Archeological Overview, Assessment, Identification, and Evaluation Study of Newly Acquired Lands at Antietam National Battlefield Maryland, Volume II and III

Louis Berger Group, Inc; John Bedell; Shellenhamer, Jason

This report describes the results of three years of archeological inventory and evaluation on newly acquired lands totaling 792 acres at the Antietam National Battlefield (ANTI). The work was carried out for the National Park Service, National Capital Region, and ANTI by The Louis Berger Group, Inc. The project is part of the Systemwide Archeological Inventory Program, which has been developed to address the requirements of the National Historic Preservation Act, Executive Order 11593, and the Archeological Resources Protection Act. Because the Antietam Battlefield has already been so well studied, the project focused on answering particular questions about certain properties rather than a broad exploration of the landscape. The survey focused on known historic-period farms and tenant houses, either still standing or shown on historical maps, and on recovering military artifacts from certain areas where particular information was sought about the battle. Metal detecting for battle-related artifacts showed that all of these properties have been intensely explored by amateur relic hunters, leaving only a sample for the archeologists to find. Testing around the standing farms was more promising. Domestic deposits dating to before the Civil War were found at all of the tested farm sites, including very rich deposits at the J. Poffenberger and Roulette farms. Overall an area of 805 acres was investigated by surface reconnaissance; 109.3 acres received more intensive exploration, 45.7 by shovel testing, 43.5 by metal detecting, and 20.1 by both methods. The first year of the program focused on background research and the archeological survey of five parcels with a total area of 374 acres. This entire area was investigated by surface reconnaissance; 39 acres received more intensive exploration, 19 acres by shovel testing, 19 acres by metal detecting, and 1 acre by both methods. Seven new archeological sites were defined: the Joseph Poffenberger Farm (Site 18WA594); the Poffenberger Tenant House (Site 18WA595); the Clip Tenant House (Site 18WA596); the Newcomer Tenant House (Site 18WA597); the Parks Floodplain Site (18WA598); the Pry House (Site 18WA599); and the Miller Farm Outbuilding (Site 18WA600). Three previously defined sites (18WA509, 18WA320, and 18WA438) received further investigation. The sites consist of four farmsteads with standing buildings, three tenancies without standing structures, a historic-period scatter that may be the remains of a demolished outbuilding, and two prehistoric lithic scatters. Only 16 battle-related artifacts were found, mainly shell fragments from pastures around the J. Poffenberger Farm, compared with more than 2,700 artifacts from historic period farms and tenancies. Low-lying terraces along Antietam Creek were explored to assess the potential for buried, stratified prehistoric sites in these locations. Shovel testing and the inspection of eroding banks both showed that these areas are mantled in deep deposits of historic-period sediment, built up behind the mill dams that once blocked Antietam Creek. The same situation was found in an earlier deep test near Burnside Bridge. Buried Holocene terraces may be present in some locations along the creek, but it will not be possible to locate them with shovel testing, and no such testing is recommended. A few prehistoric artifacts, all stone flakes, were found on bluffs overlooking Antietam Creek. The second year of the program focused on background research and the archeological survey of four parcels with a total area of 418 acres. This entire area was investigated by surface reconnaissance; more intensive investigations were carried out on 60 acres, 26.7 acres by shovel testing, 16 acres by metal detecting, and 17.3 acres covered by both methods. Four new archeological sites were defined: the John Otto Farm Site (18WA601), the Parks Farm Site (18WA602), the Parks Floodplain II Site (18WA603), and the Joseph Sherrick Farm Site (18WA604). The new sit

Archeological Overview, Assessment, Identification, and Evaluation Study of Newly Acquired Lands at Antietam National Battlefield Maryland, Volume II and III

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