Archeological Testing in the Stonewall Jackson Reservoir Lewis County West Virginia
Creators: name: Beckes, Michael R.
Publisher: name: West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey Archeology Section
Year: 1975
Subjects: West Virginia (State / Territory)
West fork Basin
Lewis (County)
Stonewall Jackson Dam
Woodland
Historic Native American
Middle Woodland
Late Woodland
Archaic
Early Archaic
Historic
Middle Archaic
Late Archaic
46LE22
46LE20
46LE01
46LE06
46LE02
46LE09
46LE07
46LE14
46LE13
Archaeological Feature
Artifact Scatter
Charcoal
White Chert
Black Chert
Grey Chert
Black Flint
Ceramic
Gray Flint
Chipped Stone
Brown Sandstone
Pink Flint
Fire Cracked Rock
Ground Stone
Granite
Grey Flint
Macrobotanical
Metal
Lithic
Collections Management
Archaeological Overview
Data Recovery / Excavation
Heritage Management

description: In early June 1974 a five-man field crew from the Archeology Section of the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey carried out a systematic program of archeological testing in the basin of the proposed Stonewall Jackson Reservoir in North-Central West Virginia. A total of twelve archeological sites was investigated, including nine which were previously reported by Ralph Solecki. (1949), and three which were discovered by the testing crew (Fig. 1). The field crew consisted of Amy D. Ayers, James Califf, Douglas Hulbert, and Beth Jamieson. All testing was completed by August 9th, and preliminary analysis of the cultural materials recovered during the course of the project was initiated.
The primary impetus for this project was the proposed construction of the Stonewall Jackson Dam, a combination flood control and recreation project was under consideration by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A preliminary examination of the test area was carried out in 1948 by Ralph Solecki as part of the Smithsonian Institution's River Basin Survey Project. He reported the existence of a substantial number of prehistoric sites at various locations throughout the reservoir area. Basing his recommendations on surface examinations only, he stated that most of the sites in the region did not require further examination or testing.
In 1973 a re evaluation of Solecki's collection revealed the existence of several projectile point types which have been classified and dated in the years since the original survey report appeared. A number of these artifacts appeared to be of Archaic age and indicated a need for further work in the area. Consequently, Bettye J. Broyles of the Archeology Section visited the area and relocated all of Solecki's original sites. In view of the impending inundation of these sites and apparent antiquity of the few artifacts known from the area, a testing 2 and salvage, proposal was submitted to the National Park Service. The present work was carried out under the funding of National Park Service contract number CX-4000-4-0037.
In addition to the goal of conducting subsurface testing of previously located sites in this area, two other project aims were set out. These included the generation of data which would facilitate the establishment of a regional chronology for this part of the state, and which would place this part of the state in the larger context of adjacent regions and complexes. These goals have been met, at least in part, with the result that the present report will present new data on chronology and settlement patterns in the study area.