Archeological Investigations at the 

Harriet Dean House (11SG272),

Lincoln Home National Historic Site, 

Springfield, Illinois

National Park Service - Midwest Archeological Center
ARCHEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AT THE 

HARRIET DEAN HOUSE (11SG272), 

LINCOLN HOME NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE, 

SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS 

By 

Vergil E. Noble 

Midwest Archeological Center 

Technical Report No. 93 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

National Park Service 

Midwest Archeological Center 

Lincoln, Nebraska 

2005 
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).
i

Abstract 

In conjunction with the restoration and adaptive reuse of the Harriet Dean House, 

one of several historic structures within Lincoln Home National Historic Site, the 

Midwest Archeological Center carried out limited archeological testing on the house lot 

associated with that former dwelling. Those investigations were designed to examine 

areas that might be impacted by the restoration effort and to provide information that 

might also contribute to historical accuracy of the restoration plan. In addition, Center 

personnel monitored certain demolition activities associated with the restoration effort, 

particularly during the period leading up to when the structure was lifted off its 

foundations prior to removal and replacement of those walls. This report summarizes the 

field investigations and other observations related to this development project. 

Acknowledgments 

Several individuals deserve acknowledgment for their respective roles in support 

of field investigations, laboratory analysis, and report preparation for the Dean House 

project as summarized in these pages. I thank the staff of Lincoln Home National Historic 

Site for considerable assistance throughout the years of field investigations, monitoring, 

and subsequent analysis. Of particular note were the efforts of former superintendents 

Gentry Davis and Norman Hellmers, as well as former Chief of Maintenance Robert 

Dunham and the late Fran Krupka, who served for many years as the park’s historical 

architect; their support is greatly appreciated. Current Lincoln Home superintendent, 

Richard Lusardi, also merits thanks for his support and indulgence during completion of 

this final report. 

At the Midwest Archeological Center, former Chief F. A. Calabrese (now 

Associate Regional Director for Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships, 

Midwest Region) and Mark Lynott, formerly Midwest Regional Archaeologist and now 

the Center Manager, provided support throughout the project. Various individuals 

assisted with the laboratory work and data compilation, particularly Todd Ahlmann and 

Todd Butler. Carrol Moxham ably created the illustrations and assisted in production of 

this final technical report. 

The field investigations upon which this report is based occurred over several 

years and involved the efforts of numerous crewmembers to varying degrees. Those who 

worked on Lincoln Home projects at one or more of the house lots investigated during 

1989 and/or 1991 include Todd Ahlmann, Cheryl Busuttil, Todd Butler, Mike Higgins, 

Tim Meade, Dennis Naglich, Harold Roeker, Julie Schablitsky, Paul Stormburg, and 

Hawk Tolson. Even though some of the crew did not actually work at the Dean House 

while on assignment at Lincoln Home National Historic Site, their efforts elsewhere in 

the park nevertheless contributed to the timely completion of field work at this particular 

site and the overall success of the archeological program. 
ii

Table of Contents 

Abstract................................................................................................................................ i 

Acknowledgments................................................................................................................ i 

List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... iii 

List of Figures.................................................................................................................... iv 

Introduction..........................................................................................................................1 

Background..........................................................................................................................3 

Field Methods ......................................................................................................................7 

Results..................................................................................................................................8 

 Back Yard ........................................................................................................................8 

 House Perimeter.............................................................................................................10 

 Basement........................................................................................................................15 

 Front Yard......................................................................................................................15 

 Monitoring Phase...........................................................................................................18 

Conclusion .........................................................................................................................20 

References Cited ................................................................................................................22 

Tables.................................................................................................................................25 

Figures................................................................................................................................49 
iii

Tables 

1. Artifact counts by level, Parking Pad Unit ....................................................................25 

2. Artifact counts by level, Outbuilding Area Unit 1.........................................................26 

3. Artifact counts by level, Outbuilding Area Unit 2.........................................................27 

4. Artifact counts by level, West Foundation 1 .................................................................28 

5. Artifact counts by level, West Foundation 2 .................................................................29 

6a. Artifact counts by level, North Foundation 1 ................................................................30 

6b. Artifact counts by level, North Foundation 1, Extension ............................................31 

7. Artifact counts by level, North Foundation 2 ................................................................32 

8. Artifact counts by level, North Foundation 3 ................................................................33 

9. Artifact counts by level, East Foundation......................................................................34 

10. Artifact counts by level, Cellar Hatchway...................................................................35 

11. Artifact counts by level, South Porch ..........................................................................36 

12. Artifact counts by level, Hackberry Trees ...................................................................37 

13. Artifact counts by level, Shed West Foundation...........................................................38 

14. Artifact counts by level, Shed North Foundation..........................................................39 

15. Artifact counts by level, Basement TU 2.....................................................................40 

16. Artifact counts by level, 4S/2E ....................................................................................41 

17. Artifact numbers by level, 5S/2E.................................................................................42 

18. Artifact counts by level, 7S/2E ....................................................................................43 

19. Artifact counts by level, 8S/2E ....................................................................................44 

20. Artifact counts by level, 9S/2E ....................................................................................45 

21. Artifact counts by level, 11S/2E ..................................................................................46 

22. Artifact counts by level, 8S/4E ....................................................................................47 
iv

Figures 

1. The Harriet Dean House as it appeared in 1991 ............................................................49 

2. Location of the Harriet Dean House within Lincoln Home National Historic Site.......50 

3. Annotated detail of the McManus map, City of Springfield, 1854 ...............................51 

4. Annotated detail of the Sides map, City of Springfield, 1858 .......................................52 

5. Annotated detail from Springfield, Illinois; Drawn from Nature, 1867........................53 

6. Annotated detail from Map of Springfield, 1870...........................................................54 

7. Annotated detail from Bird’s Eye View of Springfield, ca. 1873...................................55 

8. Excerpts from six Sanborn fire insurance maps (1884–1952).................................56–57 

9. Harriet Dean House and lot showing the location of 

 excavation units in the backyard....................................................................................58 

10. Harriet Dean House and the location of perimeter excavation units ...........................59 

11. Basement floor plan of the Harriet Dean House and location of excavation units......60 

12. Front yard of the Harriet Dean House and location of excavation units .....................61 

13. Detail of front porch area of the Harriet Dean House..................................................61 

14. Front porch area and the north brick alignment ..........................................................62 

15. Front porch area and profile of the north brick alignment...........................................63 

16. Front porch area and south brick alignment ................................................................64 

17. Front porch area and profile of south brick alignment ................................................65 

18. Cistern in Harriet Dean House crawlspace ..................................................................65 
1

Introduction 

The Harriet Dean House (Figure 1) is one of several 19th-century residential 

structures within the Springfield, Illinois, neighborhood that the National Park Service 

now administers as Lincoln Home National Historic Site. Soon after transfer of Abraham 

Lincoln’s former residence from the State of Illinois to the Federal government, which 

occurred in 1972, the National Park Service began acquiring additional properties in the 

four-block area that surrounds the intersection of Eighth and Jackson streets where the 

Lincoln Home stands. Their purpose was to protect the Lincoln Home from encroachment of incompatible development and, ultimately, to return the surrounding neighborhood to a reasonable facsimile of its historic character by restoring the extant mid-19thcentury structures to a semblance of their former appearance and reconstructing others. 

Deeded to the United States of America in 1978, the Dean House is located at 421 South 

8th Street, across the street and a short distance northwest of the Lincoln Home, which 

stands on the northeast corner lot at the intersection of Eighth and Jackson (Figure 2). 

Immediately prior to NPS acquisition the structure served as a private museum and gift 

shop with two apartments on the second floor. It is designated Historic Structure 13 (HS13) in Lincoln Home’s List of Classified Structures. 

Although its exterior was kept up through various necessary repairs (see Banton, 

Balm, and O’Bright 1987:215), the Dean House stood vacant for many years after NPS 

acquisition. Indeed, it was still an empty shell of a house in the late 1980s, when plans 

began taking shape for its restoration and possible conversion into a museum focusing on 

the story of Lincoln’s life in Springfield (plans once called for the restored house to be 

leased as office or commercial space). As part of the effort to recreate the structure’s mid19th-century appearance, the Midwest Archeological Center initiated several field projects on the house lot at the request of park management. Those investigations at the 

Dean House, carried out intermittently over a period of four years in the late 1980s and 

early 1990s (Noble 1989a, 1989b, 1991, 1992, 1993), sought information on the structure 

itself and also its immediate environs. 

In compliance with section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, 

as amended, areas that were likely to be disturbed by activities related to the proposed 

restoration came under scrutiny in order to determine whether the undertaking might inadvertently destroy any significant archeological deposits. Toward that end, archeologists 

in 1991 excavated test units at intervals along the foundation perimeter and also at the 

rear of the lot, where the construction staging areas likely would be located (Noble 1991). 

Additional excavations in 1992 focused on limited sections of the basement floor, where 

demolition activities could damage cultural resources that might be present (Noble 1992). 

On the other hand, some of the field excavations were specifically intended to gather information that potentially could be useful in designing the restoration specifications. The 

main effort in that regard was an earlier examination in 1989 of the front entrance to the 

house, where the size and configuration of the former approach to the original doorway 

was not known and planners hoped that archeology would help inform the restoration 

plan (Noble 1989a and 1989b). 
2

In addition to completing various controlled excavations around the Dean House, 

personnel from the Center also monitored part of the demolition phase of this restoration 

project in the early spring of 1993 (Noble 1993). A primary area of concern centered on 

proposed activities leading up to replacement of the badly deteriorated house foundation. 

This would entail lifting the house a few inches off the existing foundation so the brickwork could be removed. Unfortunately, archeologists were not present during initial 

preparations for the lift, and it was discovered that holes were already dug alongside the 

foundation for installation of cribbing that would support the house prior to the scheduled 

arrival of the monitoring team. During this monitoring phase of investigations, parts of 

the basement floor were again removed, and the basement sub-floor examined, to determine if any deposits or features of potential significance might be impacted. Archeologists also investigated certain accessible parts of the crawlspace at that time. Park staff 

and the archeological team collected a small assemblage of diagnostic artifacts during 

preparations for lifting of the house off its foundation. 

In light of the passage of time since completion of the field investigations described in this technical report, it is worth noting that design and implementation of the 

restoration moved forward as scheduled with pertinent information occasionally provided 

by the Center whenever it was requested. Moreover, personnel from the archeological 

consulting firm Fever River Research of Springfield, Illinois, performed additional contracted excavations at the Harriet Dean House in conjunction with its restoration. A report 

of the findings and results of those subsequent investigations is still pending. 

In September of 1989, the Illinois Archaeological Survey, which at that time 

maintained the state’s archeological site files, assigned the Harriet Dean House site number 11SG272 (as the 272nd site to be formally recorded in Sangamon County). All pertinent field records and archeological materials collected in the course of investigators at 

the Dean House are cataloged according to the fieldwork year. Materials from the 1989 

investigations were assigned MWAC accession number 337 and Lincoln Home (LIHO) 

accession number 338, whereas the 1991 season is cataloged as MWAC 492 and LIHO 

124. The minor 1992 collections bear MWAC accession number 483 and LIHO 144. 

Park staff collected a sample of additional artifacts during the demolition and construction phases of 1993, and they are accessioned as MWAC 510 and LIHO 155. Currently 

housed at the Midwest Archeological Center, under authority of a temporary loan for 

study, it is anticipated that the collections and associated archival records will be transferred to the park’s own curation facility sometime after the acceptance of this technical 

report. 
3

Background 

The Harriet Dean House owes its name to the property owner of record during 

1860, Abraham Lincoln’s final full year of residence in Springfield, Illinois, before he 

departed for Washington to assume the presidency early in 1861. Indeed, Mrs. Dean held 

title to the property from 1849 until 1860, the year of her death, after which her son, Frederick Irwin Dean, inherited. Like most other old houses in this neighborhood and others, 

the Dean House went through numerous changes in appearance over the course of its 

long history. The Springfield firm of Fischer-Wisnosky Architects, Inc., under contract to 

the National Park Service, produced an excellent summary of the structure’s evolution as 

it is currently understood (FWA 1990). The following overview is borrowed liberally 

from that earlier study of the Dean House, which included physical examination of the 

building for structural clues and a review of relevant public records, such as those related 

to tax assessments and property transfers. Interested readers of this archeological report 

should consult that earlier historic structure report for more detailed information. Supplementary information on the history of the Harriet Dean House is derived from the National Park Service’s Historic Resource Study and Historic Structures Study for Blocks 7 

and 10 of the Iles Addition to the City of Springfield (Banton, Balm, and O’Bright 1987). 

