POCÄNx &Xr^-)
Joan Exnicios David Carney
Contracting Officer 's Acting Chief, Environmental
Representative Planning and Compliance
Branch
CULTURAL RESOURCES SURVEY OF A PROPOSED
CONSTRUCTION AREA ALONG THE VERMILION RIVER,
LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA
Final Report
by
Katherine M. Roberts
January 2000
Prepared for:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
New Orleans District
(Contract No. DACW29-97-D-0017,
Delivery Order No. 0012)
Coastal Environments, Inc. ft(M*u/& &&*»&-.
1260 Main Street Richard A. Weinstein
Baton Rouge, Louisiana Principal Investigator
ABSTRACT
This study presents the results of a cultural resources survey conducted by Coastal
Environments, Inc., (CEI) along the right-of-way (ROW) for a proposed flood wall located on
the west bank of the Vermilion River in the city of Lafayette, Lafayette Parish, Louisiana. The
flood wall is part of a larger project undertaken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE), New Orleans District, to construct flood-control devices along the Vermilion and its
tributaries. The study area extends for 823 m along the Vermilion River, encompasses
12,345 m2 (3.05 acres), and includes part of an existing site, 16LY55. Fieldwork for this
project, consisting of an intensive pedestrian survey in which auger borings were excavated
every 10 meters, was conducted by a three-person team.
Remains of a previously recorded site (i.e., Teche Street—16LY55), as well as what has
been designated a new site (i.e., Demanade Boulevard—16LY99), were encountered. Auger
borings containing probable midden deposits, and bankline profiles with artifact-bearing, old A
horizons, indicate the presence of intact cultural strata at both sites. At the Demanade Boulevard
site, sherds of Baytown Plain, var. unspecified as well as of Baytown Plain, cf. var. Marksville,
and a Scallorn-like point indicate that two potential occupations can be recognized. The first,
between A.D. 1 and A.D. 200, can be tied to the early Marksville period, based on the probable
sherds of Baytown Plain, cf. var. Marksville. The late occupation most likely dates to some
time within the Coles Creek period (ca. A.D. 700 to 1200), based on the Scallorn-like arrow
point. The unspecified sherds of Baytown Plain probably also are associated with this late
occupation. Ceramic data from one bankline profile at the Teche street site suggest that the
main occupation occurred between A.D. 200 and A.D. 500 (late Marksville through early
Baytown periods). Small quantities of ceramics dating between A.D. 1200 and 1400, indicative
of a Plaquemine occupation, were also recovered. Both sites are considered potentially eligible
for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). It is recommended that
further work involving test excavation and site delineation be conducted at the sites in order to
gather additional data that can be utilized in providing definitive NRHP eligibility
determinations.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT ii
LIST OF FIGURES iv
LISTOFTABLES v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS \I
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1
Project Location and Description 1
Plan of the Report 1
CHAPTER2: ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING 4
Geology and Geomorphology 4
Biota 4
CHAPTER 3: CULTURAL SETTING 10
The Aboriginal Past 10
Paleo-Indian Period, Prior to 6000 B.C 10
Early Archaic Period, 6000-5000 B.C 12
Middle Archaic Period, 5000-3000 B.C 12
Late Archaic Period, 3000-1500 B.C 13
Poverty Point Period, 1500-500 B.C 13
Tchula Period, 500 B.C.-A.D. 1 13
Marksville Period, A.D. 1-400 16
Baytown Period, A.D. 400-700 17
Coles Creek Period, A.D. 700-1200 17
Mississippi Period, A.D. 1200-1700 18
Historic Aboriginal Period 20
Historic European Period 20
CHAPTER 4: PREVIOUS RESEARCH
CHAPTER5: FEELDWORK 21
General Methods 21
Results 21
Auger Borings 22
Bankline Profiles 25
Artifacts and Interpretation 26
CHAPTER 6: RECOMMENDATIONS 38
REFERENCES 39
in
LIST OF FIGURES
1. General location of project area 2
2. Specific location of project area 3
3. Aboriginal culture sequence for southern Louisiana 11
4. Location of auger borings and bankline profiles within
project area 22
5. Representative auger borings from project area 24
6. Bankline Profile Number 1 26
7. Bankline Profile Number 2 27
8. Occurrence of prehistoric artifacts and estimated site
boundaries within the project area 34
9. Lithics from the project area 36
10. Ceramics from the project area 37
IV
LIST OF TABLES
1. Recent Historic Artifacts and Other Materials from the
Project Area 28
2. Prehistoric Artifacts from the Project Area 31
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Richard Weinstein, archaeologist at CEI, served as Principal Investigator for this project.
He contributed to the basic research design and aided in mapping. Doug Wells, Don Hunter,
and David Kelley, also of CEI, and Jon Gibson, of the University of Southwestern Louisiana,
provided useful interpretive advice throughout this project. Ken Ashworth of the New Orleans
District USACE helped with details about the project area. John Dennis and Steve Füllen, in
addition to the author, comprised the field crew. Curtis Latiolais and Cherie Schwab served as
draftsman and report-production specialist, respectively.
VI
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Project Location and Description
Coastal Environments, Inc., (CEI) was contracted by the New Orleans District of the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to conduct a cultural resources survey along a short
stretch of land situated on the west bank of the Vermilion River (Figure 1). This location
encompasses a portion of the Demonade Park subdivision in Lafayette, Louisiana, and is the
location of a proposed flood wall to be constructed by the USACE. The survey area extends
2,700 ft (823 m) along the river and is 50 ft (15 m) wide. The maximum total area encompasses
135,000 ft2 (12,345 m2) (Figure 2). Fieldwork for this project, consisting of an intensive
pedestrian survey, the systematic excavation of a series of auger borings, and the clearing of
selected bankline profiles, was conducted by a three-person survey team.
While neither the centerline of the proposed levee nor the boundaries of the ROW had
been identified on the ground prior to the field investigations, a line of pin flags was present in
the northern portion of the project area, and these appeared to follow the route of the ROW. It
was decided to utilize these flags as the axis along which the auger borings would be placed.
The pin flags marked the location of a proposed drain line that will be installed parallel to the
levee on its landward side (see Figure 4, below). Thus, although most of the auger borings
eventually were placed west of the levee centerline, they all occur within the project ROW and,
as will be seen, provide excellent data on potential site locations.
Plan of the Report
Chapter 2 provides a review of the environmental setting of the project area, including
discussions of landscape, soils, vegetation, and fauna. Chapter 3 discusses previous
archaeological research in the general project area and adjacent regions considered pertinent to
this study. Chapter 4 provides an overview of the cultural setting of this portion of south
Louisiana, beginning with a prehistoric chronology based on regionally synthesized data, and
concludes with a synopsis of the historic and modern periods. Chapter 5 describes the research
design and method of investigation, as well as the results of field investigations. Chapter 6
offers a summary of the survey portion of the project and recommendations for future research.