Artifact Category

Test Unit No. Level Count Color Identification Comments
Ceramics, cont.
Test Unit 2 6-16 1 — whiteware —_—
2 —_— kaolin ? unglazed white clay decorative piece with geometric design
16-26 ] — whiteware _—
36-46 1 — whiteware —
Test Unit 3 10-20 } —_— porcelain —
4 — whiteware —_—
I — roof tile red roof tile fragment
20-30 2 — whiteware —
1 — stoneware —
30-40 Z —_ porcelain _—
40-50 12 — whiteware 9 pieces fit together (cup plate) with decal flower design
50-60 1 — whiteware —
70-80 1 — stoneware —
80-90 2 — whiteware —
Clothing
Test Unit | 0-10 1 — snap metal outer ring with plastic disc in center, complete
10-20 1 — snap ? cuprous
bp 1 —_— button ceramic, white, two-hole, 20 lignes, complete
4 — buttons 4 freshwater shell fragments forming 2 buttons, both are two-hole, 22 lignes
40-50 1 — button plastic, white, four-hole, 24 lignes, complete
Test Unit 2 6-16 I — button fragment of shell button, approximately 20 lignes
Test Unit 3 0-10 ] — snap ? cuprous snap or button fragment
30-40 1 — button ceramic, white, four-hole, 24 lignes, complete
40-50 2 — button fragments of freshwater shell, two-hole, 24 lignes
50-60 1 — shank button ferrous shank, ceramic? domed head, mostly complete
1 — snap cuprous snap
Building Materiats
Test Unit 1 20-30 1 —_— slate
30-40 1 — brick half of a red brick with /FREDO.../ (Fredonia Brick)
Test Unit 2 0-6 2 — floor tile ceramic ? floor tile
16-26 3 — plaster plaster sample
2 — brick red brick sample
] — limestone burned limestone sample
26-36 5 — plaster plaster sample
I — brick red brick sample
36-46 4 — brick red brick sample

© OOOO OOO OOOO OOOOH OOOHOOOOOOOOOH8OOHOOOCED



strata. The shell blank may represent a secondary deposit, having been moved from its original location
during construction of the school.

The deepest stratum containing cultural material (70-110 cmbs) was formed of dark clay loam. This
was the original surface present when Euroamericans first settled the area. Artifacts found in this stratum
are primarily residential items and are probably associated with residences present before the Board of
Education purchase of Lots 525 and 527 in 1926. Artifacts from this original surface include window
glass, medicine bottles, ink bottles, nails, freshwater shell, animal bone, whiteware, bricks, and mortar.
The datable items indicate use of this lot since the late nineteenth century (Table 2).

It is possible that a feature such as a well, cistern, or privy once stood on or near the location of Test
Unit 1. However, since no definable structure remnants were located, additional investigations here would
be needed to fully confirm or deny the presence of such structural remains. The size and amount of fer-
rous material could account for at least part, if not all, of the geophysical anomaly.

Test Unit 2

Test Unit 2 was placed over a second geophysical anomaly. This anomaly appeared during the mag-
netic survey of the area south of the school. It registered as a strong magnetic anomaly that was thought
possibly to be a historic feature. The test unit was located using the same reference point as Test Unit 1,
the junction of the two sidewalks. From this intersection, the northeast corner of Test Unit 2 was 30 me-
ters west and 16 meters south. The unit extended 2 meters west and 1 meter south. This location places
Test Unit 2 near the west end of Lot 529 (Figures 1 and 8). The earliest map of the lot is the 1913 Sanborn
fire insurance map. The map shows a single residential structure near the east end of the lot (Figure 4),
which is identified as Structure 18 in Table 1 and Figure 1. The 1945 Sanborn map does not show this
structure because it was removed after the lot was acquired by the Monroe School. It was thought the
geophysical anomaly could be a well, privy, or cistern associated with the residence.

The uppermost strata in Test Unit 2 were quite similar to those in Test Unit 1. A thin sod layer over-
lies the gravel of the former playground. Below the gravel was mottled red and tan clay to 40 cmbs. Some
building materials were found in this unit but the fragments were smaller and less numerous than in Test
Unit 1. Below the mottled red and tan stratum was approximately 40 cm of very compact, blocky gray
clay. The clay appeared to be sterile and was removed without screening the lower two thirds of the layer.
The origin of this clay is unknown, possibly fill from the construction of a basement or foundation.

Beneath the gray clay, and also deepest stratum containing cultural material (87-97 cmbs), is the
same dark clay loam noted in Test Unit | that is thought to be the historic ground surface. This layer con-
tained glass, ferrous metal, and whiteware but in much smaller quantities than in Test Unit 1. The small
quantity of artifacts in Test Unit 2 (Lot 529) as compared to Test Units 1 and 3 (Lots 525 and 527) seems
to suggest that Lot 529 was kept much cleaner, with little debris scattered around the lot. This is supported
by the geophysical survey, which showed a distinct difference among the lots. Lot 529 showed far fewer
anomalies than the other two lots (Nickel and Hunt 2002).

A large piece of rectangular rebar in the west wall of the unit and much metallic slag could account
for the geophysical anomaly at this location. No features or structural remains were noted during the ex-
cavation of Test Unit 2.

Test Unit 3

Test Unit 3 (Figures | and 8) was situated to investigate a geophysical anomaly noted during the
magnetometer survey. The anomaly appears to correspond to the location of Structure 17 (Table 1 and
Figure 1). Structure 17 first appears on the 1913 Sanborn fire insurance map as an L-shaped building lo-
cated at the east end of Lots 525 and 527, south of the current Monroe School building (Figure 4), The
northeast corner of Test Unit 3 was 9 meters west and 4 meters south of the same sidewalk juncture as
described above. This test unit extended 2 meters south and 1 meter west.

0 OOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOEOOSESD


Conclusions

The 1999 geophysical survey and the 2000 excavations indicate that remains of structures dating to
the late nineteenth century still exist on the grounds of BRVB. At least part of the basement floor of the
first Monroe School, constructed in 1874, has been proven to be intact. It is likely that remnants of some
of the 17 other structures that once existed here can still be located. All of the structures are listed in Ta-
ble 1, and their spatial relationships to each other can be seen in Figure 1. Additional investigations
would be required to determine the limits, integrity, and significance of these remains, including the first
Monroe School building.

The proximity of the remains of the first Monroe School to the current school structure, approxi-
mately 4 meters north of the north wall, warrants caution when ground-disturbing activities occur north of
the existing school. Further excavations in this area would be needed to determine the limits and integrity
of the foundation of the first school.

Both the geophysical investigations and the current excavations revealed a higher density of artifacts
and anomalies in Lots 525-527 than in Lot 529. The “noisy” character of Lots 525-527 may be due to
their closer proximity to the Monroe School. Removal of various structures prior to the construction of the
school, as well as the construction of the school itself, may have resulted in more debris being deposited
on these lots than on the more distant Lot 529. It is also possible that the owners of the respective lots
prior to acquisition by the school took differential care in picking up debris or used their lots differently.

It is also possible that a small cottage industry—production of freshwater shell buttons—by the fam-
ily occupying Lots 525-527 resulted in the deposition of more debris on these lots than was deposited in
the neighboring, purely residential, lot. A combination of a cottage industry and the construction debris
could also account for the geophysical “noise” seen on the two lots.