The Dean House is situated on the north section of Lot 11 and the south section of 

Lot 12, Block 7, of the Elijah Iles Addition to Springfield. Developer Iles sold lots 10 and 

11 to Dr. Gershom Jayne in May of 1837 for the sum of $750 (approximately $11,800 in 

today’s dollars, considering inflation). Dr. Jayne probably made this deal as a speculative 

venture in hopes of subsequent profit through resale. Indeed, he apparently purchased 

several more lots in this part of town, including Lot 8, Block 10, across Eighth Street at 

the corner of Jackson. He sold that lot to the Reverend Charles Dresser in April of 1839. 

Reverend Dresser, in turn, sold the lot, along with the modest house he would build on it, 

to Abraham Lincoln five years later. 

Although the future American president bought Dresser’s property as a residence 

for his young family, Lincoln also was an occasional land speculator in the growing 

Springfield community. Indeed, he purchased two lots immediately north of where the 

Harriet Dean House now stands in June of 1838 for the consideration of $300 (roughly 

$4,600 today). The considerable difference between Dr. Jayne’s purchase price and Lincoln’s for a similar lot suggests that improvements already may have been present on one 

or both of the Dean House lots when Dr. Jayne bought them in 1837. Architectural evidence reveals that the original section of the present Dean House is located on Lot 11. 

Harriet Dean came to own Lot 11, and the residence that now bears her name, by 

purchase from Peter Van Bergen on March 17, 1849, only 10 days before her husband 

Frederick would depart Springfield for the lure and promise of wealth to be had in the 

California gold fields. Lots 10 and 11 had been traded together many times until 1841, 

when Van Bergen purchased Lot 11 alone. A year after buying Lot 11, Mrs. Dean would 

also buy the south 20 ft of Lot 12, which lay to the north of her lot, from none other than 

Abraham Lincoln, who by that time resided in his house on the opposite side of Eighth 
4

Street. Then, sometime between 1850 and 1854, she apparently built an addition on the 

north side of the original structure, as evident from its depiction on an 1854 plat of the 

City of Springfield (Figure 3). During that same period, Mrs. Dean was widowed with the 

death of her husband, who had returned to Springfield from California apparently 

disappointed by his prospects late in the year 1850. 

Mrs. Dean died on January 24, 1860, at the Illinois State Hospital for the Insane in 

nearby Jacksonville. She had been committed only three days earlier by petition of her 

son, Frederick Irwin Dean, who then inherited his mother’s property. He held ownership 

of the property for another 20 months, whereupon he sold the house and land in 1861 at 

what would appear to have been a considerable loss in value from its previous sale price. 

The new owners, Matilda and Benjamin Richards, perhaps motivated by the effects of 

long-term neglect and deterioration, are believed to have been responsible for several remodeling episodes over the next decade that culminated in the structure’s modern form. 

Certain changes to the Dean House property can be traced by reference to several 

forms of graphic records. These include the early City of Springfield plat maps of 1854 

and 1858 (Figures 3 and 4), which show an L-shaped structure straddling the line between lots 11 and 12 of Block 7 (McManus 1854; Sides 1858). A dotted line divides Lot 

12 into two parts, indicating the limits of the 20-ft parcel on the south that Mrs. Dean purchased from Abraham Lincoln in 1850. In the southwest corner of Lot 11, at the alley, 

there is an outbuilding that extends onto most of the adjacent Lot 10. This could be two 

separate adjacent structures, since there is a jog in the east wall, but the smaller of the two 

structures would still be straddling the lot line, thus putting ownership and use of the 

building in question. 

Three “bird’s-eye-view” or panoramic depictions of Springfield (Beck and Pauli 

1870; Koch 1873; Ruger 1867) give a stylized perspective on this residential district over 

the next ten years (Figures 5-7). The 1867 drawing (Figure 5) is of fairly poor quality, but 

does show a two-story house on the Dean property, as well as an outbuilding on the alley 

that could be the same one depicted on the earlier plats. Beck and Pauli’s (1870) depiction of three years later provides a much clearer sketch of the dwelling as it looked in 

1870, but the alley area is obscured by the representation of several trees (Figure 6). The 

last in this series of panoramas (Koch 1873) gives by far the best view of the Dean House 

in essentially its modern form (Figure 7). In fact, the structure in that ca. 1873 depiction 

looks much as it did when the Dean House restoration project began more than 100 years 

later. 

A series of six fire insurance maps (Sanborn Map & Publishing Co. 1884, 1890, 

1896, 1917, 1941, 1952) provide a fascinating graphic depiction of Springfield’s growth 

and evolution as a city from the last quarter of the 19th century through the first half of 

the 20th century. Together they serve to document many other major and minor changes 

on the Dean property during the span of 68 years from 1884 through 1952 (Figure 8). 

Key points gleaned from each are summarized below in brief to provide some insights 

into the probable locations of in-ground cultural resources and to suggest other archeological implications. 
 5

The 1884 Sanborn map provides the first indication of several outbuildings 

known to have been associated with the Dean House (Figure 8). The most substantial of 

those structures is a two-story stable, as indicated by the Sanborn convention of a large 

“X” connecting its corners, at the rear of the property. Interestingly, it is also annotated 

with a street number (421 1⁄2), making its association with the Dean House (No. 421) clear 

and suggesting perhaps that it was also used as living quarters. There is also what would 

appear to be a one-story shed immediately north of the stable or barn, and a smaller structure lies only a few feet from the rear of the house in the back yard. Given its size (approximately 14 ft square) and its close proximity to the residence, it is reasonable to 

speculate that the small outbuilding may have been used as a laundry shed, a summer 

kitchen, or a combination of both those specialized functions. 

Note also that the original platted property lines between lots 10-11 and 11-12 are 

dashed on the 1884 Sanborn, consistent with the fact that lots 10 and 11, and the south 

half of 12, had been consolidated under a single owner by that time. A solid line separates 

Lot 12 into two parcels, indicating different ownership for the northern segment of Lot 12 

and combination of it with Lot 13. Research into the Chain of Title for the Dean House 

found that George Hoffercamp purchased lots 11 and 12 (S 20 ft), on which stood the 

dwelling, on August 15, 1877, and added Lot 10 on March 22, 1880 (FWA 1990:2.10). 

The 1890 Sanborn map shows no obvious changes from the 1884 map with respect to the 

Dean property, but the dashed lines between lots 10-11 and 11-12 are no longer shown 

(Figure 8). 

By 1896, a new breezeway addition connected the main house to that once separate structure (Figure 8). It is also interesting to note that a small, one-story structure appears for the first time at the southwest corner of Lot 10. As in the 1890 map, the property line separating that lot from Lot 11, on which the Dean House stands, is not depicted. 

This again is consistent with single ownership of the two lots, and suggests that the structure was built and used by the owner of record at that time (George Hoffercamp). The lot 

line reappears on the 1917 map (Figure 8), and the structure is still present, confusing the 

question of ownership. It is known, however, that upon George Hofferkamp’s death in 

1917, his three heirs shared equally in division of the real property (FWA 1990:2.10), and 

reappearance of the solid lot line on this map may reflect that partition. Even so, it seems 

probable that occupants of the house still used the building for whatever purpose it was 

intended to have. 

Another very small, one-story, rectangular structure near the northeast corner of 

the barn also appears on that 1896 map for the first and only time (Figure 8). Its size, 

shape, and location combine to suggest that it might be a privy, but it would be highly 

unusual for a privy to be shown on a Sanborn fire insurance map. Indeed, their absence is 

conspicuous from most house lots in Springfield, regardless of publication year. This 

likely owes to the fact that privies would not usually be substantial enough to be considered an insurable asset.


6

It is perhaps worth noting that the 1896 map also indicates that some roof sections 

on the dwelling were replaced in the six years that had passed since 1890. Open circles in 

the corners of some roof sections on the Dean House indicate the use of slate or tin as 

roofing material, according to the Sanborn map key. The same sections in all earlier maps 

of the house are keyed with a small “X” in a corner of each roof section, indicating the 

use of standard wooden shingles. 

The next Sanborn map for Springfield (Figure 8), published in 1917, is similar in 

appearance to the 1896 edition, but the possible privy structure is now gone and the property line between lots 10 and 11, as noted above, is again shown. Another subtle difference is the fact that the rectangular outbuilding next to the stable in the northwest corner 

apparently was re-roofed during the interim (the small “X” on the 1896 map, indicating a 

wooden shingle roof, is now replaced with a solid dot indicating a composition roof). 

The 1941 Sanborn map (Figure 8) suggests that the barn and shed at the back of 

the property had been replaced by, or perhaps reconfigured into, a five-stall garage (indicated by the “A” for auto). This would be consistent with subdivision of the single-family 

house into several apartments, which may have occurred around this time, but the map 

still records it as a dwelling (“D”) instead of a flat or apartment house. The mysterious 

square structure at the remote southwest corner of Lot 10 is now gone, having perhaps 

outlasted its usefulness for the dwelling occupants. It is also possible that it may have 

been removed to accommodate the developers of a new apartment building that now 

faced onto Jackson St at the rear of Lot 9. 

By 1952, the garage is no longer present and, for some reason, the rear property 

line is not depicted for the combined lots on which the house stands (Figure 8). Although 

not obvious from a cursory glance, the line between lots 10 and 11 seems to have been 

moved slightly north on this map. That would be in conformance with other documentary 

evidence, summarized in the Chain of Title, indicating that Michael Sheehan (a known 

Hoffercamp descendant) conveyed Lot 10 and the southern 2 ft of Lot 11 to Rex S. 

Campbell for the consideration of $2.00 on June 11, 1948. Two years later Campbell 

would buy the north 32 ft of Lot 11 and the south 20 ft of Lot 12, reconsolidating the 

property as it was prior to the death of George Hoffercamp (FWA 1990:2.10). 

The only other observation from the 1952 Sanborn worthy of remark is that the 

Dean House itself is identified as a museum at that time, but even so it would certainly be 

possible that it also still served as a residence—perhaps for a caretaker. Oddly, Mr. Hugh 

Garvey, whose father of the same name bought the property in 1954, claimed in an interview conducted some 15 years ago that the building was not used as a museum until after 

the Garveys purchased it (FWA 1990: App. F). The fact that Hugh M. and Jane P. Garvey 

completed a transfer of title to Garvey Enterprises about four months after taking possession of the property would indicate its use as a business at least from that point forward if 

not prior to that time. The U.S. government eventually would buy the property from 

Garvey Enterprises, adding it to Lincoln Home National Historic Site in 1978, some six 

years after the park was authorized. 
 Field Methods

Field investigations carried out at the Dean House followed two basic excavation 

strategies, depending upon their intended purpose. The initial excavations in the front 

yard, which took place during the summer of 1989, were concerned specifically with eliciting new information on the former front porch area to assist with preparation of the historic structure report. Later investigations, performed the following summer, focused 

more generally on areas of the house lot that were likely to be impacted during the actual 

restoration work. Those excavations, which focused principally on the rear of the lot and 

areas immediately alongside sections of the standing structure, sought to determine if any 

potentially significant cultural resources might be impacted by subsequent demolition or 

construction activities. In addition, once the development project actually got under way, 

archeologists returned to monitor the initial phase of demolition and ground disturbance 

associated with restoration of the structure. 

Controlled excavation methods conformed to standard procedures employed by 

Center archeologists during routine evaluative site testing. A metric coordinate grid system provided horizontal control for retrieval of data in systematic fashion in the front 

yard; the point of origin employed for that excavation grid was the structure’s northeast 

corner. All units excavated in the Dean House front yard fall east and south of that arbitrary datum. The three 1-m-x-2-m test units excavated in the back yard where placed at 

locations where construction staging was supposed to be located, and each unit was 

measured in from known reference points nearby; their locations were not fixed on a 

standard grid. Similarly, other 1-m-x-2-m and 1-m-x-1-m units designed to examine the 

immediate house perimeter were placed against the foundations with reference to their 

proximity to specific elements of the Dean House, such as the cellar hatch or a particular 

corner of the building. 

