Archaeological Test Excavations for the Water Plant No. 1 Expansion, Historic Block 138, City of Tucson
Creators: name: J. Homer Thiel
name: Desruisseaux, Danielle
Publisher: name: Center for Desert Archaeology
Year: 1993
Subjects: subject: Barrio Libre
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/84526/barrio-libre
subject: Block 138
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/84525/block-138
subject: Arizona (State / Territory)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/335/arizona-state-territory
subject: Tucson Basin
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/2758/tucson-basin
subject: Tucson, AZ
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/76651/tucson-az
subject: Historic Native American
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/30/historic-native-american
subject: Mexican
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/1567/mexican
subject: Mexican-American
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/8258/mexican-american
subject: Hohokam
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/21/hohokam
subject: Huhugam
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/8166/huhugam
subject: Historic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/25/historic
subject: African American
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/26/african-american
subject: Chinese American
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/27/chinese-american
subject: Euroamerican
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/28/euroamerican
subject: Yaqui Indian
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/9212/yaqui-indian
subject: AZ BB:13:424 (ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/105812/az-bb13424-asm
subject: Water Plant No. 1 Expansion Site
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/106121/water-plant-no-1-expansion-site
subject: Hamlet / Village
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/254/hamlet-village
subject: Domestic Structures
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/256/domestic-structures
subject: Cistern
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/528/cistern
subject: Historic Well
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/3202/historic-well
subject: House
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/259/house
subject: Pit
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/355/pit
subject: Refuse Pit
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/356/refuse-pit
subject: Post Hole / Post Mold
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/359/post-hole-post-mold
subject: Rabbit Hutch
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/3656/rabbit-hutch
subject: Domestic Structure or Architectural Complex
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/251/domestic-structure-or-architectural-complex
subject: Settlements
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/252/settlements
subject: Outhouse
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/1756/outhouse
subject: Ceramic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/1/ceramic
subject: Fauna
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/4/fauna
subject: Glass
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/6/glass
subject: Metal
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/11/metal
subject: Concrete
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/188/concrete
subject: Ethnographic Research
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/14/ethnographic-research
subject: Archaeological Overview
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/1/archaeological-overview
subject: Historic Background Research
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/18/historic-background-research
subject: Data Recovery / Excavation
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/5/data-recovery-excavation
subject: Heritage Management
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/24/heritage-management
subject: Research Design / Data Recovery Plan
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/9/research-design-data-recovery-plan

description: Residents of modern cities are often surprised to learn that historical artifacts and architectural remains survive below ground. The excavations on lots 5 through 12 of historic Block 138 demonstrate that past Tucsonans discarded large quantities of garbage in the areas next to their homes. Hundreds of items were discovered during archaeological testing of the block. The City of Tucson plans to expand its Water Plant over the block, and it was necessary to determine whether significant cultural resources were present. Test excavations conducted at AZ BB:13:424 (ASM) by Desert Archaeology, Inc., uncovered 51 features dating from the occupation of the site. The goals of testing were to locate, identify, and evaluate archaeological features; to obtain datable artifacts from selected features; and to perform preliminary documentary research on the history of the block. Currently, the city has not finalized construction plans for the water plant expansion; therefore, a program to mitigate selected features has not been extensively developed. During testing and later archival research, it became obvious that the site is eligible for nomination into the National Register of Historic Places under criteria B and D. Under criterion B, which seeks associations with persons important on a national, regional, or local level, the site would be eligible because it was the home of members of three different cultural groups. The Yaqui Indian Soto family emigrated from northern Mexico toward the end of the nineteenth century. The Ransom family was headed by an African-American who married a Mexican woman. The Mexican-American Torres family moved to the block in the 1930s. These people, along with other block residents, were not individually famous. However, as a group, they contributed to the growth and development of Tucson. Since these groups were poorly documented in newspapers and published histories, the study of the archaeological materials they left behind allows us to glimpse and understand their daily lives. Chapter 1 introduces readers to an overview of Tucson history. Biographical data on site residents is supplied in Chapter 2. Chapter 3 discusses the 51 uncovered features, including building foundations, outhouse pits, wells, and large trash pits. Most date from 1890 to 1930. Preliminary analysis of the recovered artifacts, presented in Chapter 4, provides dates for many of the features and indicates that site residents ate off of expensive dishes, enjoying prepared foodstuffs and beverages manufactured in the eastern United States and even Europe. This was surprising given the low income of the site residents. Research questions to guide further work are provided in Chapter 5.