If a cottage industry did indeed exist on this property, it would provide a significant and interesting
glimpse of one aspect of life in the Monroe School neighborhood during the late nineteenth and early

twentieth centuries.

Additional investigations on the school grounds would provide information concerning the African
American community and its lifestyle at the time of the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka \awsuit
and earlier, including the first people to live on the land known as the Ritchie Tract. Furthermore,
conducting additional investigations would aid BRVB staff in future planning by providing information
concerning the kinds, locations, and conditions of cultural materials present on the property.

17



This report has been reviewed against the criteria contained in 43CFR Part 7, Subpart A,
Section 7.18 (a) (1) and, upon recommendation of the Midwest Regional Office
and the Midwest Archeological Center, has been classified as

Available
Making the report available meets the criteria of 43CFR Part 7, Subpart A, Section 7.18 (a) (1).

eee

|


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Artifact Category Level Count Color Identification Comments
Test Unit No. ;

Building Materials, cont.

Test Unit 3 10-20 2 — slate slate sample
20-30 ] — slate slate sample
40-50 1 — slate slate sample
60-70 1 — slate slate sample
Hardware and Nails
Test Unit 1 10-20 3 — wire nail ferrous
3 — nail unidentified nail fragments
3 — ? ferrous fragments
I — crown cap fragment
I — ? cuprous fragment
15-20 \ — wire nail from red clay layer, E % of unit.
20-28 9 — nail unidentified nail fragments
3 — ? ferrous fragments
2 — wire nail ferrous
20-30 4 — ? ferrous fragments
4 — nail unidentified nail fragments
7 — wire nail ferrous
28-30 10 — wire nail ferrous
ae 4 — nail unidentified nail fragments
7 —_ ? ferrous fragments
3040 6 — wire nail from red clay layer, E % of unit
3 — nail unidentified nail fragments
1 — wire nail W % of unit
2 — nail unidentified nail fragments, from W % of unit
4 — ? ferrous fragments
40-50 1 — nail unidentified nail fragments
1 — ? ferrous fragment
50-60 2 — nail unidentified nail fragments
60-70 5 — nail unidentified nail fragments
70-80 ] — bolt carriage bolt
38 — nail unidentified nail fragments
1 — wire nail ferrous
7 — ? ferrous fragments
80-90 2 — wire nail ferrous
20 — nail unidentified nail fragments
1 — washer ferrous
4 — ? ferrous fragments
90-100 5 — wire nail ferrous
8 — nail unidentified nail fragments
13 — ? ferrous fragments
100-105 1 = wire nail ferrous



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Figure 2. Map of the study area, 1889
Sanborn Perris Map Co. Ltd.

. The first Monroe School and seven other structures are present; adapted from

22

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A

rtifact Category Level Count Color Identification Comments
Test Unit No.
Toys
Test Unit | 10-20 1 — G-Man ring _ part of child’s ring with /G Man /, metal, lead ?
1 white marble glass marble, complete
Test Unit 2 6-16 1 — airplane plastic toy airplane part
Test Unit 3 20-30 1 white marble clay marble, decaying
Bone and Shell
Test Unit 1 10-20 I — worked shell _ freshwater shell with 3 holes where button blanks were removed
10~20 14 — bone ee
20-28 1 — bone —
70-80 ] — shell freshwater shell fragment
70-80 1 — bone —
80-90 1 — bone —
Test Unit 2 6-16 7 — bone —
16-26 1 — bone —
26-36 2 — bone —
Test Unit 3 10-20 2 — bone —
20-30 ] — bone —
_ 60-70 1 — bone —
m 70-80 4 — bone —
Coins
Test Unit 3 70-80 i — nickel 1904 Liberty head nickel
Prehistoric
Test Unit 1 90-100 1 — debitage chert
Miscellaneous
Test Unit 1 10-20 1 — record small piece of vinyl record
30-40 1 — bullet deformed lead slug
90-100 1 — clock gear? cuprous gear, possibly from large clock
Test Unit 3 20-30 1 — ? rectangle of carbon?
40-50 1 —_ finial cuprous acorn shaped finial, possibly from curtain rod
I

— light bulb metal base from small light bulb (flashlight?)

_ OT" __ -rra—r————



Artifact Category

Test Unit No. Level Count Color Identification Comments
Curved Glass 10-20 2 ~ clear lamp chimney lantern chimney fragments
Test Unit 3 20-30 2 olive green bottle fragments
continued 1 aqua bottle 1 base fragment with /[N]O.../ or /[VJO/
2 aqua bottle 1 finish fragment; soda finish
22 ~~ clear bottle 2 milky fragments; 1 base with cup bottom mold and / 7 / on heel
30-40 2  sunaltered milk bottle 1 finish and neck, ca. 1880-1916 (Munsey 1970:55)
1 milk glass ? fragment
2 = ilight green bottle fragments
21 ~~ clear bottle 3 melted; 1 piece marked / [G]W /
40-50 13 clear bottle 2 base fragments
1 clear milk bottle finish and part of neck
1 sunaltered bottle parts of four letters; the only legible one is / O /, ca. 1880-1916 (Munsey 1970:55)
1 olive green _ bottle fragment
50-60 1 clear lamp chimney lantern chimney fragment
27 ~~ clear bottle fragments
1 clear medicine complete, with prescription finish, cup bottom mold, graduated CC scale on one side, dashes on
bottle other side and / 3ii / on front shoulder, / W.B.M. Co/ on base; 1880-1910 (Toulouse 1971:535)
1 clear ink bottle complete short, round ink bottle with continuous thread finish, post bottom plate mold
° 7 clear bottle all are part of same bottle, base is round with /3/
1 olive green _ bottle melted
5 aqua bottle fragments
52 1 clear ink bottle complete short, round ink bottle with continuous thread finish, post bottom plate mold
60-70 5 clear bottle fragments
I aqua bottle fragment
1 sunaltered bottle ca. 1880-1916 (Munsey 1970:55)
1 milkglass ? fragment
2 amber bottle fragments
70-80 8 clear bottle 1 base fragment
4 clear 2 milky glass; same as Test Unit 3, 80-90 cm
1 amber bottle fragment
1 aqua bottle fragment
80-90 9 clear bottle 1 finish fragment
2 clear lamp chimney lantern chimney fragments
8 clear ? milky glass; same as Test Unit 3, 70-80 cm
3. aqua bottle fragments
1 green bottle fragment
4 light green _ bottle 1 finish fragment

SPOCHOOHOHOHSHOHSHSSOHOSHOHSHSHSSSHSSSSHSOHHOOHOSHOSOHOOOOSSSOSS



In 1975, the doors to the Monroe Elementary School were closed due to declining enrollment. The
school district slightly modified the interior of the building, removed the playground equipment to provide
parking for buses and maintenance vehicles, and used the building as a storage and maintenance facility
for the school district until 1980, when it was sold to a developer. The developer sold the property to the
Church of the Nazarene two years later. The church modified the interior and used the building until 1988,
when it was sold to a construction company who further modified the building’s interior and used it as a
warehouse until 1991, at which time the Trust for Public Land purchased the property. Near the end of
1991, the school was designated a national historic landmark. On October 26, 1992, the building and
grounds were designated the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site. The property was trans-
ferred to the National Park Service in 1993.