Each test unit, regardless of its location, was excavated in arbitrary levels of 10 

cm below the ground surface (cmbs) in the absence of any discernible natural or cultural 

strata. The soil matrix removed from each unit was screened through quarter-inch hardware cloth. Materials retrieved from the screen or collected in situ were bagged along 

with all appropriate provenience data (unit, level, area of level, feature, etc.). The excavators also documented their progress through each unit with photographic images and 

simplified measured drawings bearing relevant annotations. 

The monitoring phase of operations, in contrast, entailed very little controlled data 

collection. For the most part, efforts were confined to observation of the construction 

contractor’s excavations as they progressed, inspection of soil profiles for indications of 

cultural features, and occasional visual examination of any objects of interest that were 

encountered in the process. In addition, limited scrutiny was given to certain sections of 

the basement floor and crawlspace areas beneath parts of the Dean House.

 7
8

Results 

As noted in the previous chapter, the field strategy employed in the Dean House 

front yard differed from that of the back yard. The front yard excavations sought specific 

information about the former porch configuration to assist restoration planners, whereas 

investigations in the back yard sought more general information concerning potential effects of the proposed restoration project. Aside from differences in their purpose, the 

front yard excavations were all contiguous, forming a large irregular block, whereas excavations in the back yard were distributed across the lot so as to examine a broader area 

more efficiently. Accordingly, the front and back yard investigations are described separately below. Other minor excavations at the Dean House, as well as the monitoring 

phase of operations, are addressed under their own subheadings. 

Results of the several field sessions are described in the following pages according to specific location on the property. The field investigations produced a moderate 

number of artifacts, but detailed descriptions of the assemblage do not appear in this report. Rather, diagnostic materials that assist in the interpretation of particular deposits are 

discussed where appropriate, and the entire collection is summarized in tabular format by 

provenience unit (see Tables 1-22). 

Back Yard 

The 1991 field crew excavated three 1-m-x-1-m test units at the rear of the Dean 

House lot in order to examine the general location proposed for construction staging 

(Figure 9). Most of the outbuildings associated with homes in 19th-century urban areas 

would have been located in close proximity to a service alley, and the Dean House of 

Springfield, Illinois, is no exception to that general rule of thumb. Several plats depicting 

the Lincoln Home neighborhood over a span of nearly 100 years (1854-1952) include 

representations of structures at the rear of the Dean House lot. Although structures were 

not commonly identified as to function on such maps, buildings placed near alleys in the 

19th century typically would include barns or carriage houses, storage sheds, and privies 

(privies are rarely shown on city maps of the period, however, particularly maps produced for insurance purposes). Furthermore, it has been shown from investigations elsewhere in this four-block area that other cultural features of expediency that are never 

shown on maps, such as trash pits, are likely to occur at such locations within the house 

lots. 

The three back yard test units, although oriented on a north-south axis, were not 

placed on a formal grid or surveyed from a single permanent datum that might be lost 

during subsequent demolition and construction phases of the restoration project. Rather, 

corner stages were set with tape and compass from existing reference points, such as 

property and fence lines. This seemed a reasonable approach to the problem of horizontal 

control that would be sufficient for purposes of relocating the positions of test units at 

some later date. 
9

Parking Pad Unit 

This 1-m-x-2-m unit was located 3 m south of the north property line, against the 

fence that enclosed a parking pad off the alley (Figure 9). The upper levels of this unit 

produced artifacts in good number, diminishing markedly after Level 5 (40-50 cmbs). 

The high density of materials and the soil deposits in this unit are consistent with demolition of former outbuildings or purposeful trash disposal. A few brick fragments were present in the first level, but no discreet cultural feature was notable. 

Artifacts recovered from the parking pad unit (Table 1) included a wide variety of 

19th-century ceramics and bottle glass, as well as animal bone that likely represents food 

refuse. Also present were personal items, such as buttons and a ball-clay smoking-pipe 

fragment, and structural debris, such as nails and window glass. Only one partly reconstructed ceramic vessel could be firmly identified as to manufacture. It bears the distinctive mark of Joseph Clementson’s Phoenix works, a Staffordshire Pottery that operated 

out of Shelton, England, circa 1839-1864 (Godden 1964:150). Two impontiled bottle 

bases present in this unit are typical of bottles manufactured before introduction of the 

snap case for bottle finishing ca. 1855, though pontils continued to be used by some bottle manufacturers well into the last quarter of the 19th century (Newman 1970). 

Outbuilding Area Unit 1 

This 1-m-x-2-m unit is oriented with its long axis running north/south and is situated 2 m from the west property line (at the service alley) and 2 m south of the parking 

pad enclosure or 9.35 m from the north property line (Figure 9). Although intended to 

check for the presence of remains associated with outbuildings presumed to be in this 

general area, the unit revealed no clear indication of any former structure. Artifact density 

was sparse in comparison with that encountered in the unit excavated against the parking 

pad enclosure, but a few materials continued to be found through Level 7 (60-70 cmbs). 

The few ceramic and glass fragments collected were unremarkable and typical of materials common throughout the latter part of the 19th century (Table 2). 

Outbuilding Area Unit 2 

This 1-m-x-2-m unit is oriented with its long axis running east/west and is situated 5 m from the west property line (alley) and 15 m south of the parking pad enclosure 

or 22.35 m from the north property line (Figure 9). Located a short distance southeast of 

the first unit meant to check this area of the back yard for evidence of former outbuildings, this excavation yielded substantially more artifacts in its upper levels (Table 3). The 

greatest concentrations of artifacts occurred in Level 3 (20-30 cmbs) and Level 4 (30-40 

cmbs), with ceramics and glass well represented. No marked sherds were present, but 

some of the more distinctive ceramic wares (e.g., “worm-pattern” annular decorated 

whiteware) were particularly popular during the middle of the 19th century. Deposits are 

consistent with midden refuse. 
10

House Perimeter 

During the 1991 field investigations several test units were excavated adjacent to, 

or in close proximity to, the Dean House foundation (Figure 10). Restoration plans called 

for replacement of the entire foundation by lifting the structure and dismantling the deteriorated brick foundation from within. This process, however, would also require the excavation of soil some distance out from the foundation line, so the exterior of the new 

foundation walls could be finished according to construction specifications. Several large 

pits also would need to be excavated at key locations near the structure in order to erect 

cribbing to support the structure once lifted off its foundations. Accordingly, these excavation units were placed at various locations around the house to determine if any archeological deposits of significance might be inadvertently compromised during removal of 

the existing foundation or construction of its replacement. 

West Foundation 1 

Located 1 m from the southwest corner of the Dean House, along the west foundation, this 1-m-x-1-m test unit lies beneath a kitchen window at the rear of the structure 

(Figure 10). In the area immediately adjacent to the foundation there was a concentration 

of fragments, but the remainder of the unit was unremarkable. Other artifacts were not 

densely concentrated, but deposits continued to yield materials through six full levels (to 

60 cmbs). Most of the materials found were common throughout the second half of the 

19th century (Table 4), and only one specimen can be dated more narrowly than that with 

any confidence. Of several red transfer-printed whiteware sherds, one appears to bear the 

impressed mark of William Adams & Sons, Ltd., of Tunstall, England. This manufacturer 

can be traced back to the middle part of the 18th century in various corporate incarnations, and it still survives today as a subsidiary of Wedgwood. The mark on this particular 

sherd was used during the period ca. 1819-1864 (Godden 1964:21). 

West Foundation 2 

Located against the west porch landing, with its southern edge 4.4 m from the 

southwest corner of the Dean House (Figure 10), this 1-m-x-1-m unit immediately exposed a gravel-filled utility trench adjacent to the foundation. This would prove to contain two pipes, apparently wrapped with an insulating material suspected on first observation to be asbestos. Upon this discovery in Level 2 (10-20 cmbs), work on the unit was 

discontinued for health and safety reasons. The materials recovered from the two excavated levels included a few 19th-century artifacts, but most of the datable specimens were 

clearly more recent (Table 5). The first level contained a 1951 and a 1964 penny, as well 

as several bottle lips designed for the receipt of crown cap closures (patented 1892) and 

the second level contained a sherd of bottle glass marked in enamel lettering, “ROYAL 

CROWN.” Applied color enamel labeling on soda bottles was introduced in 1934, but did 

not become commonplace for another decade. Many of the major soft-drink producers, 

like Coca-Cola, retained embossing much longer and did not add enamel labeling until 

the late 1950s (Lockhart 2001). 
11

Pharmacist Claude Hatcher introduced Royal Crown Cola (or RC Cola, as it is 

known today) as Chero-Cola in 1905. At that time it had limited distribution, principally 

at drugstore counters, in and around Columbus, Georgia, along with a line of several 

other beverage varieties bearing the “Royal Crown” brand name. The Chero-Cola Company began marketing the product more widely in 1912, and in 1928 it became the Nehi 

Corporation. After a change in management in 1933, the company reformulated the drink 

and named it Royal Crown Cola (historical information derived from Cadbury 

Schweppes’ Dr Pepper/Seven Up corporate website, http://www.dpsu.com/rc.html). 

North Foundation 1 

This 1-m-x-2-m test unit was placed against the rear porch landing, which is a distance of about 85 cm from the northwest corner of the porch (Figure 10). In order to examine the area more fully, this 2-m-long unit was extended another meter to the east, so it 

nearly abutted the concrete pad supporting the second floor fire escape. The unit soils 

consisted of dark organic material and patches of sand. Brick fragments were scattered 

throughout the upper levels, and with depth it became clear that these derived from foundation demolition and repairs associated with the installation of various pipes and conduits servicing the structure. At a depth of approximately 80 cmbs, the two copper lines 

were discovered running into the structure, as well as a large cast-iron sewage pipe. 

Artifacts were plentiful for most of the unit’s depth (Table 6a and 6b), but it was 

apparent almost immediately that the deposits here were highly mixed. This doubtless 

reflects expansion and modification of the house at various times throughout its history. 

Although lower levels had substantially larger percentages of 19th-century specimens, 

more modern materials (e.g., wire nails) still occurred in the eighth and final level excavated for the unit. 

Content of the 1-m extension was not far different from the adjacent 1-m-x-2-m 

unit. Like the first unit excavated adjacent to this foundation, there were several brick 

fragments in the upper levels, as well as numerous flecks of mortar. Again, this material 

likely was scattered along the north foundation when the aforementioned conduits were 

inserted through the foundation. 

North Foundation 2 

This unit was placed along the north foundation, 1 m east of the back pilaster, after removal of a concrete sidewalk that ran between the house and the north property line 

(Figure 10). The soils were unremarkable until Level 3 (20-30 cmbs), at which point two 

distinct areas were observable. One was a yellow clay soil that appeared native; the other 

was a brown silt clay deposit, appearing to be trench fill against the foundation. The line 

between the two zones ran parallel to the foundation some 56 cm from it. The yellow clay 

area contained only a few artifacts (Table 7) and was completely sterile after Level 5 (40-

50 cmbs). Materials continued to come out of the trench fill beyond 50 cmbs, but the fill 

was taken out as a single provenience to a depth of 145 cmbs. The purpose of this trench 
12

was then clearly recognized when a sewer line paralleling the foundation was at last exposed to view. 

North Foundation 3 

This unit, the third placed along the north foundation, is nestled in the set-back 

where the rear part of the house joins the front (Figure 10). Consequently, both the south 

and east unit profiles are foundations, with the east profile of the unit extending slightly 

past the northwest corner of what can be referred to as the north parlor. 

The recent removal of a shrub and its root system disturbed the upper levels of the 

unit, but no discrete soil zones were in evidence even with greater depth. Two metal rods 

were found to be present in the northeast corner of the unit, not far from the northwest 

corner pilaster of the main house. These were probably part of a former lightning suppression system, but the form and style of these rods did not suggest 19th-century use. 

The artifact assemblage from this unit (Table 8) was unremarkable, containing no distinctively diagnostic materials. 

