Technical Reports
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Browsing Technical Reports by Subject "Bexar County (Tex.)--Antiquities"
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Item Alamo Arbor Construction and Electrical Conduit Installation Monitoring, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas(Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2014) Nichols, Kristi M.In late December of 2013 and early January of 2014, the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) of the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) contracted with the Texas General Land Office (GLO) to monitor the excavation of trenches for the installation of electrical conduit and post holes associated with the Arbor expansion located at Mission San Antonio de Valero/Alamo (41BX6) in the heart of downtown San Antonio. The work conducted was located on the grounds closest to the intersection of Bonham and Houston Streets. Given the location on the grounds of the Alamo, the grounds have the potential to produce significant cultural deposits. During the course of the project, no significant or diagnostic artifacts were encountered. The excavations encountered disturbed soils that were related to the previous installation of utilities. As a result, CAR recommended no additional work was necessary within the current project area and allowed the installation to occur as planned.Item An Intensive Archaeological Investigation at the Westover Hills Assembly of God, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas(Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2014) Wigley, SarahIn November 2014, the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) conducted an archaeological survey of five acres of private property owned by the Westover Hills Assembly of God. The survey was required by the City of San Antonio (COSA) in compliance with the COSA Unified Development Code Chapter 35. Pedestrian survey with shovel testing and backhoe trenching were used to identify archaeological resources in the area. No cultural material or archaeological sites were identified. Therefore, the CAR recommends that any planned development proceed. Records generated during this project were prepared for curation according to Texas Historical Commission (THC) guidelines and are permanently curated at the CAR at UTSA.Item An Intensive Pedestrian Survey for Proposed Greenway Extensions at Culebra and Helotes Creeks, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas(Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2014) Figueroa, Antonia L.In April of 2014, the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) conducted an archaeological pedestrian survey of a proposed trail for the Greenway Extensions of Culebra and Helotes Creeks in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. The proposed trail system is 2.7-km long and runs along Culebra and Helotes Creeks. The goal of the archaeological survey was to identify and document all prehistoric and/or historic archaeological sites that may be impacted by the proposed trail alignment. The archaeological work was performed under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 6850, with Dr. Raymond Mauldin serving as Principal Investigator and Cynthia Moore Munoz serving as Project Manager. Antonia Figueroa was the Project Archaeologist. The field work resulted in the excavation of 22 shovel tests along the proposed trail corridor. Ground disturbances in the Area of Potential Effect and modifications to the creek banks made shovel testing infeasible in some parts of the project area. Although several archaeological sites surround the project area, no new archaeological sites were documented during the archaeological survey. Since only one artifact, an isolated find, was encountered during the archaeological investigations, the CAR recommends the proposed trail alignment for the Greenway Extensions of Culebra and Helotes Creeks proceed as planned. In a letter dated June 26, 2014, the Texas Historical Commission (THC) agreed with these recommendations. The COSA Office of Historic Preservation also concurred with the CAR’s recommendations. Artifacts collected and records generated during this project were prepared for curation according to Texas Historical Commission guidelines and are permanently curated at the CAR at UTSA.Item Archaeological Assessment of Three Locations on the San Antonio River, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas(Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2010) Meissner, Barbara A.In May 2010, staff archaeologists from the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) of the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) conducted an assessment of three areas along the San Antonio River between Theo Avenue and Mission Road. This work was completed under Antiquities Permit No. 5622 and National Park Service Permit No. SAAN-2010-SCI-0001, under the oversight of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Texas Historical Commission, and the City of San Antonio. The Principal Investigator was Dr. Steve A. Tomka and the Project Archaeologist was Barbara A. Meissner. The three areas consisted of 1) the possible location of a remnant of the San José Dam, constructed in the mid-eighteenth century; 2) a location near the Poor Family Cemetery (41BX264) where concrete curb-like elements, reminiscent of a kind of grave decoration common in the later nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, had been observed; and 3) a location south of Concepción Park where prehistoric artifacts and a limestone rock alignment had been observed. Three backhoe trenches (BHTs) were excavated into the west bank of the San Antonio River to define the nature of the stone concentrations discovered during grading