A search of the Kansas State Historical Society archives by William Hunt produced four maps show-
ing the school and its surroundings (Hunt 1999; Nickel and Hunt 2002:1-2, Table 1). All are Sanborn in-
surance maps and are dated 1889, 1896, 1913, and 1945 (Figures 2-5). The 1889 and 1896 maps were
produced by the Sanborn Perris Map Co. Ltd. (1889:Sheet 82, 1896:Sheet 34). The 1913 and 1945 maps
were produced by the Sanborn Perris Map Co. (1913:Sheet 82, 1945:Sheet 82).

The present report’s Table 1 is based on Nickel and Hunt (2002:Table 1) and is the result of Hunt’s
study of the Sanborn maps, revealing that as many as 18 structures existed at various times on the Monroe
School property between 1889 and 1913. It should be noted that the Sanborn maps prior to 1913 show
information only for Lots 505 through 515. No details are given for Lots 517 through 531 before 1913.
As a result, any structures that may have existed on the higher-numbered lots are not included in the table.

The structures present before the school board acquired the property represent a residential neighbor-
hood, primarily African American. As the Topeka Board of Education purchased the lots, the residential
structures and associated outbuildings were removed for construction of the Monroe School.

Figure 1 is a composite Sanborn map and depicts all of the buildings that are known to have existed
within the studya area between 1889 and 1913. At least one building known to exist before 1889 is not
shown on this map. A building on Lots 505-509 existed at the time the Topeka Board of Education pur-
chased the land in 1868. As noted above, the existing building on these lots was used as a school until the
completion of the first Monroe School in 1874.

According to Hunt’s summary of the Sanborn map data, there were different numbers of structures
on the school property at different times (Hunt 1999; Nickel and Hunt 2002). Eight structures appear on
Lots 505-515 on the 1889 Sanborn map (Figures 1 and 2). These are Monroe School (Structure 1), three
school outbuildings (Structures 2-4), a frame dwelling (Structure 5), an associated structure that may have
been a horse barn (Structure 6), a brick dwelling (Structure 7), and its outbuilding (Structure 8).

By 1896, nine structures appear on the same lots (Figures | and 3). As Nickel and Hunt (2002:2) note:

These include the school (Structure 1) and two of the dwellings (Structures 5 and 7) shown on the 1889 map.
The outbuildings for these structures appear to have been replaced, as suggested by changes in dimension.
Structures 9-1] are larger outbuildings for the school. The “barn” of 1889 in Lot 511 had been replaced with
a smaller outbuilding (Structure {2). The single small outbuilding at the rear of Lot 313 in 1889 had been
replaced by a larger outbuilding (Structure 13) and another (Structure 14) that abuts the latter’s south wall.
Lot 515 appears to remain empty.

By 1913, information for Lots 517-531 appears for the first time (Figures | and 4). According to Nickel
and Hunt (2002:2), at this time:

The school itself had been enlarged considerably with an approximately 30-ft (east-west) by 54-ft addition
attached to the older building at its southeast corner. The map suggests that all of the school’s outbuildings
had been removed by this time. The frame dwelling (Structure 5) in the lot immediately south of the school
was still in place, as was its outbuilding (Structure 12). The small brick house (Structure 7) and its
outbuildings (Structures 13 and 14) had apparently been razed. ... Lots 515, 517, 519, and 527 remain empty,
but a frame dwelling (Structure 15) and its outbuilding (Structure 16) occupy Lots 521 and 523. An L-shaped
brick dwelling (Structure 17) occupies Lot 525 while a small frame dwelling (Structure 18) occupies Lot 529.

2

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Figure 10. Concrete slab (the basement floor of first Monroe School).


.y \ , \\ cr . ‘eiodse .

. é ok Ly \. \ \e ,

\ ve ‘ - ; ae 1 Xa & “ .
a ee rn Monsoe BNC SCHOOL’:
OOM, * 9095, (NEGRO). 4 \

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et. vats FC
by Mt aca

Goce the toad

\s aa \

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ae \ . \. oa eh 8 ]

Figure 5. Map of the study area, 1945. The current Monroe School and one outbuilding are present;
adapted from Sanborn Perris Map Co.

25


Contents
ADStract.....eececesscsssesessssseseseccacsesesescacsecssscesscsescsssvsucsassssvsvsssssasacsussescausesasecasencasacsescseacsusassessacatasacaeatacsuseuareeses i
a iii
List Of Tables ......c.ccccccsesesesescsescscscscccesessesssesesesssusccessssucasscsssesesuesesesesucucseassusseseseessesssessevessnensesstasavacarecaeseaes iii
List Of Figures.......c.cccssssssesssessecsecssessessessecnssnssucsasseessesscucaussecsuscessecssssusessssscsecsusassessssssssecsesssessneancaseeneneeees iii
Introduction ........... ewan uCr oa an exe amen awe aaa UoaaaRd aa LEAN OEAOEARTEEELOLEESNTIVA bb db igdAnckencd tad Soneneearecncannonvanennnsassacnasseesnaveces 1

Background .........ccsscececscecsecsecssscsesssecssescoescscsessscsssesesesscssesesssusscassvsevssnsscecsossesssacseassvesaseeesssensassereneacaeae 1
Previous Investigations.............s.sscsscessecssssssessesesssnesessesesnssecsecscenssucsscaesucsasesesesesessucsusessesncssssnsecatcnsseseeaesee 3
Fieldwork and Methodology ...........scsssssssssssssscsesesssesesesesssessscecssncecsesessssseasscssscscscsususesssssssvesaeasseeeseeeseaeas 4
A) ee 5
DORE WATE 1 ssweasesauswesaas ureanasensiztsacnilhE<tdashneationennsuneweenennuctincunniurrvaeeanan nen tusenatenun snttunarteesiqeespeekenssitaspsenseeeureeeviee 5
Test Umit 2.0... ceecsssescsssscseccescssessscscssesessssssssusevessssssscsssssevscsessecuevsssessssasassessesseceasacsceacsesstacsucacseseescaesees 6
Test Umit 3... cecsccseessssesescssessesescsessnsssessssesessacsessescesssctcsesessssscsavevacasseassseccacecessensceaesessessacacessaeaesacaaes 6
Old School Trench ........cccccsssscssssesesessssscstscsessseusesesescsosssevevssensussvsssvsnsuscsseacseassaveaceauseacseasaesesssesesesacsesens 7
COMCIUSIONS .......ssssesessesesesesescssescnsescssssssssesssssssscssesessuavscscssesssssseesacacscnsnsusassveseaseneassssatasaesacaceseaseenerscavaccees 17
References Cited... cesessssssssseccsessesesessssescessscsssssesecsscscssececsescnenessesvacscasscueussevssessacacaescacsceasaeseeseassesaeacess 19
FU BUGES weercsenersevsannscccnunenvannnin smu tunstischalt es DISSE SUEAIEAAD tt nnaacnnn nananonmnmensoernnsnnaesienenemeunsnsusenineranenntengeosy ony npg 21
Tables
Former historic structures at the Monroe School (14SHI 13) ......scccccccesecceccesccsvsceceseescescscescesesteaseeeens iv
2. Artifacts from excavations at 14SHI13........cccccccsessscsecescsssssscscecsssscesesssecscecssecsseacaesaceactacatesesscstscaesssees 8
Figures