East Foundation 

Located 1 m from northeast corner pilaster of the main house, this 1-m-x-2-m test 

unit lies against the east house foundation immediately right of the former front porch 

(Figure 10). Soils of the unit were unremarkable, with a few brick fragments scattered in 

the upper levels. Of particular interest, however, was the presence of an apparent ground 

rod for an abandoned lightning protection system. It was first noted in Level 3 (20-30 

cmbs) at a position approximately 190 cm from the northeast corner and 20 cm away 

from the foundation. Discovery of the ground rod at this depth suggests that an earlier 

ground surface is present approximately 25 cm below grade at the time of these investigations. Giving credence to this supposition is the fact that the upper two levels contained a 

mixture of 20th-century materials, such as wire nails (Table 9). Furthermore, a large concentration of 19th-century artifacts also occurs at that depth, with no clearly 20th-century 

artifacts below Level 3. 

Cellar Hatch 

This 1-m-x-1-m test unit is situated against the south foundation of the Dean 

House on the western edge of the cellar hatchway and approximately 1m from the southwest corner of the house (Figure 10). As with other units immediately adjacent to the 

Dean House, the proportion of 19th-century materials to 20th-century artifacts increases 

with depth, but here not as dramatically as elsewhere (Table 10). The single marked ceramic, representing an ironstone vessel, is not sufficiently complete to identify the manufacturer. 

Soil patterning was quite confused until Level 5 (40-50 cmbs), with several amorphous zones of mixed deposits present to that depth. This apparently reflects disturbances 

caused by house construction and, perhaps, addition of the external cellar stairway at 
13

some later date. A builder’s trench is first evident along the side of the bulkhead at about 

50 cmbs. 

South Porch 

This 1-m-x-1-m test unit was situated against the west edge of the south porch and 

abutted the adjacent south foundation of the house, extending 13 cm beyond the southwest corner pilaster (Figure 10). Excavators had to remove a large shrub from the unit 

before commencing work. Consequently, the upper levels were disturbed and thick with 

roots. The soils contained masonry rubble, as well as excess material from construction 

of the concrete south porch steps. Artifacts (Table 11) in the upper levels chiefly reflected 

recent maintenance activities, with modern nails and screws of various kinds being present. Lower levels had greater numbers of 19th-century specimens, but only one item 

from Level 3 (20-30 cmbs) can be identified with any specificity. A small, silver-plated 

brass spoon from that level is marked “HARVEY FILLEY.” The firm of Harvey Filley 

and Sons produced silver-plated tableware out of Philadelphia, ca. 1859-1884 (Kovel and 

Kovel 1961:335). 

Hackberry Trees 

Restoration plans at the time these investigations took place called for removal of 

two large and, by all appearances, very old, hackberry trees near the south entry to the 

Dean House. Since this would likely involve ground disturbance about the root system, it 

was prudent to test the area archeologically. Excavators placed a 1-m-x-2-m unit approximately midway between the two trees with its long axis north/south and situated 4-6 

m from the south entrance doorjamb (Figure 10). The soil deposits here consisted principally of compacted dark clay with a layer of sand beneath it, sloping downward with 

greater distance from the house. In profile it appeared that several layers of fill had been 

spread upon an earlier ground surface, and it is likely that those materials derived from 

excavation of the basement. 

Artifacts from the Hackberry Trees Unit (Table 12) were not numerous through 

the four levels of excavation (to 40 cmbs). The upper two levels contained a mixture of 

modern and older materials (e.g., the first level yielded two U.S. pennies—one minted in 

1889 and the other in 1969), as well as items associated with contemporary maintenance 

of the structure (e.g., a glazier’s point and galvanized roofing nail). The lower two levels, 

however, contained materials more uniformly representative of the latter part of the 19th 

century, particularly the ceramic varieties and cut nails, suggesting little or no disturbance 

at greater depth. 

Shed West Foundation 1 

This 1-m-x-2-m test unit lay against the south side of the shed, beginning at the 

southwest corner of that small structure (Figure 10). The main thing of interest in this unit 

was a deposit of brown silt clay extending approximately a half-meter from the foundation and reaching a depth of about 60 cmbs. This doubtless represents a construction 
14

trench used when the shed was built or, perhaps, when repaired (differences in the coursing of bricks suggest replacement of the upper half of the foundation wall). 

A rather surprising number of artifacts came to light along the west side of the 

Dean House shed (Table 13). A few diagnostic items were found in the general unit fill, 

including three small-caliber ammunition shell casings from Level 3 (20-30 cmbs) that 

were manufactured by several makers during the last quarter of the 19th-century. In addition, several aqua-colored glass fragments that were found in Level 5 (40-50 cmbs) are 

from a patent medicine bottle embossed “MRS. WINSLOW’S / SOOTHING SYRUP / 

CURTIS & PERKINS / PROPRIETORS.” Fike (1987:231) notes that Curtis and Perkins 

registered this product (bottled as a treatment for teething pain) in 1852 in Maine. Two 

years later they registered it in New York. Curtis and Perkins continued to bottle it under 

that brand until 1906, at which time the product was reformulated in compliance with the 

Pure Food and Drug Act and the word “soothing” was dropped from the brand name. 

Unfortunately, most of the materials in this builder’s trench feature cannot be 

tightly dated, though some of the ceramics clearly represent the middle of the 19th century. A good set of datable artifacts in this discrete context might help determine when 

the shed was built. We know that the structure was present by 1884, since it is depicted 

on the Sanborn map of that year, but its absence from the 1872 bird’s-eye-view could 

simply be an oversight or the result of artistic simplification. A two-piece brass button 

marked “ROBINSON & CO. / TREBLE GILT” found in Level 6 (50-60 cmbs) presumably would have some diagnostic potential, but the specific maker has not yet been identified (there are several known 19th-century button-makers with “Robinson” in the company name). 

Shed North Foundation 

This second 1-m-x-2-m test unit was placed against the north side of the shed, beginning at the northwest corner of that structure (Figure 10). As was also the case with 

the first side of the shed examined, this unit revealed an apparent builder’s trench paralleling the foundation line. As suspected, it was also apparent that the upper part of the 

foundation was replaced at some point in time. Thus, it seems that the entire shed foundation was repaired, probably after the brick courses at or above grade had deteriorated. 

Artifacts from the north side of the shed are generally unremarkable (Table 14). 

From Level 3 (20-30 cmbs) down, it was possible to collect materials in the trench fill 

separately, but they do not offer much help in determining when the shed was originally 

built or when the foundation might have been repaired. A clear glass bottle recovered 

from Level 3 exhibits automatic bottle machine mold seams and a continuous thread finish, suggesting manufacture after 1903 (Newman 1970:73). Other items in that same 

level, however, confirm that the deposits are mixed, with an older impontiled bottle base 

and a more recent roofing nail also present. A small brass gear (possibly from the works 

of a clock) found in Level 4 (30-40 cmbs) is stamped “PATENTED SEPT 8th 1862,” indicating probable deposition sometime in the latter part of the 19th century and certainly 

not before 1862. 
15

Basement 

Much of the Dean House is underlain only by a crawlspace, which could not be 

readily investigated by archeologists at any time before or during the restoration project. 

There is a partial basement divided into two large rooms, however, beneath the south parlor and dining area. During the 1992 Dean House field season it was learned that demolition activities in the basement would afford the archeological crew an opportunity to perform controlled excavations in certain areas underneath an existing concrete floor. The 

three basement test units measured 50 cm square (Figure 11). 

Basement TU 1 

Located in the southwest corner of the basement, immediately adjacent to the 

foundation walls (Figure 11), the unit revealed a course of bricks that formed a spread 

footing at the base of the foundation. The line of bricks extended approximately 7 cm into 

the unit along both the west and south foundation walls. The rest of the unit consisted of a 

light tan clay apparently typical of sub-basement soils in this neighborhood. No artifacts 

were found on or in the clay, and the unit was declared sterile after the excavation of two 

10-cm levels. 

Basement TU 2 

Located 150 cm east of the northwest corner of the basement and 100 cm south of 

the north foundation wall (Figure 11), a deposit of light tan clay was again present immediately underneath the removed concrete floor. The unit yielded very few materials out of 

Level 1 (0-10 cmbs) and nothing more after that (Table 15). There was no indication of 

any cultural features through two 10-cm levels. 

Basement TU 3 

Located 100 cm away from the south foundation and 125 cm west of the basement stairway (Figure 11), paving bricks were present in the unit’s southwest corner immediately below the concrete floor. No artifacts occurred on this apparent former floor 

surface, however, nor in the compacted light tan clay present in the remainder of the unit. 

Front Yard 

Excavations in the Dean House front yard consisted of six 1-m-x-2-m test units 

and one 2-m-x-2-m test unit that together formed a large, irregularly shaped block totaling 16 sq m (Figure 12). The main section of the block was situated directly in front of 

the entry vestibule with the intent of disclosing information on the former entry approach. 

The two “arms” that extend from the central rectangular block explored additional areas 

where elements, such as brick piers, of a larger porch might have been situated. 
16

The two-week excavation effort of 1989 revealed good evidence of a short porch 

or stoop that formerly led up to the east vestibule. This evidence consists of two parallel 

brick alignments that appeared to be the bottom courses of porch cheeks that once 

flanked a series of steps up to the doorway. The mortared brick alignments are laid on 

either side of the vestibule door, are perpendicular to the east foundation, and extend directly out from the northeast and southeast corners of the entryway (Figure 13). 

The paired brick features run slightly more than 5 ft out from the vestibule foundation and are laid up in courses that are two bricks thick. The north (No. 1) brick alignment (Figures 14 and 15) measures approximately 163 cm (64 in) long, and the south one 

is about 166 cm (65.5 in). There is no indication on the distal end of either element that 

any bricks had been removed to shorten the length of the alignments, suggesting the 

original length was intended to extend about 5 ft from the house foundation. The rather 

inconsequential differences in length perhaps can best be attributed to minor irregularities 

in individual brick sizing and small variances in the mortared spacing between the 

coursed brick. 

Stretcher courses are employed along with header courses in the brickwork, but 

no identifiable standard masonry pattern could be discerned from the small remnants. The 

lower courses of both alignments are bonded with a soft, buff-colored mortar, high in 

sand content, which is typical of early brickwork in this Springfield neighborhood (similar appearing mortar is observable, for example, in original foundation sections of the 

Lincoln Home itself). Upper courses in both cases, however, are bonded with a whiter 

and much harder mortar that appears to contain Portland cement. This distinct change in 

bonding agent strongly suggests that some of the bricks were taken down after initial 

construction, probably in a repair effort, leaving only the bottom few original courses in 

place—presumably because those courses were below grade, subject to less weathering, 

and still sound. The stoop was apparently then rebuilt with bricks laid up with a mortar 

that came to dominate construction in the final decades of the 19th-century. 

As many as six courses of brick were still present in the south (No. 2) alignment 

when that feature was exposed in 1989 (Figures 16 and 17). The uppermost course 

clearly was not the true top of the structure, however, since the superior surface of those 

bricks also exhibited residual mortar, indicating that at least one more course above that 

had been removed. It is also worth noting that the south element was covered by approximately 30 cm (12 in) of soil, and the north element, which had fewer surviving 

courses, averaged about 60 cm (24 in) below grade in 1989. Unfortunately, it could not 

be determined by examining the soil deposits if the grade present at the front of the Dean 

House in 1989 conformed to the grade when those structural elements were built. Excavations around many other houses in the neighborhood have consistently shown changes 

in grade dating from the time of original construction. This is generally attributed to the 

spreading of earth removed from the basement cavities across the ground surface, which 

eliminated the need to haul that material away, or from subsequent modifications in more 

recent times. Brick walkways associated with such neighborhood structures as the Julia 

Sprigg House and Henson Robinson House, for example, have been discovered at varying depths below their adjacent ground surfaces today. 
Although the two brick alignments are attached to the vestibule foundation, they 

clearly are not integral parts of it. The contiguous bricks are not spliced or toothed into 

the foundation. Rather, they are butted firmly against the foundation and bonded to it 

with mortar. If the joints were toothed into the foundation, it would be relatively easy to 

determine whether the brick alignments were constructed contemporaneously with this 

section of the house foundation. Because of the butt joints, however, it cannot be said 

with certainty that the structural elements are original to the house; they could have been 

added to the front at almost any time after original construction of the foundation. 

Excavators expanded the initial excavations both north and south of the paired 

brick alignments to search for additional brickwork—piers or alignments similar to those 

already exposed—that might indicate the former presence of a much larger porch. South 

of the vestibule is a section of porch decking that seems unusually small. Conceivably the 

porch could have extended further east, but our excavations alongside the house in that 

direction disclosed no remains of corresponding support features. Accordingly, there is 

no archeological evidence that the porch was ever more than the abbreviated section of 

decking that still graced the front of the house before its proposed restoration. 