in the approximate location of the San José Dam. No evidence of a remnant of the San José Dam was encountered. The sediments consisted of fill and riprap placed on the bank during the rechannelization of the river to prevent erosion. Two BHTs were excavated in the vicinity of the fragments of concrete curbing noted on SARA-owned right-of-way. The trenches revealed a stratigraphy dominated by fill from surface to 3.0 m below surface, the terminal depth of the trenches. No evidence was found indicating that the Poor Family Cemetery extended into the SARA right-of-way. Two BHTs were dug in the area where prehistoric surface deposits were noted on the east bank of the San Antonio River, south of Concepción Park. The trenches revealed that the artifacts recovered and burned rock observed on the ground surface have been recently brought in and do not represent an in situ prehistoric site. The limestone rocks noted nearby appear to be part of the layer of rock riprap placed on the slope of the bank to retard erosion during flood events. As no evidence of significant prehistoric and/or historic deposits was found during these investigations, the CAR recommends that the grading along these three locations of the San Antonio River proceed as originally planned. However, due to the possibility that a remnant of the San José Dam is buried under the fill observed during this project, we recommend that an archaeological monitor be present during the remaining grading in the area. In addition, as the exact location of the boundaries of the Poor Family Cemetery is not known, we recommend that an archaeological monitor be present during grading in this area as well. As the prehistoric artifacts constitute a secondary deposit and the limestone rocks on the east bank of the river are riprap, we do not recommend additional archaeological investigations or monitoring on the east bank of the San Antonio River associated with these two deposits.Item Archaeological Investigations at the Lily Pond in Brackenridge Park, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas(Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2011) Ulrich, Kristi M.On August 18, 2011, archaeologists from the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) conducted archaeological monitoring of backhoe trenching within the Lily Pond located in Brackenridge Park. The CAR was contracted by the City of San Antonio to investigate whether or not portions of a dam had been uncovered within the Lily Pond. The investigations were conducted under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 6021. Steve A. Tomka served as Principal Investigator, and Kristi Miller Ulrich served as Project Archaeologist. Backhoe trenching within the Lily Pond did not reveal remnants of a dam. However, portions of Lily Pond wall that were constructed during the Works Project Administration (WPA) era were encountered and documented. CAR does not recommend any further investigations within the pond in relation to locating a dam in the western portion of the pond. No artifacts were collected and all documents related to the project are permanently curated at the Center for Archaeological Research.Item Archaeological Investigations of Room 17, the Church at Mission San Juan Capistrano (41BX5), San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas(Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2011) Thompson, Jennifer L.In February and March 2011, the Center for Archaeological Research at the University of Texas at San Antonio (CAR-UTSA) re-excavated trenches first excavated by Mardith Schuetz in 1968 at two locales outside Room 17, the mission church, at Mission San Juan Capistrano in the San Antonio Missions National Historic Park (SAMNHP). Schuetz’s Trench 2 was located at the corner of a buttress and the east wall on the north side of the north door of the church. Trench 5 was behind the church, approximately 15.6 feet south of the west wall window at the corner of the wall and a buttress. The excavation occurred to assess the condition of the foundation ahead of restoration efforts to be conducted by Ford, Powell, and Carson, Architects and Planners, Inc. The 1968 excavations were also conducted to expose the foundation. At that time, the matrix was backfilled without being screened. Therefore, the current excavations through the disturbed deposits did not proceed in controlled levels. However, all excavated deposits were screened for temporally diagnostic artifacts, which were collected and taken for curation at CAR-UTSA. Disarticulated human remains were recovered from the matrix screened from Trench 2. These were in a disturbed context that had been excavated in 1968. As per discussion with Susan Snow of the SAMNHP, the remains will be reinterred in the approximate location where they were found. No intact burial pit was present. The remains will be housed temporarily at CAR-UTSA until re-interred. The work was conducted under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 5880. Steve A. Tomka served as Principal Investigator and Jennifer L. Thompson served as the Project Archaeologist.Item Archaeological Investigations of the Monterrey Park Improvements, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas(Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2019-10) Figueroa, Antonia L.On March 4, 2019, The University of Texas at San Antonio Center for Archaeological Research (CAR), in response to a request from the City of San Antonio (COSA), conducted archaeological investigations in the form of exploratory backhoe trenching in advance of proposed improvements to Monterrey Park located in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. The Monterrey Park Improvements Project was funded by the COSA and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). The