1. Composite map of known structures in the Monroe School study area showing test units

and structure numbers; compiled from Sanborn maps dated 1889, 1896, 1913, and 1945 vo 21
2. Map of the study area, 1889. The first Monroe School and seven other structures are pre-

sent; adapted from Sanborn Perris Map Co. Ltd. .....cccesccesssesesescsssescsseesesseseevesecsesesescecssesssesesctescseasenes 22
3. Map of the study area, 1896. The first Monroe School and eight other structures are pre-

sent; adapted from Sanborn Perris Map Co. Ltd. ...ecececcccsssssesesessscsssseesesesncesscecscsesssescsevessesvscseeuscssnens 23
4. Map of the study area, 1913. The first Monroe School, with addition, and six other struc-

tures are present; adapted from Sanborn Perris Map Co. .......cscsscssssseceesssceseecseseesesesesseeecscsssesscseeaeees 24
5. Map of the study area, 1945. The current Monroe School and one outbuilding are present;

adapted from Sanborn Perris Map Co. w..eccssssssessssseesesecessecenesceesesscecscsnesesesucesseseassesescseacatesseneaseeenes 25
6. Map of the study area, 2000, showing the current Monroe School and test units ............ccccsceseeeneeee 26
dx LO@at Gn OPTSSE LIGIE 1. secresanncce sev ennexeaeasunes avawearinen sansann ta csessas taki d0ta i dthath ith elk dadtinnThansnnndonaiannennunannson 27
8. Location of Test Units 2 and 3. oo. ecssessesescssesesseseseesssesssesessessseesseseesssecssesatscsesesecsesesassseesecsceeesoees 2)
9. Location of the trench on the north side of SCHOO] ..........ccccccccsssssssessesesesesenesesesseseesesesecsecessusesesecenseses 28
10. Concrete slab (the basement floor of first Monroe SchOO]) .....ccccccceesessscssessessesssveeseseseenececceacensseseeens 28

iii



Abstract

Archeological investigations were conducted at Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site
to examine selected geophysical anomalies, i.e., variations from normal background readings, noted dur-
ing a previous geophysical survey. Excavations revealed a portion of the first Monroe School basement
floor, located north of the current Monroe School. The first Monroe School was in existence from 1874
until 1927, when it was replaced by the current school. Artifacts from the late nineteenth century to the
present were recovered from the excavations, including such school-related items as pencil fragments,
marbles, ink bottles, buttons, and construction debris. The artifacts and structure remnants suggest the
school grounds contain undisturbed historic deposits dating from the first residences in the late 1800s to
the present. Further excavations are required to determine the extent of these deposits as well as to aid
interpretation of the history of the Monroe School neighborhood.



rep
A .

rtifact Category

Test Unit No. Level Count Color Identification Comments
Flat Glass
Test Unit | 0-10 13 — — 1 melted
10-20 42 — — 3 molded with starburst design; privacy glass
20-30 «21 — — E &% of unit
20-28 2 — — W % of unit
28-30 24 — — W % of unit, 2 molded with starburst design; privacy glass
30-40 17 — — _—
40-50 Il — — 2 with frost design, different designs; privacy glass
50-60 8 — — —
60-70 4 — — I with frost design; privacy glass
70-80 14 — — 2 molded with starburst design; privacy glass
80-90 21 — — 1 molded with starburst; | with frost design; privacy glass
90-100 5 — — —_
100-105 I — — —
Test Unit 2 0-6 2 — — I with hand painted white stripe
6-16 3 — — —
26-36 l — — —
36—46 1 — — —
= Test Unit 3 0-10 4 — — 1 molded with swirl design; privacy glass
10-20 32 — — 10 molded with swirl design; privacy glass
20-30 = 28 — — 5 molded with swirl design; privacy glass
30-40 930 —_— — 2 molded with starburst design; 6 with frost design; privacy glass
40-50 28 — — 4 with frost design; privacy glass
50-60 32 —_— — 4 with frost design; privacy glass
60-70 9 — — 2 with frost design; privacy glass
70-80 1 — — —
80-90 4 — — —
Ceramics — — _
Test Unit 1 10~20 2 — whiteware 1 burned
1 — porcelain —
30-40 H — whiteware —_
40-50 I — porcelain —
70-80 ! — porcelain —
1 — stoneware —_
80-90 6 — whiteware 1 with part of a raised molded design
90-100 5 _ whiteware 1 with partial flower design
3 — porcelain —_
100-105 3 — whiteware —



Introduction

Archeological investigations were undertaken at Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site
(BRVB) during June 2000. The purpose of the excavations was to examine selected anomalies noted dur-
ing a 1999 geophysical survey (Hunt 1999; Nickel and Hunt 2002) Excavations revealed artifacts dating
from the late nineteenth century to the present. The investigations also located a portion of the foundation
from the first Monroe School (1874-1927) and a possible concrete support for one of the residences dat-
ing at least to the early 1900s. All artifacts, records, photos, and other materials pertaining to this project
are curated at the Midwest Archeological Center under MWAC Accession 903 and BRVB Accession 3.

Background

Much of the history of the land now encompassed by BRVB (1.85 acres) is documented in reports by
Quinn Evans Architects (2000) and Rachel Franklin Weekley (1999). Unless otherwise stated, the follow-
ing summary is taken from those two sources. The Monroe School is located in northwestern Topeka at
the comer of 15th and Monroe Streets. The location is part of a tract historically known as the Ritchie
Tract. In 1856, Jacob Chase, one of Topeka’s founders, sold 160 acres of land to John Ritchie. Ritchie was
one of Topeka’s leading citizens and a strong advocate of abolishing slavery. In the late 1860s, Ritchie
subdivided part of his land into Lots 75 and 150 feet wide. This area became known as the Ritchie Tract.
Ritchie sold the land, favoring sale to African Americans (Franklin Weekley 1999:18). By the 1880s, most
of the land in the Ritchie Tract was owned and occupied by African Americans.

In 1888, after Ritchie’s death, the city of Topeka annexed the tract, laid out a street grid, and subdi-
vided the lots into parcels 25 feet wide by 150 feet deep with a 20-ft-wide alley bisecting the block
(Quinn Evans Architects 2000).

In 1868, Lots 505, 507, and 509, on the corner of Monroe and 15th Streets, were purchased by the
Topeka Board of Education (Figure 1). At the time of purchase, a small building already existed on the
lots and was set up as a temporary school until a new one could be completed. The location of this struc-
ture within the three lots remains unknown. The first Monroe Elementary School was constructed in 1874
as a segregated school for blacks. The earliest map of these lots is an 1889 Sanborn fire insurance map
(Figure 2). It shows the first Monroe School encompassing parts of all three lots (505, 507, 509). Table 1
provides dimensions for the building as well as its location relevant to Monroe Street and 15th Street. The
1896 Sanborn map shows the school building unchanged, but three outbuildings appear to have been al-

tered (Figure 3).

Quinn Evans Architects (2000:17) states that the school building was remodeled in 1911. The 1913
Sanborn map shows a large addition on the west side of the school (Figures 1 and 4). The building func-
tioned as a school until a new Monroe Elementary School building was completed south of the existing
school in 1927. The first school was demolished in 1927 (Quinn Evans Architects 2000:17) and the land
was converted to a north playground for the new Monroe School.