This is consistent with plan views of the Dean House appearing on Sanborn insurance maps published in 1896, 1917, 1941, and 1952 (Figure 8). The porch does not appear south of the Dean House vestibule on the 1884 and 1890 Sanborn maps of Springfield. Nevertheless, there does seem to be a small porch immediately left of the vestibule 

in a bird’s-eye-view depiction of the Dean House in 1873 (Figure 7). It is not known why 

the small section of decking should be absent from the 1884 and 1890 Sanborn maps. 

It is also of interest to note that a small concentration of butchered mammal bone 

occurred slightly farther south of the southern member of the brick alignment set. That 

deposit could indicate the former position of some ornamental shrubbery; bone meal often 

was used as a fertilizer in the 19th century as it still is today (there was no clear indication, 

however, of a dark organic stain consistent with decay of a root system). It is not possible 

to determine, of course, if the presumed foundation plantings would have been 

contemporary with the porch represented by the coursed bricks. If such plantings were 

present, though, it is clear that the porch could not have extended very far past the south 

edge of the existing entry vestibule. 

Between the two brick alignments is an organic soil deposit that appeared darker 

than the soil outside the two elements. A fine-grained sand deposit lay in front of that, to 

the east, and there is little doubt that this was a purposeful deposit of exotic material. The 

latter may represent bedding for paving bricks that served as an apron or approach for the 

front steps. The deposit, however, is not of sufficient size and form to indicate the former 

presence of such a walkway leading up to the front steps all the way from the street. 

It is not possible to determine the appearance of the front steps above ground from 

the meager evidence that survives in the ground. It may be that the two sections of brickwork supported a landing or abbreviated porch immediately in front of the east vestibule

 17
18

doorway. The pair of brick features, however, alternately may have flanked and supported wooden planks that served as risers. In fact, coursing observed in the south alignment contained gaps between the bricks of sufficient size to have possibly held joists for 

step risers. 

The question remains as to whether steps rose directly to the doorway east of the 

vestibule or if there was a landing at the top of the steps in front of the door. The available evidence tends to support the former conclusion, rather than the latter, since there is 

no indication that the steps extended any more than 5 ft away from house. Given the need 

to climb more than 3 ft to the base of the door, it seems unlikely that there would be sufficient room for a landing unless the steps had considerably more rise than run. 

Artifacts were recovered from the front yard area in good number and are summarized in tabular format according to unit provenience within the large block excavation 

(Tables 16-22). Only a few are remarkable and none contributes to an understanding of 

the former porch steps. Most of the items are either clearly modern or generic to the latter 

part of the 19th century. Of the few temporally diagnostic materials, one is a clear bottle 

fragment with a partial mark indicating it was manufactured after the repeal of Prohibition, when Federal law prohibited the resale or reuse of alcoholic beverage bottles in 

1932 (Newman 1970). A 2-holed hard-rubber button marked “N.R. Co / GOODYEAR’S 

P=T 1851” is the product of the Novelty Rubber Company, which operated out of New 

Brunswick, New Jersey, 1855-1870 (Luscomb 1967:40). The presence of several cartridge shell casings (one .32 caliber and three .22 caliber) in the front yard area is a little 

surprising, and the circumstances of their deposition are unknown. 

Monitoring Phase 

During the week of March 29-April 3, 1993, the author was present during preparations for lifting the house from its foundations. A major aspect of this monitoring phase 

was to observe the excavation of large holes where cribbing would be installed to support 

the I-beams that would raise and carry the weight of the house for construction of the new 

foundation. Upon arrival, however, it was discovered that the contractor had already begun work and most of it had already been completed. Park staff had collected a wide 

range of materials roughly representative of the entire span of known occupation, from 

the 1850s through the mid-1900s. Those materials, and others casually collected from 

loose fill in the crawlspaces, may be of passing interest as curios but they have little analytical value without specific knowledge of their depositional context. A list of the potentially diagnostic materials collected is presented below without reference to their locations about the house. 

Materials Collected during Preparations for the Dean House Lift in March 1993: 

 1 Anthracite coal 

12 Bone 

 4 Bone, butchered 

 1 Bottle base, pontil marked, dark green 

 1 Bottle glass, amber 
19

 1 Bottle glass, clear 

 1 Bottle neck, clear, hand finished, blown 

 1 Bottle neck, clear, hand-finished, molded 

 1 Button, milkglass, 4-hole 

 1 Candle trimmer (two separated blades) 

 3 Earthenware, white 

 1 Earthenware, white, blue shell-edge decoration 

 1 Earthenware, white, blue transfer print decoration 

 2 Earthenware, white, flow blue 

 1 Earthenware, white, old blue 

 1 Light bulb base 

 1 Pressed glass, clear 

 1 Shoe heel 

 2 Stoneware, grey salt-glazed with brown slip interior 

 1 Storage jar rim, clear, hand finished 

 1 Tin can with sanitary top 

 7 Tobacco tin, “Velvet” brand (Liggett & Myers) 

 1 U.S. coin, nickel, 1946 

 1 U.S. coin, nickel, 1952 

 1 U.S. coin, penny, 1952 

During earlier field investigations at the Dean House, park staff had directed our 

attention to the presence of what was believed to be a large well or cistern beneath flooring in the northwest quarter of the building (Figure 18). That feature had apparently been 

rendered useless when the house was expanded over it. Access to the feature was not possible, however, until floorboards were pulled up as part of demolition activities inside the 

house. A concrete plug had been poured into the opening, which was removed by dismantling the brick collar after it was recorded. It soon became clear that the feature was 

an abandoned cistern, probably once associated with a former porch now enclosed as a 

room. The cistern cavity was empty, except for some silt in the bottom and a discarded 

light bulb of relatively modern manufacture. The bell-shaped reservoir measured approximately 10 ft (ca. 3 m) in diameter with the floor about 10 ft below the oculus. 
20

Conclusion 

The proposed undertaking that served as the initial impetus for these archeological investigations was completed some years ago, and any concerns or cautionary advice 

about cultural resources thereby potentially affected were conveyed to planners well before the Dean House restoration project began in earnest. For that reason, no specific recommendations relating to any potential adverse effects of the undertaking or detailed 

stipulations for the protection of cultural resources appear in these pages. Furthermore, it 

should be clear that the limited scope of these investigations did not lend the opportunity 

for any meaningful analyses of the findings summarized here. Accordingly, none was attempted. Nevertheless, the Dean House field project offers some worthwhile insights into 

the character of this urban neighborhood and others of like kind that inspire a few generalizations. 

It is perhaps axiomatic, after more than a dozen similar projects have been completed at Lincoln Home National Historic Site, to observe that archeological deposits located even in close proximity to historic structures indeed may have been disturbed but 

important archeological evidence will not necessarily have been obliterated. Time and 

again it has been shown that intact deposits can survive substantial changes to historic 

structures and years of continuous occupation. Even the disturbances themselves may 

hold significant clues bearing upon the structural evolution of a property or relating to 

behavioral changes among its occupants. Therefore, it would be imprudent for planners 

or managers to dismiss the archeological potential of an area as “disturbed” without first 

providing for a diligent investigation of such an assumption. 

Aside from general deposits of archeological materials, intact cultural features 

also may be extant near or even beneath historic structures. Any number of features related to servicing the domicile may lie in close association with foundations. Drainage 

conduits may run from gutter downspouts to cisterns, and the cisterns themselves are 

likely to be near the building. Indeed, if the house has been expanded from its original 

configuration, an early cistern may have been covered up, and thus protected, by later 

additions. This was the certainly case with the cistern abandoned but preserved in the 

Dean House crawlspace. Other features frequently found in close association with residential structures include wells and key elements of lightning suppression systems, such 

as ground rods, as well as remnants of walkways, stairs, and other features related to ingress and egress. 

It is also worth underscoring the fact that a wide variety of utility lines can be expected to occur around any historic structure, particularly if they were actively occupied 

over a long period of time. Moreover, the locations of some utility lines may not be obvious if they were abandoned and replaced at some point in time. This problem is particularly acute where substantial structural modifications, such as additions, have taken place, 

and especially if a single-family dwelling was converted to apartment or business use at 

any time during its history. Utility lines, even if disconnected and abandoned, can pose a 

safety hazard for those working about standing structures, so all due caution is advisable. 
21

Finally, although the archeological materials recovered from these investigations 

at the Harriet Dean House are not sufficient to support broader analysis, the assemblage 

adds significantly to a growing corpus of data bearing upon this particular Springfield 

neighborhood and, more generally, upon 19th-century urban communities. Taken in 

combination with data derived from other house lots within Lincoln Home National Historic Site, and compared with contemporary sites elsewhere, even the limited Dean House 

information may yet contribute meaningfully to our still-imperfect understanding of 19thcentury life in these United States. 
22

References Cited 

Banton, Albert W., Jr., Ellen Carol Balm, and Jill York O’Bright 

1987 Blocks 7 and 10, Elijah Iles Addition, Springfield, Illinois: Historic Resource 

Study and Historic Structures Report, Lincoln Home National Historic Site. National Park Service, Midwest Regional Office, Omaha, Nebraska. 

Beck and Pauli 

[1870] Map of Springfield. A.C. Geiseler, Milwaukee. Undated map reposited at Illinois State Historical Society, Springfield. 

Fike, Richard E. 

1987 The Bottle Book: A Comprehensive Guide to Historic, Embossed Bottles. Peregrine Smith Books, Salt Lake City, Utah. 

Fischer-Wisnosky Architcts, Inc. [FWA] 

1990 Historic Structure Report, Dean House (HS-13), Lincoln Home National Historic Site, Springfield, Illinois. Report submitted to National Park Service, Midwest 

Regional Office, Omaha, Nebraska. 

Friedman, S. Morgan 

2000 The Inflation Calculator <http://www.westegg.com/inflation/>. 

Godden, Geoffrey A. 

1964 Encyclopaedia of British Pottery and Porcelain Marks. Crown Publishers, Inc., 

New York. 

Kaplan, Samuel R. (editor) 

1982 Beverage World: 100 Year History 1882-1982 and Future Probe. Keller Publishing, Great Neck, New York. 

Koch, Augustus 

1873 Bird’s Eye View of Springfield, Illinois. Map reposited at Illinois State Historical Library, Springfield. 

Kovel, Ralph M, and Terry H. Kovel 

1961 A Directory of American Silver, Pewter and Silver Plate. Crown Publishers, 

Inc., New York. 

Luscomb, Sally C. 

1967 The Collector’s Encyclopaedia of Buttons. Bonanza Books, New York. 

Lockhart, Bill 

2000 Bottles on the Border: The History and Bottles of the Soft Drink Industry in El 

Paso, Texas, 1881-2000. http://alamo.nmsu.edu/~lockhart/EPSodas/index.html. 

Townsend Library, New Mexico State University, Alamogordo, NM. 
23

McManus, M. 

 1854 City of Springfield, Sangamon County, Ills. Hart and Mapother, New York. Map 

reposited at Illinois State Historical Library. Springfield. 

Newman, T. Stell 

1970 A Dating Key for Post-Eighteenth Century Bottles. Historical Archaeology

4:70-75. 

Noble, Vergil E. 

1989a Memorandum to Chief, Midwest Archeological Center, dated August 23, 1989 

[H2215 (MWAC)]; Trip Report, June 26 - August 9, 1989. 

1989b Preliminary Report of the 1989 Archeological Investigations at the Dean 

House, Lincoln Home National Historic Site, Springfield, Illinois. Report on file, 

National Park Service, Midwest Archeological Center, Lincoln, Nebraska. 

1991 Memorandum to Chief, Midwest Archeological Center, dated September 6, 

1991 [A26 (MWAC)]; Trip Report, July 8 - August 30, 1991. 

1992 Memorandum to Chief, Midwest Archeological Center, dated August 4, 1992 

[A2624 (MWAC)]; Trip Report - Lincoln Home, July 13-31, 1992. 

1993 Memorandum to Chief, Midwest Archeological Center, dated April 6, 1993 

[A2624 (MWAC)]; Trip Report, March 29 - April 3, 1993, Lincoln Home. 