project was located on COSA property, and therefore, it was conducted under the Antiquities Code of Texas. Archaeological work was performed under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 8798. Due to federal funding received by TPWD for the project, compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) was also required. The COSA’s Office of Historic Preservation (COSA-OHP) and Texas Historical Commission (THC) reviewed the project. Paul Shawn Marceaux served as the Principal Investigator, and Antonia L. Figueroa served as the Project Archaeologist. The archaeological investigations were concentrated along Zarzamora Creek. Archaeological investigations conducted by CAR resulted in the excavation of four backhoe trenches along the creek bank. During backhoe trenching, no cultural material or archaeological sites were encountered. CAR recommends no further work, and improvements in this part of the park can proceed as planned. All project related materials, including the final report, are permanently stored at the CAR curation facility.Item Archaeological Monitoring and Investigations for the Installation of a Compressed Natural Gas Line for the VIA Metropolitan Transit Authority, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas(Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2017) Zapata, José E.; McKenzie, Clinton M. M.Between October 2016 and January 2017, The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Center for Archaeological Research (CAR), on behalf of Trillium CNG, conducted archaeological investigations for proposed development activities at 1720 North Flores Street in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. Development activities planned for the proposed project included the Phase 1 installation of a 30.48-cm (12-in.) compressed natural gas (CNG) line and the Phase 2 construction of a CNG facility and related utility trenches. Archaeological services were in response to a request for testing and monitoring of culturally sensitive areas along the west bank of San Pedro Creek. Testing and monitoring failed to locate any intact cultural features, and recovered artifacts were limited to diagnostic material. The project was conducted under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 7815, with Dr. Paul Shawn Marceaux serving as Principal Investigator and José E. Zapata serving as Project Archaeologist. Artifacts and records generated during this project were prepared for curation according to THC guidelines and are permanently curated at the CAR.Item Archaeological Monitoring Associated with the Installation of Conserved Cannon in the Alamo Complex, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas(Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2018) Zapata, José E.Between February and June 2018, in response to a request from the Alamo Trust, Inc., staff of the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) performed archaeological monitoring of six hand-excavated holes prior to the construction of a series of concrete supports for the installation and display of six historic period cannon at Mission San Antonio de Valero, The Alamo (41BX6), in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. The Area of Potential Effect (APE) was limited to the east side of the 1934 Alamo Arcade. The installation of the conserved cannon took place beneath the midpoint of six arches along the east side of the arcade. Six holes were hand-excavated by Alamo staff, while CAR staff monitored the progress and screened the soils. The Project Archaeologist was José Zapata, and Sarah Wigley assisted with the fieldwork and artifact analysis. Paul Shawn Marceaux, CAR Director, served as the Principal Investigator. This project fell under the Antiquities Code of Texas and required review by the Texas Historical Commission (THC) and the Texas General Land Office (GLO). Archaeological monitoring was conducted under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 8335. The cannon installations were completed with a minimal amount of disturbance and no adverse impacts to resources within the APE. All field notes, photos, and artifacts have been prepared for permanent curation at the CAR, in accordance with THC guidelines.Item Archaeological Monitoring for Enlargement of a Drainage Swale at Mission San Francisco de la Espada, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas(Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2017) Smith, StephenOn May 2, 2016, the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) monitored the enlargement of a drainage swale at Mission San Francisco de la Espada, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. Mission Espada is a State Antiquities Landmark (SAL) and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Project Archaeologist Stephen Smith monitored excavations for the enlargement, and Dr. Paul Shawn Marceaux served as the Principal Investigator. CAR recommends to the project sponsor and Archeology Division of the Texas Historical Commission (THC) no further archaeological investigation of the project area. This recommendation is based on CAR’s negative findings during the monitoring and because the project sponsor plans no additional ground disturbances. Though no further work is recommended at this time, it is known that Mission Espada and the surrounding area contains important archaeological resources. Therefore, archaeological monitoring and/or investigation should precede any future ground-disturbing activities in the area.Item Archaeological Monitoring for the Espada Road Widening and Infrastructure Upgrades Project, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas(Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2018) Kemp, LeonardFrom September 30, 2016, through October 19, 