In 1913, the Board of Education purchased Lots 513 and 515 (Figure 1). Lot 511 remained in private
hands until 1916, at which time the Topeka Board of Education purchased it as well. In 1925, Lots 517,
519, 521, and 523 were acquired, and the next year Lots 525, 527, 529, and 531 were added. With the new
Jand acquisitions the Board began construction of a new school building on the land adjacent (south) to
the first Monroe School. The second Monroe Elementary School was completed in 1927 (Quinn Evans
Architects 2000). The final land purchase for the Monroe School occurred in 1934 with the addition of a
triangular piece of land east of the school, across Monroe Street, for use as a playground (Figure 5).

As with the first school, the second was one of several African American schools in Topeka. In 1951,
a lawsuit was filed against the Topeka Board of Education aimed at ending segregation in the city’s public
elementary schools. The landmark Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka decision, handed down by the
United States Supreme Court in 1954, ruled that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal”
and violated the 14th Amendment guaranteeing all citizens “equal protection of the laws.”

1



References Cited

Bevan, Bruce W.
1998 Geophysical Exploration for Archaeology: An Introduction to Geophysical Exploration. Special
Report No. 1. National Park Service, Midwest Archeological Center, Lincoln.

Claassen, Cheryl
1994 Washboards, Pigtoes, and Muckets: Historic Musseling in the Mississippi Watershed. Histori-

cal Archaeology 28(2).

Franklin Weekley, Rachel
1999 “A Strong Pull, a Long Pull, and a Pull Altogether” Topeka’s Contribution to the Campaign for
School Desegregation. Historic Resource Study for Brown v. Board of Education National Historic
Site, Topeka, Kansas. Report on file, National Park Service, Midwest Regional Office, Omaha.

Hunt, William, J, Jr.
1997 Memorandum to Manager, Midwest Archeological Center, from Archeologist, Midwest Archeo-
logical Center, October 3, 1997. Subject: Archeological Monitoring at Monroe School site, Brown v.
Board of Education (BRVB). On file, National Park Service, Midwest Archeological Center, Lincoln.

1999 Memorandum to Manager, Midwest Archeological Center, from Archeologist, Midwest Archeo-
logical Center, July 9, 1999. Subject: Trip Report, Geophysical Survey at Monroe School, Brown v.
Board of Education National Historic Site (BRVB). On file, National Park Service, Midwest
Archeological Center, Lincoin.

King, Marsha
1998 Results of Archeological Investigations at 1116 SE Madison (14SH370) Topeka, Shawnee

County, Kansas. Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka.

Munsey, Cecil
1970 The Illustrated Guide to Collecting Bottles. Hawthorn Books, New York.

Nickel, Robert, and William J. Hunt, Jr.
2002 1999 Archeological Geophysical Survey Tests at Monroe School, Brown v. Board of Education
National Historic Site, Topeka, Kansas. Technical Report No. 81. National Park Service, Midwest

Archeological Center, Lincoln.

Quinn Evans Architects
2000 Historic Structure Report, Monroe Elementary School (HS-01), Brown v. Board of Education
National Historic Site, Topeka, Kansas, Quinn Evans Architects, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Submitted to
National Park Service, Midwest Regional Office, Omaha.

Sanborn Perris Map Co. Ltd.
1889 Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas. Sanborn Perris Map Co. Ltd., New York.

1896 Insurance Maps of Topeka, Kansas. Sanborn Perris Map Co. Ltd., New York.

Sanborn Perris Map Co.
1913 Insurance Maps of Topeka, Kansas. Sanborn Perris Map Co., New York.

1945 Insurance Maps of Topeka, Kansas, Vol. 2.__Addenda July 1945 to Add’! index of December
1942 (pasted over 1913 map). Sanborn Perris Map Co., New York.

Toulouse, Julian Harrison
1971 Bottle Makers and Their Marks. Thomas Nelson, Inc., New York.

19



Y2/D-1F¢

Test Excavation of Several Geophysical Anomalies,
Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site (14SH113),
Shawnee County, Kansas

National Park Service - Midwest Archeological Center PLEASE RETURN TO:

TECHNICAL INFORMATION CENTER
DENVER SERVICE

Scans NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
If Y 2c on


Archeological investigations in the vicinity surrounding BRVB include excavations at the Ritchie
House (14SH370) conducted by Marsha King of the Kansas State Historical Society in 1997 (King 1998).
The Ritchie House is located approximately four blocks north and one block east of BRVB. Both the
Ritchie House and BRVB property were part of the parcel of land owned by John Ritchie known as the
Ritchie Addition. Since Ritchie favored sale of his lots to African Americans, the area surrounding BRVB
has always been primarily an African American community.

King collected information concerning the construction and modifications of the Ritchie House. Ex-
cavations produced new information about the foundation and two limestone retaining walls around the
house. Renovations and additions to the house were also recorded as well as a previously unknown brick
cistern near the northeast corner of the house. Extensive testing of areas in the yard surrounding the house
indicated differential use of yard areas by examining artifact densities and features. Two concrete clothes-
line bases and a trash pit in separate areas indicated which areas were used and what their function were.
Artifacts dating from the mid-nineteenth century through the late-twentieth century were recovered.

Fieldwork and Methodology

As reported in the next section, several test units were excavated in June 2000 to examine, or
“ground truth,” selected anomalies occurring within geophysical data collected in 1999 (Nickel and Hunt
2002). Four anomalies were investigated during the project. A 1-x-2-meter test unit was placed over each
of three anomalies. The fourth anomaly was examined by hand trenching. Each of the test units is de-
scribed below. The three test units were excavated in 10-centimeter levels. All soil was screened through
¥Y%-inch mesh hardware cloth and cultural material was retained. Large pieces of construction material
(concrete, stone, and brick) were noted and samples were collected from each of the test units. The trench
over the fourth anomaly was not screened and artifacts were noted but not collected.

OO OOOO OOOSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOS


Lots 506-522, located east of Monroe Street and the last acquisition by the school, show no struc-
tures on either the 1913 or 1945 maps. These lots were used as a playground by the school. By 1945, all
structures except the new Monroe School and one small outbuilding (Structure 16) had been removed
(Figures 1 and 5). No evidence of any structures other than the most recent school building is currently
visible on the surface.

Previous Investigations

The first investigation to occur on BRVB property was in 1997. William Hunt monitored the instal-
lation of a new gas line that crossed Lots 505, 507, 509, 511, and 513 (Hunt 1997). This resulted in the
identification of a foundation of unknown derivation. The 1945 Sanborn map indicated this was the west
wall of the current school’s former coal pit (Figure 5).

A second investigation was a geophysical survey conducted in 1999 by Robert Nickel and William
Hunt (Hunt 1999; Nickel and Hunt 2002). During that project, three remote sensing instruments were
used on various portions of BRVB property. These included ground penetrating radar (Noggin 500), a soil
resistance meter (Geoscan RM 15), and a magnetometer (Geoscan FM36 Fluxgate Gradiometer). The
choice of instrument and its success depended largely on the existing surface (asphalt, grass, concrete).
Some areas were surveyed using two of the three instruments to maximize results.