Ruger, A. 

1867 Springfield, Illinois, Drawn from Nature by A. Ruger. Chicago. Map reposited 

at Illinois State Historical Library, Springfield. 

Sanborn Map & Publishing Co. 

1884 Springfield, Illinois. Map reposited at the Illinois State Historical Library, 

Springfield. 

1896 Springfield, Illinois. Map reposited at the Illinois State Historical Library, 

Springfield. 

1917 Springfield, Illinois. Map reposited at the Illinois State Historical Library, 

Springfield. 

1941 Springfield, Illinois. Map reposited at the Illinois State Historical Library, 

Springfield. 

 1952 Springfield, Illinois. Map reposited at the Illinois State Historical Library, 

Springfield. 
24

Sides, William (Surveyor and Publisher) 

1858 City of Springfield, Sangamon County, Ills. R.L. Barnes, Philadephia. Map 

reposited at Illinois State Historical Library, Springfield. 
25

 

 

Table 1. Artifact counts by level, Parking Pad Unit. 

 

Description Level: 1 2 3 4 5 6 Total 

Coal 4 — — 1 — — 5 

Brick fragment 1 2 — 4 — 2 9 

Shell fragment 3 5 2 — — — 10 

Asphalt 1 1 — — — — 2 

Mortar — 1 — — — 1 2 

Shale — 1 — — — — 1 

Button — — 1 1 — 1 3 

Bone — — 18 113 139 21 291 

Clay pipe fragment — — — 2 1 — 3 

Marble — — — 1 — — 1 

Teeth — — — — 3 — 3 

Earthenware 2 — 41 92 38 5 178 

Redware — — 5 15 7 — 27 

Stoneware — — — 1 — — 1 

Porcelain — — 6 11 — — 17 

Curved glass 1 4 35 49 10 1 100 

Flat glass — 3 — 35 12 2 52 

Glass slag — — — 4 — — 4 

Metal 1 — 1 1 3 11 17 

Cut nail — 1 6 9 12 3 31 

Wire nail — — 2 — — — 2 

 

Totals 13 18 117 339 225 47 759 
26

 

Table 2. Artifact counts by level, Outbuilding Area Unit 1. 

Description Level: 1 2 3 4 5 7 Total 

Shell fragment 3 4 7 — — — 14 

Brick fragment 1 — — — 1 1 3 

Bone — — 1 — 1 — 2 

Shale — — 1 — — — 1 

Wood — — 1 — — — 1 

Insulated wire — — — 1 — — 1 

Leather — — — — 1 — 1 

Asphalt — — — — 1 — 1 

Cinder — — — — 1 — 1 

Mortar — — — — 1 — 1 

Ceramic drain tile — — 2 — — — 2 

Earthenware — — — 2 — — 2 

Curved glass — 3 1 — 2 — 6 

Flat glass — 1 — — — — 1 

Wire — 1 — — — — 1 

 

Totals 4 9 13 3 8 1 38 
27

 

Table 3. Artifact counts by level, Outbuilding Area Unit 2. 

 

Description Level: 1 2 3 4 Total 

 

Stone 2 — — — 2 

Brick fragment 2 — 2 — 4 

Ceramic drain tile 1 — — — 1 

Shell fragment — 2 2 — 4 

Coal — — 1 — 1 

Ceramic insulator frag — 1 1 — 1 

Bone — 5 29 34 

Clay pipe fragment — — 1 — 1 

Glass bead — — — 1 1 

Earthenware — — 20 60 80 

Redware — — 4 6 10 

Stoneware — — 1 — 1 

Porcelain — — 2 2 4 

Curved glass 3 30 50 83 

Flat glass 1 — 39 61 101 

Mirror glass — — — 1 1 

Non-ferrous metal — — 1 1 2 

Metal 1 — — 1 2 

Cut nail — — 9 17 26 

 

Totals 10 2 118 229 359 

 
28

 

Table 4. Artifact counts by level, West Foundation 1. 

 

Description Level: 1 2 3a 3b 4 5 6a 6b Total 

 

Mortar 4 2 3 4 4 3 1 4 25 

Brick fragment 1 2 — 3 2 2 2 1 13 

Cinders 1 2 — — — 2 1 — 6 

Bone — — 5 1 2 3 2 — 13 

Button — — — 1 — — — — 1 

Charcoal — — — — — — — 2 2 

Earthenware 2 — 4 4 8 23 2 — 43 

Redware — 1 — — 2 1 — — 4 

Stoneware 1 — — — — — — — 1 

Porcelain 2 — 1 — 1 1 — — 5 

Curved glass 6 5 3 1 4 1 1 — 21 

Flat glass 3 3 3 2 3 2 1 1 18 

Mirror glass — 2 — — 1 1 — — 4 

Non-ferrous metal — 1 — — 1 — — — 2 

Metal 2 — — — — — — — 2 

Cut nail 6 3 2 — 3 6 — 1 21 

Wire nail 5 2 — 1 — — — — 8 

Finishing nail — 1 — — — — — — 1 

 

Totals 33 24 21 17 31 45 10 9 190 

 Notes: 3a = General fill; 3b = Brick concentration; 6a = General fill; 6b = Trench 

 
29

 

Table 5. Artifact counts by level, West Foundation 2. 

 

Description 1 2 Total 

 

Coin 2 — 2 

Brick fragment 1 — 1 

Mortar 1 1 2 

Bone 3 — 3 

Ceramic insulator — 1 1 

Earthenware 2 2 4 

Redware — 1 1 

Porcelain 1 — 1 

Curved glass 25 — 29 

Flat glass 2 3 5 

Glass slag — 1 1 

Metal 2 1 3 

Cut nail 13 12 25 

Wire nail 17 3 20 

Roofing nail 3 — 3 

 

Totals 72 29 101 

 
30

 

Table 6a. Artifact counts by level, North Foundation 1. 

 

Description Level: 1 2 3 4 5a 5b 5c 6a 6b 6c 7a 7b 8 9 Total 

 

Shingle fragment 3 1 — — — — — — — — — — — — 4 

Mortar 1 1 2 2 3 — 1 1 2 — 1 — 3 2 19 

Coin — 1 — — — — — — — — — — — — 1 

Button 1 1 1 3 1 — — 1 — — — — 2 1 11 

Bone 3 1 7 9 6 — 4 2 — — 9 — 7 22 70 

Syringe fragment 4 — — — — — — — — — — — — — 4 

Brick fragment — 2 1 — 1 — 2 1 1 — 1 — 2 — 11 

Slate pencil — 1 — — — — — — — — — — — — 1 

Ceramic drain tile — 2 1 — 5 — — — — — 1 — 1 — 10 

H rubber comb frag — — 1 — — — — — — — — — — — 1 

Tooth — — 1 — — — — — — — — — 1 — 2 

Shell fragment — — — 1 — — — — — — — — — — 1 

Concrete — — — 1 — — — 1 — — — — 1 — 3 

Cinder — — — 1 — — — — — — — — — — 1 

Clay pipe fragment — — — 1 — — — — — — — — — — 1 

Marble — — — 1 — — — — — — — — — — 1 

Wood — — — — 1 — — — — — — — — 2 3 

Toy tea set frag — — — — 1 — — 1 — — 1 — — — 3 

Glass bead — — — — — 1 — — — — — — — — 1 

Stone — — — — — — — — — — — — 1 — 1 

Hard rubber — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1 1 

Earthenware 10 16 17 18 15 4 7 4 2 — 12 — 10 6 121 

Redware 1 3 3 2 — 2 5 — — 1 1 — 4 — 22 

Stoneware — — — 2 — — — — — — — — — — 2 

Porcelain 1 1 — 5 1 — — 1 — — — — 2 — 11 

Curved glass 9 10 8 5 12 — 4 5 — — 4 — 5 2 64 

Flat glass 18 21 44 29 24 3 2 — 1 1 42 1 27 19 232 

Melted glass — — — — 1 — — — — — — — — — 1 

Non-ferrous metal — — 1 — — — — — — — — — 2 — 3 

Metal 4 — — 1 2 1 — 3 — 1 2 — 3 — 17 

Cut nail 27 27 30 23 15 3 1 10 3 1 16 — 7 3 166 

Wire nail 13 16 5 2 12 — — 3 — — 4 — 3 1 59 

Roofing nail 21 7 4 2 — — — 1 — — — — — — 35 

Galvanized nail 2 — — — — — — — — — — — — — 2 

Modern cut nail 4 — — 1 — — — — — — — — — — 5 

 

Totals 122 111 126 109 100 14 26 34 9 4 94 1 81 59 890 

 

 Notes: 5a = General fill; 5b = Mortar/brick concentration SE corner; 5c = Dark gray-brown clay 

 and tan clay along east wall; 6a = General fill; 6b = Mortar/brick concentration; 6c = Black 

 clay; 7a = General fill; 7b = Gray-brown clay along east wall 

 
31

 

Table 6b. Artifact counts by level, North Foundation 1, Extension. 

 

 

Description 1 2 3a 3b 4 Total 

 

Mortar 3 1 8 4 4 20 

Slate pencil 1 — — — — 1 

Shingle fragment 1 — — — — 1 

Brick fragment 2 — — 2 — 4 

Concrete — 1 — — — 1 

Bone — — 1 — 12 13 

Earthenware 4 — 2 1 26 33 

Redware 1 — 3 — 4 8 

Porcelain — 1 — — — 1 

Stoneware — — — — 3 3 

Curved glass 13 2 1 — 5 21 

Flat glass 12 4 6 — 7 29 

Plate glass 1 — — — — 1 

Metal 1 — — — — 1 

Cut nail 5 4 2 — 4 15 

Wire nail 14 3 — — — 17 

Roofing nail 10 — — — — 10 

Modern cut nail 3 — — — — 3 

 

Totals 71 16 23 7 65 182 

 
32

 

Table 7. Artifact counts by level, North Foundation 2. 

 

Description Level: 1 2 3 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a Total 

 

Bone 1 — — — — — — — 1 

Limestone — — — — — — — 1 1 

Concrete 3 — — — — — — 2 5 

Shingle fragment 3 — — — — — — — 3 

Rubber 1 — — — — — — — 1 

Insulated wire 1 — — — — — — — 1 

Shell fragment 2 — — — — — — — 2 

Brick fragment 2 — 2 — — — 3 5 12 

Drain tile frag 1 — — — — — — 5 6 

Tooth — 2 3 — — — — — 5 

Bone — 13 7 — 2 — — 1 23 

.22-cal shell casing — 1 — — — — — — 1 

Mortar — — 6 1 — 5 1 — 13 

Slate — — — — 1 — — 5 6 

Walnut shell — — — — — — — 1 1 

Brass bead or bell — — — — — — — 1 1 

Brass lipstick case — — — — — — — 1 1 

Earthenware 9 23 27 — 3 — 3 59 124 

Redware — 3 — — 1 — — 5 9 

Porcelain — 1 1 — — — — 5 7 

Stoneware — — 2 — — — — 1 3 

Curved glass 7 4 1 1 — — — 9 22 

Flat glass 9 7 5 1 5 — 2 20 49 

Non-ferrous metal — — — — — — — 1 1 

Metal 5 — — — — — — 1 6 

Cut nail 12 7 8 1 6 — — 11 45 

Wire nail 4 — — — — — — — 4 

Roofing nail 12 1 — — — — — — 13 

Finishing nail 2 — — — — — — — 2 

 

Totals 74 62 62 4 18 5 9 129 363 

 Notes: 4a = Brown silt clay trench fill; 4b = Yellow brown mottled clay; 

 5a = Brown silt clay; trench fill; 5b = Yellow clay; 6a = brown silt clay 

 trench fill (50 cmbs to 145 cmbs) 

 
33

 

Table 8. Artifact counts by level, North Foundation 3. 

