Final Report, Phase I and Phase II Archaeological Investigations at the JADOC Site, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, DC (2013.015)
Creators: name: Bedell, John
name: Fiedel, Stuart
name: Katz, Gregory
Publisher: name: The Louis Berger Group, Inc.
Year: 2013
Subjects: subject: United States of America (Country)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/384/united-states-of-america-country
subject: Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/78098/joint-base-anacostia-bolling
subject: Bolling Air Force Base
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/78099/bolling-air-force-base
subject: Potomac River
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/8310/potomac-river
subject: District of Columbia
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/58619/district-of-columbia
subject: PREHIST0RIC
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/3956/prehist0ric
subject: Woodland
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/13/woodland
subject: Early Woodland
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/14/early-woodland
subject: Middle Woodland
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/15/middle-woodland
subject: Late Woodland
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/16/late-woodland
subject: PaleoIndian
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/4/paleoindian
subject: Archaic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/8/archaic
subject: Early Archaic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/9/early-archaic
subject: Historic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/25/historic
subject: 51SW007
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/9473/51sw007
subject: 51SW022
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/9474/51sw022
subject: 51SW7
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/9443/51sw7
subject: Wright Circle Site
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/9475/wright-circle-site
subject: 51SW22
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/9460/51sw22
subject: Agricultural or Herding
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/273/agricultural-or-herding
subject: Archaeological Feature
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/339/archaeological-feature
subject: Pit
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/355/pit
subject: Domestic Structure or Architectural Complex
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/251/domestic-structure-or-architectural-complex
subject: Ceramic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/1/ceramic
subject: Chipped Stone
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/2/chipped-stone
subject: Dating Sample
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/3/dating-sample
subject: Fire Cracked Rock
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/5/fire-cracked-rock
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: Compliance
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/139229/compliance
subject: Navy
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/139086/navy
subject: Halifax Point
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/10577/halifax-point
subject: Accokeek Ceramic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/126005/accokeek-ceramic
subject: Phase I
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/48823/phase-i
subject: Phase II
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/43064/phase-ii
subject: Savannah River culture
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/139097/savannah-river-culture
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: Site Evaluation / Testing
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/10/site-evaluation-testing

description: The Louis Berger Group, Inc. (LBG) completed Phase I and II archaeological investigations at the site of the new JADOC facility on Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C. LBG was asked to carry out this work after site preparation had already been under way for some time, and much earth-moving activity had already been carried out on the site. The site was previously the location of military housing and other buildings before that. Numerous utilities were present. The JADOC site (project area) measures about 650 feet north-south and 400 feet east-west, bordered on the west and south by McGuire Avenue and about 200 feet east of the Potomac River. A construction fence surrounded the northern 500 feet at the time of survey, leaving part of the project area (about 150x350 feet) south of the fence. The purpose of the investigations was to determine if any archaeological sites are present in the project area and to evaluate their eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places. The site had been investigated in February 2012 by geoarchaeologist Dr. Daniel Wagner. Dr. Wagner found that, despite the construction/demolition of the housing project and the other disturbances, largely intact A-horizon soils were present across much of the site. In the eastern, upslope area, these soils were at or near the surface, and to the west they were buried under up to 4 feet of fill. This area was considered to have high potential for prehistoric archaeological sites because of its proximity to the Potomac River and because nineteenth-century archaeologists had identified a prehistoric “village” site in this vicinity, now designated Site 51SW007. When LBG reached the site, most of the topsoil had been graded away and stockpiled in the northeastern corner of the site. Examination of “islands” left around survey points showed that the depth of grading varied from 0.5 foot to 1.5 feet or more. In the center of the project area, where the new building will be constructed, a large, deep excavation had been made and mechanically backfilled, forming a “pad.” It was assumed that any archaeological resources within this pad area had been disturbed. LBG therefore focused on less disturbed areas, which wrapped around this pad in a “C” shape. Phase I testing showed that little testable soil remained across most of the project area, and what remained contained few artifacts. Potentially significant archaeological deposits were found only in one area. This was along the west (river) side of the project area, south of the northern stormwater pond, where a buried topsoil was found under 1 to 3 feet of fill. In this topsoil were numerous prehistoric artifacts, including pottery and stone flakes, as well as historic artifacts dating to the nineteenth century. These deposits were defined as the Wright Circle Site (51SW022), and Phase II testing of the site was recommended. Phase II testing of Site 51SW022 included the excavation of 18 3x3-foot test units and one 1.5x3-foot test unit. More than 4,000 prehistoric artifacts were recovered, mainly pottery and quartzite debitage. The quartzite seems to come from a Late Archaic occupation of the Savannah River culture. The pottery derives from later, Woodland occupations. More than 800 potsherds were recovered from a single large pit feature. The pit was radiocarbon dated to around 810 to 760 BC. This part of the site was considered to be eligible for listing in the National Register under Criterion D, and it is being protected by a redesign of the parking areas.