Ground-penetrating radar sends pulses of radio waves into the ground and records them as they are
reflected back to the surface. The radar records abrupt changes between layers of soil. If the contrast be-
tween two layers of soil is diffuse and subtle, radar may not be able to detect the change (Bevan 1998).

Ground-penetrating radar was used on the asphalt area north of the school, the concrete area along
the east side of the school, and the concrete sidewalk south of the school. Results of the radar survey on
the asphalt area north of the school revealed the presence of a subsurface anomaly that may be the footing
of the west wall of the first school (Nickel and Hunt 2002:7-8).

The radar survey on the concrete walk south of the school showed an anomaly that may represent the
remains of Structure 17, which was a residence in use until the school board acquired the property and
removed it (Table 1 and Figure 4; Nickel and Hunt 2002:9).

A magnetometer measures variations in the strength of the Earth’s magnetic field. Objects containing
iron as well as fired features such as bricks tend to distort this magnetic field. The magnetometer records
the distortion and plots the anomaly’s location below the surface (Bevan 1998). At BRVB the magnetome-
ter was used on the grassy area south of the school and on the asphalt area north of the school. The area
south of the school produced many anomalies, several of which were thought to be historic features such
as wells, outbuildings, or cisterns. One large group of anomalies was also thought to be remains of Struc-
ture 17 (Table 1 and Figure 1; Nickel and Hunt 2002:9-10). The magnetic survey revealed a higher number
of subsurface anomalies in Lot 529 than in Lot 527. Three strong anomalies from the magnetic data were
selected for investigation during this project, including the anomalies possibly associated with Structure 17.

A resistance meter measures the electrical resistivity of the soil. A small electrical current is passed
between two probes placed in the soil. The change in current from one probe to the other is measured.
Changes in soil composition, or the presence of objects such as stone, can cause changes in current that
can be plotted (Bevan 1998). The soil resistance meter “tends to be most effective when the targets are
stone or masonry footings, walls, or walks buried in soil.” (Nickel and Hunt 2002:13).

A resistance meter was used on the grassy area south of the school, the grassy area north of the
school, and the grassy strip between the school building and the asphalt on the west side of the school.
Investigations north of the school revealed an anomaly that might represent the northeast and southeast
comers of the first school. These investigations also suggested the presence of a concrete or masonry sur-
face in front of (east of) the first school (Nickel and Hunt 2002:7-8, 13). The resistance meter survey on
the west side of the school showed anomalies that might be remnants of Structures 6, 12, 13, and 14 (Ta-
ble | and Figure 1; Nickel and Hunt 2002:10-11, 13-14).



Figure 8. Location of Test Units 2 (foreground) and 3 (rear); view to the northeast.



Alley

East 15th Street

ri Li ttTiTiTLT itt rrr rrr tT iTrr ml
. o
\
? ——~) Sie ( ‘\
ee eee Oe
rs ]
= Asphalt |.
/\ Parking p nl
/ | za Trench
: i
L

MONROE
SCHOOL
Asphalt
Parking
J] L
= oi
0
aa
0

Figure 6. Map of the study area, 2000, showing the current Monroe

School and test units.

26

Monroe Avenue

POPP TTT TT TTTTTrrrrerersrrrrrrrrrrrrererrrffririiftt


Table 1. Former historic structures at Monroe School (14SH113) and their locations as determined from 1889, 1896, 1913 Sanborn maps.

ier iy Structure Name Function Year(s) Lot(s) D on nee A Wlonnat Sh ait
I Monroe School! school 1889, 1896 505, 507, 509 40 68 3 38
1 Monroe School school 1913 505, 507, 509 70 68 3 38
2 Outbuilding A school storage shed or privy 1889 505 6 16 5 144
3 Outbuilding B school storage shed or privy 1889 505, 507 6 12 21 144
4 Outbuilding C school storage shed or privy 1889 507 6 12 33 144
5 Frame Building A dwelling 1889, 1896, 1913 511 46 15, 20? 82 16
6 Outbuilding D barn? 1889 , 511 12 24 75 138
7 Brick Building A? dwelling 1889, 1896 513 15 15 110 16
8 Outbuilding E storage shed or privy 1889 513 10 8 302 140
9 Outbuilding F school storage shed or privy 1896 505 10 15 5 135
10 Outbuilding G school storage shed or privy 1896 505, 507 8 14 20 142
11 Outbuilding H school storage shed or privy 1896 507 8 14 38 142
= 12 Outbuilding I storage shed 1896, 1913 S11 12 18 75 138
13 Outbuilding J storage shed 1896 513 14 14 103 136
14 Outbuilding K+ storage shed or privy 1896 513 8 6 117 142
{5 Frame Building B5 dwelling 1913 521, 523 34 28 222 16
16 Outbuilding L storage shed or privy 1913 523 8 16 205 142
17 Brick Building B® dwelling 1913 525, $27 30 22 253 16
18 Frame Building C — dwelling 1913 529 24 14 303 30
pa

' According to the 1896 Sanborn map, the school’s southern wall was about 12 ft from the north wall of Structure 5. An addition to the west (rear) side of the
school after 1896 but before 1913 expanded the school’s size considerably. Two sets of fire escape stairs were also added to the south side of the structure.

>The front room of Structure 5 was approximately 15 ft wide (north-south) by 34 ft long. The back room extended another 5 ft to the south and was 12 ft
east-west. A full-width 5-ft-deep porch was at the front of the structure in 1889 and 1896. The porch was expanded to 8 ft deep by 1913.

* According to the 1896 Sanborn map, Structure 7’s north wall was about 13 ft from the south wall of Structure 5. Although this building originally had no
porch, a 5-ft-wide porch had been added to the front of this building by 1896.

*Structure 14 abutted the south wall of Structure 13.
‘Structure 15 was Z-shaped in plan view and had a full-width 5-ft-deep porch on the front.
° Structure 17 was an L-shaped building with a 12-ft-long by 5-ft-deep porch centered on its front.

POOOOHOHOSOHOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOESSD


Artifact Category

cassie iam esnemmimensee as nT es

Test Unit No. Level Count Color Identification Comments
Hardware and Nails
Test Unit 2 16-26 1 — ? piece of wire or nail fragment
26-36 I —_— wire nail ferrous
, 1 — ? ferrous fragment
87-97 1 _ washer ferfous
Test Unit 3 10~20 2 — nail unidentified nail fragments
2 — pipe ferrous pipe fragments
15 — wire nail ferrous
20-30 25 — wire nail ferrous
13 — nail unidentified nail fragments
| — wire ferrous wire fragment
I — ? unidentified hardware
1 — nail cuprous
30-40 8 — nail unidentified nail fragments
| — wire nail ferrous
2 — wire copper wire fragments
40-50 3 — ? ferrous fragments
50-60 8 —_ nail unidentified nail fragments
_ 3 > ? ferrous fragments
= 1 — fuse metal end from an electrical fuse/circuit breaker
5 — wire nail ferrous
60~70 3 — nail unidentified nail fragments
8 — wire nail ferrous
2 — wire ferrous wire fragments
70-80 «14 — wire nail ferrous
1 — washer ferrous
3 _— nail unidentified nail fragments
80-90 17 — nail unidentified nail fragments
1 — wire nail ferrous
| — bolt square head
3 — ? ferrous fragments
School-Related Items
Test Unit 1 10~20 1 _— jack nearly complete child’s jack
3 —_ pencil top metal end (eraser holder) of wooden graphite pencil
Test Unit 2 0-6 1 —_— pencil top metal end (eraser holder) of wooden graphite pencil
6-16 1 as pencil lead graphite pencil lead
Test Unit 3 30-40 I ~— pencil lead graphite pencil lead
40-50 I — pencil wood from graphite pencil
50-60 5 — pencil lead graphite pencil lead
70-80 2 = penci) lead graphite pencil lead

©0000 000000000000 000000000000 OOOOOOOOOOOOEOS


STRUCTURE 7

We

STRUCTURE 11

| |\o70. | 1;

STRUCTURE 10
~ STRUCTURE 12

Figure 3. Map of the study area, 1896. The first Monroe School and eight other structures are present; adapted from
23

Sanborn Perris Map Co. Ltd.