Description Level: 1 2 3 4 5 6 Total 

Ceramic drain tile 2 1 1 1 2 — 7 

Brick fragment 2 1 4 1 3 1 12 

Cinder 1 3 2 3 — 1 10 

Mortar 2 — — — 3 1 6 

Wood 2 — 1 — — — 3 

Shingle fragment 2 2 5 — — — 9 

Button — 1 — — 2 — 3 

Beads — 1 1 — — — 2 

Shell fragment — 1 1 — 2 — 4 

Bone — 4 — 31 4 2 41 

Thermometer fragment — 1 — — — — 1 

Hard rubber — — 1 — — — 1 

Earthenware 2 5 8 63 13 5 96 

Redware — 2 1 39 — 3 45 

Porcelain — — — 1 — — 1 

Stoneware — — 1 — — — 1 

Curved glass 5 11 20 17 6 5 64 

Flat glass 10 12 14 43 22 8 109 

Glass slag — 2 — — — 1 3 

Non-ferrous metal — — 3 9 — — 12 

Metal 1 1 2 3 1 1 9 

Cut nail 26 42 12 28 16 16 140 

Wire nail 5 13 5 9 2 6 40 

Finishing nail 1 — — — — — 1 

Roofing nail 9 6 4 3 — 5 27 

Galvanized nail 3 1 1 1 — — 6 

 

Totals 73 110 87 252 76 55 653 

 
34

 

Table 9. Artifact counts by level, East Foundation. 

 

Description Level: 1 2 3 4 5 Total 

 

Bone 2 — 4 10 9 25 

Brick fragment 2 2 5 3 1 13 

Mortar — 2 1 2 — 5 

Wood — 1 — — — 1 

Earthenware 1 4 40 5 1 51 

Redware — — 3 1 — 4 

Stoneware — — 1 — — 1 

Curved glass — — 8 — — 8 

Flat glass 4 2 13 9 2 30 

Non-ferrous metal 1 1 — — — 2 

Metal — — — 3 — 3 

Cut nail 5 — 6 — — 11 

Wire nail 11 6 — — — 17 

Roofing nail 4 — — — — 4 

 

Totals 30 18 81 33 13 175 

 
35

 

Table 10. Artifact counts by level, Cellar Hatchway. 

 

Description Level: 1 2 3 4 5 6 Total 

Shell fragment 1 2 — — — — 3 

Button 1 — — — 1 — 2 

Marble — 1 — — — — 1 

Mortar — 2 2 — — 2 6 

Bone — 2 — 1 5 9 17 

Brick fragment — 1 — — — — 1 

Brass heel protector — 1 — — — — 1 

Charcoal — — — 5 — 1 6 

Egg shell — — — 13 — 1 14 

Hard rubber comb frag — — — — 1 — 1 

Earthenware 1 2 1 — 2 4 10 

Curved glass — 7 2 1 — 2 12 

Flat glass 28 11 6 5 1 2 53 

Metal 2 — — — 1 — 3 

Cut nail 13 14 10 8 7 2 54 

Wire nail 3 3 — — — — 6 

Roofing nail 5 2 6 2 — — 15 

Galvanized nail 1 — — — — — 1 

 

Total 55 48 27 35 18 23 206 
36

 

Table 11. Artifact counts by level, South Porch. 

 

 

Description Level: 1 2 3 4 5 6a 6b 7 Total 

 

Brick fragment 1 — — 2 — 1 1 1 6 

Button — 1 — — — — — — 1 

Concrete — 2 — — — — — — 2 

Shell fragment — — 3 — — — — — 3 

Mortar — — — 2 — 3 1 4 10 

Bone — — — — 2 6 2 3 13 

Bone toothbrush fr — — — — — — — 1 1 

Earthenware — 1 2 5 5 — — — 13 

Curved glass 10 — 1 — 1 — — — 12 

Flat glass 7 4 1 — — — — 1 13 

Silver-plated spoon — — 1 — — — — — 1 

Metal 2 1 1 — — — — — 4 

Cut nail 1 6 3 3 2 2 1 — 18 

Wire nail 2 6 4 — — — — — 12 

Roofing nail 4 6 — — — — — — 10 

Finishing nail 1 — — — — — — — 1 

 

Totals 28 27 16 12 10 12 5 10 120 

 Notes: 6a = Rectangular feature in NW corner; 6b = Trench in south half 

 
37

 

Table 12. Artifact counts by level, Hackberry Trees. 

 

 

Description Level: 1 2 3 4 Total 

 

Concrete 1 — — — 1 

Coin 2 — — — 2 

Brick fragment 4 — 1 1 6 

Bone 2 — — 15 17 

Button — 2 1 1 4 

Mortar — — 1 — 1 

Asphalt — — 1 — 1 

Porcelain doll frag — — 1 — 1 

Rock — — 1 — 1 

Earthenware — — 8 18 26 

Redware — — 1 2 3 

Stoneware — — 1 — 1 

Porcelain — — — 1 1 

Curved glass 3 5 24 14 46 

Flat glass — 7 12 11 30 

Non-ferrous metal 1 — — 1 2 

Metal 3 1 1 1 6 

Cut nail 2 2 11 6 21 

Wire nail — 4 — — 4 

Roofing nail 4 1 — — 5 

Galvanized nail 1 — — — 1 

 

Totals 23 22 64 71 180 

 
38

Table 13. Artifact counts by level, Shed West Foundation. 

 

 Level 

Description 1 2 3 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7b Total

Brick fragment 1 — — 1 1 — — 1 — — 4 

Mortar 3 — — 2 — — — — — — 5 

Bone 1 7 20 29 33 27 53 26 9 3 208 

Shingle fragment 2 4 — — — — — — — — 6 

Shell fragment — 1 — 4 — — — — — — 5 

.22-cal shell casing. — — 2 — — — — — — — 2 

.30-cal shell casing — — 1 — — — — — — — 1 

Button — — 1 2 4 — 1 1 1 — 10 

Rubber o-ring — — 1 — — — — — — — 1 

Hard rubber comb frag — — — 1 — — — — — — 1 

Slate pencil — — — 1 — — — 1 — — 2 

Clay pipe fragment — — — 1 1 — — — — — 2 

Porcelain doll frag — — — 1 — — — — — — 1 

Toy tea service frag — — — 1 — — 1 — — — 2 

Slate — — — — — 1 3 — — — 4 

Tooth fragment — — — — — — 1 — — — 1 

Earthenware 2 6 10 26 22 26 28 13 41 4 178 

Redware 2 3 4 10 4 4 12 6 1 — 46 

Stoneware — 1 2 1 — 1 — — — — 5 

Porcelain — 2 4 2 4 3 — — 1 — 16 

Curved glass 5 9 20 13 33 12 23 7 7 5 134 

Flat glass 12 10 25 16 19 14 28 16 18 1 159 

Glass slag — — — 3 2 — — — — — 5 

Non-ferrous metal — — — 2 — — 1 1 — — 4 

Metal 1 2 6 2 2 2 1 1 5 1 23 

Cut nail 2 20 15 32 60 13 31 11 15 1 200 

Wire nail 7 25 12 — — 1 — — 2 — 47 

Roofing nail 18 11 3 1 — — — — — — 33 

 

Totals 56 101 126 151 185 104 183 84 100 15 1105 

 

Notes: 4a = Brown clay; 4b = Brown silt clay; 5a = Brown clay; 5b = Brown silt clay; 

 6a = Brown clay; 6b = Brown silt clay; 7b = Brown silt clay
39

 

Table 14. Artifact counts by level, Shed North Foundation. 

 

Description Level: 1 2 3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 7b Total 

 

Ceramic drain tile 1 1 1 — — — — — — — 3 

Shingle fragment 4 — — — — — — — — — 4 

Mortar 2 2 — — 1 — — 1 2 1 9 

Wood 1 — — — — — — — — — 1 

Coal 1 — — — — — — — — — 1 

Plastic hook — 1 — — — — — — — — 1 

Shell fragment — 5 1 1 — — — — — — 7 

Bone — — 3 9 13 2 27 11 21 11 97 

Slate — — 1 — — — — — — — 1 

Button — — — 1 1 — 1 — 1 — 4 

Rubber — — — 1 — — — — — — 1 

Plastic — — — — 1 — — — — — 1 

Slate pencil — — — — 1 — 1 — — — 2 

Brick fragment — — — — 1 — 1 — — — 2 

Tooth — — — — — — — — — 1 1 

Porcelain doll frag — — — — — — — — — 1 1 

Toy teaware frag — — — — — — — — 1 — 1 

Earthenware — — 8 16 15 8 25 13 17 13 115 

Redware 1 — 6 10 16 3 26 17 17 11 107 

Stoneware — — — — 1 — — 1 1 — 3 

Porcelain — — — — — — 2 4 1 1 8 

Curved glass 4 2 9 9 19 6 16 13 25 16 119 

Flat glass 2 — 6 7 11 2 8 15 4 10 65 

Melted glass — — — — 1 — — — — — 1 

Bottle — — — 1 — — — — — — 1 

Glass slag — — — — — — — — 1 — 1 

Clothing rivet — — — — 1 — — — — — 1 

Non-ferrous metal — 1 — — 1 — — 1 — — 3 

Metal 2 — — 1 — — 3 7 11 1 25 

Cut nail 8 2 3 3 25 5 19 14 6 7 92 

Wire nail 8 2 1 1 — — — — — — 12 

Roofing nail 41 2 — — — — — — — — 43 

Finishing nail 2 — — — — — — — — — 2 

 

Totals 77 18 39 60 108 26 129 97 108 73 735 

 

 Notes: 3a = General fill; 3b = Wall trench; 4a = Black clay; 4b = Black silty clay; 

 5a = General fill; 5b = Wall trench; 6a = Black clay 

 
40

 

Table 15. Artifact counts by level, Basement TU 2. 

 

 

Description Level: 1 Total 

 

Flat glass 9 9 

Curved glass, amber 2 2 

Cut nail 4 4 

 

Totals 15 15 

 
41

 

Table 16. Artifact counts by level, 4S/2E. 

 

Description Level: 1 2 3 Total 

 

Flat glass 20 3 3 26 

Curved glass, clear 3 — — 3 

Curved glass, green — 1 — 1 

Lamp chimney fragment 1 — — 1 

Porcelain 1 — — 1 

Redware 4 — 1 5 

Whiteware, plain 8 — 5 13 

Whiteware, decal — 1 — 1 

Whiteware, purple transfer-print — 1 — 1 

Whiteware, blue transfer-print — — 1 1 

Whiteware, black transfer-print — — 2 2 

Whiteware, brown transfer-print — — 2 2 

Porcelain doll frag. 1 — — 1 

.32-cal shell casing 1 — — 1 

Metal, unidentified 2 — — 2 

Wire nail, galvanized 6 — — 6 

Roofing nail 10 — — 10 

Cut nail 30 3 2 35 

Staple, large — 1 — 1 

Pop rivet 1 — — 1 

Lead 1 — — 1 

Tin 1 — — 1 

Solder 2 — — 2 

Marble, clay 1 — — 1 

Caulking 2 — — 2 

Slag 2 — — 2 

Slate 1 — 1 2 

Mortar 1 1 — 2 

Brick 4 — 1 5 

Composite shingle 1 — — 1 

Charcoal — 3 — 3 

Bone/tooth 2 1 1 4 

Wood 1 — — 1 

 

Totals 107 14 19 140 

 
42

 

Table 17. Artifact numbers by level, 5S/2E. 

 

 

Description Level: 1 2 3 4 Total 

 

Flat glass 20 3 2 1 26 

Curved glass, clear 2 1 — — 3 

Curved glass, purple tint — — — 1 1 

Curved glass, amber 1 — — — 1 

Curved glass, aqua 1 — — 1 2 

Lamp chimney glass 3 — — — 3 

Whiteware, plain 1 1 11 1 14 

Whiteware, annular — — 1 — 1 

Whiteware, black transfer-print — — 1 3 4 

Whiteware, purple transfer-print — — 2 — 2 

Whiteware, blue transfer-print — — 3 1 4 

Yellowware — — 2 — 2 

Redware — 7 1 — 8 

Porcelain cap 1 — — — 1 

Porcelain doll fragments 1 — — — 1 

Button, milk glass w/ shank — 1 — — 1 

Marble, clay — 1 — — 1 

Roofing nail 7 — — — 7 

Cut nail 24 14 2 1 41 

Iron plate with screw attached 1 — — — 1 

Coin (1940 penny) 1 — — — 1 

.22-cal shell casing 1 — — — 1 

Bone 2 4 11 — 17 

Concrete 2 — — 1 3 

Rock 2 1 4 — 7 

Mortar — — 2 — 2 

Brick fragment — 4 1 1 6 

Slag — 1 1 1 3 

Charcoal — — 1 — 1 

Wood 3 — — — 3 

 

Totals 73 38 5 12 168 
43

 

Table 18. Artifact counts by level, 7S/2E. 