Test Excavation of Several Geophysical Anomalies,
Brown y. Board of Education National Historic Site (14SH113),
Shawnee County, Kansas

By
Scott Stadler

Midwest Archeological Center
Technical Report No. 82

United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Midwest Archeological Center
Lincoln, Nebraska

2002



Excavations in Test Unit 3 revealed the same layer of playground gravel as found in the other two
units (S-17 cmbs) with playground and school-related items being recovered (marble, pencil fragments).
Beneath the gravel is a mottled layer of dark and tan clay loam (17-65 cmbs). This stratum contained
glass, nails, ceramics, buttons, bone, and ferrous metal. The lower part of this stratum also revealed bottle
glass, flat glass, ceramics, slate, ferrous items, and pencil fragments.

The soil changed to grayish brown sandy loam at 65 cmbs. This new stratum contained glass, medi-
cine bottles, ink bottles, bone, ferrous metal, coal, clinkers, brick fragments, and a 1904 nickel. Due to
time constraints, excavation of this unit was halted at 90 cmbs, at which point artifacts were still occurring
and the soil remained grayish brown sandy loam. A 34-inch soil corer was used to examine the soil below
90 cm. It revealed that the same brownish sandy loam extended at least another 24 cm. Since this unit
was not fully excavated, the source for the geophysical anomaly at this location remains uncertain.

Old School Trench

Geophysical investigations north of the Monroe School revealed evidence that portions of the first
school are still present. The soil resistance survey in the grassy area north of the existing school showed
that the northeast and southeast corners of the first school could still be present. The first school, con-
structed in 1874, was torn down shortly after completion of the current school in 1927 (Quinn Evans Ar-
chitects 2000:17-18). A test trench was placed to examine a portion of the anomaly and determine if the
first school foundation was present (Figure 9).

The southwest corner of a test trench was located 5 meters north and 3 meters east of the southeast
comer of the asphalt parking area (Figures 1 and 6). Measured from the northeast corner of the school
building, the southwest corner of the trench was 4.2 meters north and 2.3 meters west. The trench origi-
nally measured 0.5 meters north-south and 2 meters east-west. The western half of the trench was even-
tually expanded 0.5 meters to the north. The final form of this excavation thus became a |-x-1-meter unit
on the west with a 0.5-meter-wide trench extending 1 meter to the east.

This unit was excavated without screening to enable a quick examination of the geophysical anom-
aly. Underneath a thick layer of large construction rubble, a smooth slab of concrete was located at ap-
proximately 1 meter below the surface (Figure 10). The slab appeared to have been poured in sections and
the unit exposed the juncture of four sections. Each section is 88 cm wide, and the feature appears to be
two sections wide. This is likely a section of the concrete basement floor of the first school. Due to time
constraints, excavations here did not go below the concrete.



Artifact Category

Test Unit No. Level Count Color Identification Comments
Curved Glass 70-80 1 clear bottle complete round sample bottle with / CACTUS / on side
Test Unit | 1 aqua bottle shoulder, neck and finish; oil finish
continued 80-90 2 milk glass ? base, two pieces fit together, red coloration on one piece
3 sunaltered bottle ca. 1880-1916 (Munsey 1970:55)
2 aqua bottle fragments
1 blue — unusual blue color
8 clear bottle Ipartial shoulder, neck and finish (packer finish), automatic bottle machine mold seam;
Ipiece with / [PI]NT / on heel
2 ~~ clear lamp chimney lantern chimney fragments, one scalloped rim
1 light green bottle fragment
90-100 1 clear ink bottle / BANKERS INK / KANSAS CITY / on side; squat square with continuous thread finish
2 ~~ green ? 1 piece has a decorative scalloped edge with gold paint
1 olive green bottle fragment
3 milk glass ? fragments
2 amber bottle 1 melted
1 light blue bottle fragment
2 aqua bottle fragments
2  sunaltered bottle 1 melted, ca. 1880-1916 (Munsey 1970:55)
Res 14 clear bottle 2 melted
8 clear lamp chimney lantern chimney fragments, 2 scalloped rim fragments
100-105 2 clear decorative ? _ possibly from the same vessel as in Test Unit 1, 10-20 cm
Test Unit 2 0-6 ! light green bottle fragment
2 amber bottle fragments
18 clear bottle 1 piece with /[G]/G74/0O/FL/
6~-16 | light green _ bottle fragment
15 clear bottle 1 milky frag; 2 with etched lines and / D{R] /; 1 base fragment; 2 continuous thread finish
3 clear decorative ? _—_ possibly from the same vessel as in Test Unit 1, 100-105 cm
1 milk glass ? fragment
16-26 1 clear bottle fragment
36-46 1 clear lamp chimney lantern chimney fragment
87-97 1 aqua bottle fragment
Test Unit 3 0-10 1! amber bottle fragment
8 clear bottle 1 base fragment with / 41 /
10-20 1 olive green _ bottle fragment
1 light green bottle base fragment
1 milk glass ? molded
4 aqua bottle 1 with / [B]OT[T] /; 1 melted
8 clear bottle fragments



Library of Congress, Gifts and Exchange

Director, Southeast Archeological Center

Chief, Western Archeological and Conservation Center
Smithsonian Institution Libraries, Gifts and Exchange
Library, Midwest Archeological Center (2)

Collections Management, Midwest Archeological Center
Scott Stadler, Lincoln, Nebraska

Robert Nickel, Lincoln, Nebraska

Bill Hunt, Midwest Archeological Center

Douglas Scott, Midwest Archeological Center



East 15th Street

—_ 505
2119 ~~]
3} 10 ! cl 507
1
a : |
- | 509
{
_ ____ Yas
~~ 511
Sanborn Map Date & I 2
Structure Number 6 Wr? 5
1889 (#4) =
1896 LJ 513
"=e 8 113
1913 i “5
1945 4] 14
~ 515
N ) 50 ft
=)
_
NG 0 10m
517
MONROE
SCHOOL
Test Unit _] #
} 519
> a ee §21
=
« re
I 13 |
|
16 523
aa _ 525
{_i# Bi
—-—; |3 . !
CH 5 _
527
8
Cale a 529
531
| SERRE |

Figure 1. Composite map of known structures in the Monroe School study area
showing test units and structure numbers; compiled from Sanborn maps dated 1889,

1896, 1913, and 1945.

21

Monroe Street



IN REPLY REEFER TO:

United States Department of the Interior

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
Midwest Archeological Center
Federal Building, Room 474
100 Centennial Mall North
Lincoln, Nebraska 68508-3873

October 17, 2002
Memorandum

To: Superintendent, Brown v. Board of Education National
Historic Site

From: Manager, Midwest Archeological Center
Subject: Archeological reports
Enclosed are five copies of each of the following reports:
o
Nickel, Robert K., and William J. Hunt, Jr. [D>-~/!>
2002 1999 Archeological Geophysical Survey Tests at Monroe
School, Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site,

Topeka, Kansas. Technical Report No. 81. Midwest Archeological
Center, Lincoln, Nebraska.

Stadler, Scott p-14

2002 Test Excavation of Several Geophysical Anomalies, Brown v.
Board of Education National Historic Site (14SH113), Shawnee
County, Kansas. Technical Report No. 82. Midwest Archeological

Center, Lincoln, Nebraska.

These reports detail the results of geophysical investigations
conducted at the Monroe School property in 1999 and follow-up test
excavations conducted the following year. We presume that you
will want to send copies directly to the State Historic
Preservation Offya@er for Kansas.

| od. Th
Mark J. Lynott

Enclosures (10)

cc with reports:
Regional Director, Midwest Region
Associate Regional Director, Cultural Resource Stewardship
and Partnerships, Midwest Region
Chief, Cultural Resources, Midwest Region
Manager, Midwest Archeological Center
DCA/Chief Archeologist, Archeology and Ethnography Program,
Washington Office (2)
USDI Natural Resources Library (3)
Technical Information Center, Denver Service Center



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Figure 4. Map of the study area, 1913. The first Monroe School, with addition, and six other structures are present;

adapted from Sanborn Perris Map Co.

24

een e ne eee


Results

The datum for Test Units 1, 2, and 3 is located 11 meters east and 3 meters south of the southeast
corner of the current Monroe School building. This is also the intersection of two concrete sidewalks
(Figure 6). No datum was established for the trench on the north side of the school. The southwest corner
of the trench was placed by measuring from the southeast corner of the asphalt parking area (Figure 6).
Measurements from the trench to the northeast corner of the current Monroe School were later taken to
aid in relocating the trench. These distances are discussed below.

Test Unit 1

Test Unit | was a 1-x-2-meter unit located in the grass southwest of the existing school building
(Figures 1 and 7). Its location was determined by using the intersection of two concrete sidewalks as a
datum. One sidewalk extends east-west along the south end of the school building. It joins the sidewalk
that extends north-south and parallels Monroe Street. This junction is also one corner of the geophysical
grid established previously by Nickel and Hunt for the south playground (Hunt 1999; Nickel and Hunt
2002). This allowed for accurate placement of test units in relation to the geophysical anomalies. The
northeast corner of Test Unit 1 was located 37.5 meters west and 5 meters south of the sidewalk intersec-
tion. The unit extended 2 meters west and 1 meter south.

The 1913 Sanborn map shows a residential structure on the east end of Lots 525 and 527 (Figure 4),
which is designated Structure 17 (Table 1, Figure 1). The magnetometer indicated an anomaly west of
Structure 17’s former location that could be an outbuilding, privy, well, or cistern. Test Unit 1 was placed
to investigate this anomaly.

Excavation of Test Unit 1 revealed several strata. The first stratum below the thin sod is a 5-10 cm
layer of gravel. This was the former school playground surface. School-related artifacts, dating at least to
the 1930s, were recovered from this layer. They include buttons, marbles, a jack, a “G-man” ring, pencil
parts, and a clothing snap. This layer also contained construction related materials such as very small
fragments of brick, concrete, mortar, and nails.

. Below the level of the playground were several strata containing mostly construction materials.
Small fragments of brick, concrete, sandstone, nails, mortar, coal, and clinker were found throughout the
upper red clay portion of this sequence. Below this were larger pieces of the same materials but within a
matrix of dark clay. A lens of sand at 30 centimeters below the surface (cmbs) in the eastern portion of the
unit surrounded a piece of concrete that may have functioned as an anchor, possibly to secure playground
equipment in the ground.

All of the building materials from both the red and dark clay strata can also be found in the structure
of the existing school. This suggests that debris was deposited before the playground was constructed and
may have been deposited either during construction of the school or during the destruction of a nearby
outbuilding or house that stood in the vicinity before the school was constructed. Other than building ma-
terials, few artifacts were recovered from these strata.

Several complete shell buttons and a portion of a freshwater mollusk from which three circles had
been cut were recovered from Test Unit 1 (10-20 cmbs). The circles were undoubtedly blanks used in the
manufacture of shell buttons. This suggests that limited small-scale button making either for use in a
household or for sale occurred here.

The commercial shell button industry flourished in the United States from 1891 until around 1950
(Claassen 1994). The shell button industry in Kansas seems to have peaked commercially beginning
around 1910 and lasting until 1947 (Claassen 1994:43). Small-scale or private fashioning of shell buttons
continued after the decline of the commercial industry. The shell blank and shell button from Test Unit 1
were recovered from directly below the gravel playground layer, near the top of the construction rubble



Table 2. Artifacts from excavations at 14SH113.

Sm isammen = <= ~ EE

Artifact Category

Test Unit No. Level Count Color Identification Comments
Curved Glass
Test Unit | -0O-10 10. clear bottle fragments
3 amber bottle fragments
3 green battle fragments
10~20 6 milk glass ? 1 jar lip and neck fragment, 1 base fragment
1 sunaltered bottle fragment, ca. 1880-1916 (Munsey 1970:55)
2 aqua bottle fragments
3 cobalt blue ? fragments
1 olive bottle fragment
9 amber bottle 1 with /...G. U.../ on base and raised / 20 / on side; 1 with raised / CL[O] / on side near
base; same bottle as previous fragment; | with partial raised-shield? design
58 clear bottle 2 fragments of screw-top finish, 2" diam; 1 panel bottle frag with /...NDER /; two-piece
panel bottle with no marking; 1 base fragment; 1 lip fragment; 1 molded ribbed fragment
1 clear drinking glass fragment
20-30 EA 1 cobaltblue 7? fragment
2 light green bottle 1 has / SO[D] / on side
3 clear lamp chimney Jantern chimney fragments
oo 20-28 W34 } blue ? base fragment, unusual blue color
1 sunaltered bottle ca. 1880-1916 (Munsey 1970:55)
7 ~~ clear bottle fragments
1 milk glass 2 fragment
28-30 W% 1 clear bottle fragment
30-40 2 clear bottle fragments
1 clear lamp chimney lantern chimney fragment
40-50 4 clear bottle 3 melted
1 amber bottle fragment
50-60 1 light green bottle fragment
2 clear bottle fragments
60-70 3 clear bottle fragments
2 aqua bottle fragments
1 sunaltered bottle base fragment, ca. 1880-1916 (Munsey 1970:55)
70-80 1 amber bottle fragment
1 cobaltblue ? fragment
1 milk glass ? fragment
2  sunaltered bottle ca. 1880-1916 (Munsey 1970:55)
1 light green bottle base fragment
1 aqua bottle fragment
12 clear bottle fragments

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