 

 

Description Level: 1 2 3 4 Total 

 

Flat glass 1 7 4 9 21 

Curved glass, clear 1 2 1 — 4 

Curved glass, green — 2 — — 2 

Curved glass, amber — 13 — — 13 

Curved glass, aqua — 1 — — 1 

Whiteware, plain — — 3 4 7 

Whiteware, annular 1 — — 1 2 

Whiteware, brown transfer-print — — 1 — 1 

Whiteware, green transfer-print — — — 3 3 

Whiteware, blue transfer-print — — — 4 4 

Yellowware — — — 1 1 

Redware — — — 1 1 

Porcelain doll fragment — 2 — — 2 

Metal, unidentified — — — 3 3 

Wire nail, galvanized 3 — — — 3 

Wire nail 3 4 1 1 9 

Roofing nail 2 — — 1 3 

Cut nail 4 5 9 4 22 

Pull-tab — 1 — — 1 

4-holed Milk glass button — — — 1 1 

4-holed bone button fragment — — — 1 1 

Bone — — 2 — 2 

Shell — — 5 — 5 

Concrete 2 4 1 — 7 

Caulking 1 1 — 1 3 

Rock — 4 1 5 10 

Mortar — — — 3 3 

Brick fragment — 5 — 2 7 

Slag — 4 2 1 7 

Wood, burned — 4 2 — 6 

 

Totals 18 59 32 46 155 

 
44

 

Table 19. Artifact counts by level, 8S/2E. 

 

Description Level: 1 2 3a 3b 3c 3d 3e 4 Total 

Flat glass — 2 5 — — 5 6 — 18 

Curved glass, clear — 8 2 — — — — — 10 

Curved glass, green — 1 — — — — — — 1 

Curved glass, amber — 4 — — — — — — 4 

Curved glass, aqua — — — — — 1 1 5 7 

Curved glass, cobalt 1 — — — — — — — 1 

Button, milk glass — 1 — — — — — — 1 

Button, shell — — — — — — 1 — 1 

Button, hard rubber — — — — — — — 1 1 

Metal button — 1 — — — — — — 1 

Stoneware — — — — — — — 1 1 

Redware — — 4 — — 3 8 1 16 

Whiteware, plain — 1 — — — — 1 6 8 

Whiteware, painted — — — — — — — 1 1 

Whiteware, green tr-p — — 1 — — — — — 1 

Whiteware, purple tr-p — — — — — 1 — — 1 

Whiteware, blue tr-p — — — — — — — 1 1 

Metal, unidentified — 1 — — — — 2 5 8 

Wire nail 7 1 3 5 — — 2 — 18 

Roofing nail 4 — — — — — — — 4 

Cut nail 6 2 1 — — 6 10 1 26 

Pipestem, white clay — — 1 — — — — — 1 

Caulking 4 — — — — — — — 4 

Slag — 3 5 — 1 2 1 — 12 

Rock — 3 1 — — 2 — — 6 

Mortar 2 4 — — 4 — 2 3 15 

Brick 2 3 1 3 — 2 3 3 17 

Concrete — 2 1 — — 2 — — 5 

Composite shingle 3 — — — — — — — 3 

Bone — — 1 — — — 3 — 4 

Shell — — 4 10 — — — 2 16 

Coal — — 1 — — — — — 1 

Charcoal — — — — — — 1 2 3 

 

Totals 29 37 31 18 5 24 41 32 217 

 Notes: 3a = general fill; 3b = sand area; 3c = mottled fill area; 3d = Zone C; 3e = Zone D 

 
45

 

Table 20. Artifact counts by level, 9S/2E. 

 

 Level 

Description 1 2 3 4 5a 5b Total

Flat glass 7 10 11 8 — — 36 

Curved glass, clear — 4 3 1 — — 8 

Curved glass, green 1 2 — — — — 3 

Curved glass, amber 1 1 — — — — 2 

Curved glass, aqua — — 1 — — — 1 

Mirror glass — — 1 — — — 1 

Milk glass 1 — — — — — 1 

Porcelain 1 — — 1 — — 2 

Stoneware — — 1 — — — 1 

Redware 1 1 6 9 1 — 18 

Whiteware, plain — 2 2 1 1 — 6 

Whiteware, annular — — — 1 — — 1 

Whiteware, blue shell-edge — 1 — — — — 1 

Whiteware, blue transfer-print — — 1 1 — 1 3 

Whiteware, red transfer-print — — 1 — — — 1 

Whiteware, flow blue — — 1 — — — 1 

Coin (1984 dime) — 1 — — — — 1 

Milk glass collar button — 1 — — — — 1 

Metal, unidentified — — 2 — — — 2 

Wire nail 7 2 5 — — — 14 

Roofing nail 7 — — — — — 7 

Cut nail 9 9 7 6 2 — 33 

Hinge plate 1 — 1 — — — 2 

Copper tube — — 1 — — — 1 

Solder 2 — — — — — 2 

Caulking 3 — — — 3 — 6 

Slag 2 — — — — — 2 

Slate 1 — 1 1 — — 3 

Mortar 3 3 1 1 — — 8 

Brick 1 1 1 3 3 — 9 

Concrete 2 3 1 1 1 — 8 

Composite shingle 4 — — — — — 4 

Charcoal — 3 — 2 — — 5 

Bone — — 2 8 1 8 19 

Shell — — 3 3 — — 6 

Coal — — — 1 — — 1 

Plaster — — 2 — — — 2 

Slate pencil — — 1 — — — 1 

 

Totals 52 43 54 48 12 9 218 

 

 Notes: 5a=general level; 5b= bone concentration (34-55 cmbs)

 
46

 

Table 21. Artifact counts by level, 11S/2E 

 

Description Level: 2 4 5 Total 

 

Flat glass 29 2 1 32 

Curved glass, clear 4 1 — 5 

Curved glass, green 4 1 — 5 

Curved glass, amber 1 — — 1 

Curved glass, aqua 3 — — 3 

Lamp chimney fragment 2 — — 2 

Porcelain 3 — — 3 

Redware 6 1 1 8 

Stoneware, Albany slip 2 — — 2 

Whiteware, plain 8 1 4 13 

Whiteware, blue transfer-print 1 — 1 

Marble, clay 1 — — 1 

.22-cal shell casing 1 — — 1 

Cut nail 21 4 3 28 

Iron handle 1 — — 1 

Rock 4 — — 4 

Coal — — 1 1 

Slate 2 — — 2 

Mortar 2 — 1 3 

Brick — 1 2 3 

Bone/tooth 7 3 — 10 

Shell 16 — — 16 

 

Totals 117 15 13 145 

 

 Note: No materials collected from levels 1 and 3. 
47

 

Table 22. Artifacts by level, 8S/4E 

 

 

Description 1 2 3 4 Total 

 

Flat glass 1 — 12 9 22 

Curved glass, clear — 1 6 4 11 

Curved glass, purple tint — — 1 — 1 

Curved glass, aqua — — 5 — 5 

Whiteware, plain — — 3 7 10 

Whiteware, painted — — 1 — 1 

Whiteware, blue transfer-print — — — 3 3 

Redware — — 2 — 2 

Porcelain doll fragment — — 1 — 1 

Marble, clay — — 3 — 3 

Roofing nail 1 — — — 1 

Cut nail 3 1 7 11 22 

Wire nail 1 — 1 — 2 

.22-cal shell casing — — 1 — 1 

Pewter scrap — 1 — — 1 

Copper washer — — 1 — 1 

Bone — — 4 — 4 

Shell — — — 2 2 

Rock — — 1 1 2 

Mortar — — 1 2 3 

Brick fragment — 1 2 — 3 

Composite shingle 2 — — — 2 

Coal — 1 — — 1 

Slag — — 1 1 2 

 

Totals 8 5 53 40 106 

 
48
Figure 1. The Harriet Dean House as it appeared in 1991: viewed from the southeast (top) and viewed 

from the west (bottom).

49
EDWARDS STREET

CAPITOL AVENUE

JACKSON STREET

EIG

H

T

H

S

T

R

E

E

T

S

E

V

E

N

T

H

S

T

R

E

E

T

NIN

T

H

S

T

R

E

E

T

Ò

N

Morse

House

Lincoln

Home

Legacy

Garden

Arnold

House

Robinson

House

Shutt

House

Dubois

House

Miller

House

Sprigg

House

Corneau

House

Stuve House

Cook

House

Lyon

House

Beedle

House

Grace Evangelical

Lutheran Church

Visitor Center

HS-12

HS-8

HS-13

HS-1

HS-9

HS-20

HS-11

HS-2

HS-14

HS-15

HS-5

HS-17

HS-19

HS-10

HS-29

BLOCK 6 BLOCK 10

BLOCK 7 BLOCK 11

16

15

16

15

14

13

12

11

10

9

7

8

7

8

6

5

4

2

1

16

15

14

13

12

11

10

9

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Brown

Remann

Worthen

Niles

Bugg

Carrigan

Irwin

Roll

Jenkins

Allen

Burch

Walters

Conference

Center

3

Harriet

Dean

House

Figure 2. Location of the Harriet Dean House within Lincoln Home National Historic Site.

50 
JACKSON STREET

Harriet

Dean

House

Lincoln

Home

EIG

HTH STREET

Figure 3. Annotated detail of the McManus map, City of Springfield, 1854.

51

NORTH
JACKSON STREET

EIG

HTH STREET

Harriet

Dean

House

Lincoln

Home

Figure 4. Annotated detail of the Sides map, City of Springfield, 1858.

52 

ON RTH
53

Figure 5. Annotated detail from Springfield, Illinois; Drawn from Nature, by A. Ruger, 

1867. Bird’s-eye panorama of a portion of Springfield showing the location of the Harriet 

Dean House.

Lincoln 

Home

Harriet

Dean

House
54

Figure 6. Annotated detail from Map of Springfield, 1870. Bird’s-eye panorama of a portion 

of Springfield showing the location of the Harriet Dean House.

Lincoln

Home

Harriet

Dean

House
Figure 7. Annotated detail from Bird’s Eye View of Springfield, Illinois, circa 1873, showing 

the location of the Harriet Dean House.

Harriet

Dean

House Lincoln

Home

55
Figure 8. Six annotated details from Sanborn fire insurance maps (1884–1952), illustrating changes in 

the configuration of the Harriet Dean House and surrounding property (continued on following page).

56

1884

1890

1896
1917

1952 

1941

57

Figure 8 (concluded).
TU1

Parking

Pad

TU

TU2

Figure 9. Harriet Dean House and lot showing the location of excavation units in the backyard.

58

Outbuilding Area

0 Feet 20

Ò

N

0 Meters 4
North

Foundation

North

Foundation

North

Foundation

Shed

West Foundation

Shed

North

Foundation

Cellar

Hatch

South

Porch

TU

Extension

West

Foundation

0 Feet 10

Ò

N

Figure 10. Harriet Dean House and the location of perimeter excavation units.

59

TU1 TU2

West

Foundation

TU1

TU3

TU2

East

Foundation

Hackberry 

Trees 

TU

0 Meters 3

TU

TU
TU1

TU3

TU2

Abandoned

Cistern

Ò

N

Figure 11. Basement floor plan of the Harriet Dean House and location of excavation units.

0 Feet 10

0 Meters 3

60 
Tree

Tree

Sand Deposit

Dark Organic Soil

Entry Vestibule

Retaining Wall

Property Line

Ò

N

Joists

Decking

Pier

Brick Pier RemnantBrick Pier Remnant

Excavation Units

Dean House

Concrete Walkway

Figure 12. Front yard of the Harriet Dean House and location of excavation units.

Ò

N

Figure 13. Detail of front porch area of the Harriet Dean House.

0 Feet 10

0 Meters 3

0 Feet 5

0 Meter 1

61
Figure 14. Front porch area and the north brick alignment, looking west toward the entry of 

the Harriet Dean House.

62 
Figure 15. Front porch area and profile of the north brick alignment.

63
Figure 16. Front porch area and the south brick alignment, looking west toward the entry of the Harriet 

Dean House.

64 
Figure 17. Front porch area and profile of south brick alignment.

65

Figure 18. Cistern in Harriet Dean House crawl space.
66