2017, the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) conducted archaeological monitoring for the Espada Road Widening and Infrastructure Upgrades Project. The City of San Antonio’s (COSA) Transportation and Capital Improvements (TCI) Department contracted Poznecki-Camarillo, Inc. (PCI), who hired CAR to conduct the archaeological monitoring. The COSA’s Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) and TCI designated three areas within the Project Area to monitor, as recommended by an earlier study. CAR archaeologists did not find archaeological features or other artifacts that would warrant further investigation in any of the three areas. Espada Road construction was allowed to proceed without interruption. The archaeological monitoring was conducted under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 7789 issued to Dr. Paul Shawn Marceaux, the Principal Investigator, with Leonard Kemp serving as Project Archaeologist.Item Archaeological Monitoring for the San Pedro Avenue, Main Avenue, and Navarro Street Roundabout Project, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas(Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2018) Figueroa, Antonia L.From March 2017 to February 2018, the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) conducted archaeological monitoring for the San Pedro Avenue, Main Avenue, and Navarro Street Roundabout Project in downtown San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. Adams Environmental, Inc., on behalf of the City of San Antonio (COSA), contracted CAR to conduct the archaeological monitoring in association with road and utilities improvements. The project fell under COSA’s Unified Development Code (UDC) (Article 6 35-630 to 35-634) and required review by the Texas Historical Commission (THC) under the Antiquities Code of Texas. The archaeological work was performed under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 7906. Dr. Paul Shawn Marceaux served as Principal Investigator, and Antonia L. Figueroa served as the Project Archaeologist. The fieldwork consisted of archaeological monitoring of excavations associated with San Antonio Water System (SAWS) utilities installation and COSA roadwork. Much of the project area has been subjected to vehicular traffic and has been impacted by previous utilities. No new archaeological sites were documented during the archaeological monitoring, and only modern material was observed. CAR recommends no further archaeological work and that improvements proceed as planned. Records generated during this project were prepared for curation according to THC guidelines and are permanently curated at the CAR.Item Archaeological Monitoring of a Parking Lot at Hemisfair Park in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas(Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2016) Zapata, José E.In April 2016, the University of Texas at San Antonio Center for Archaeological Research (UTSA CAR), under contract with Pape-Dawson Engineers, Inc., and in response to a request from the City of San Antonio (COSA), conducted archaeological monitoring of a 0.63-acre (0.25-hectare) parking lot adjacent to the Beethoven Hall (41BX584) in Hemisfair Park. The archaeological services were in response to a request for fulltime monitoring of all subsurface construction excavations in this culturally sensitive area of downtown San Antonio. Impacted areas were graded with a road maintainer and trenched with a compact excavator. A bobcat auger was used to drill 8-ft. (2.4-m) holes. Approximately 6-14 in. (15.2-35.5 cm) of surface was removed, in 3-4 in. (7.6-10 cm) cuts, from the perimeter. These excavations failed to locate any cultural features, and only modern litter, such as broken glass, pull tabs, and plastic bottle caps, was observed but not collected. The study was conducted under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 7612, with Dr. Paul Shawn Marceaux serving as Principal Investigator and José E. Zapata serving as Project Archaeologist.Item Archaeological Monitoring of Drainage Pipe Trenching in the Vicinity of the San Pedro Playhouse, San Pedro Springs Park, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas(Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2013) Wadley, Alexandria N.; Tomka, Steve A.Over the course of seven days in January 2013, the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) conducted archaeological monitoring of mechanical excavations along the north facing wall of the San Pedro Park Playhouse. The excavations were conducted to install a moisture barrier adjacent to the base of a portion of the north wall of the Playhouse and to install a new drainage system to direct rainwater away from the vicinity of the wall. San Pedro Park (41BX19) is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and contains significant prehistoric and historic archaeological deposits. The project was conducted under the Texas Antiquities Committee Permit No. 6359 issued to Dr. Steve A. Tomka, who served as Principal Investigator and co-Project Archaeologist, and Alexandria Wadley, who served as the co-Project Archaeologist. Three trenches were excavated by TCL Construction for the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department to allow the waterproofing of the base of the wall and installation of the drainage pipes. The monitoring of these excavations showed that the majority of the Area of Potential Effect (APE) has been impacted and disturbed by previous renovations. Cultural materials were encountered in two of the three trenches, but they derived from mixed depositional contexts. It is recommended that archaeological investigations associated with any future impacts within the boundaries of the park be conducted in accordance with existing plans for managing the cultural resource of the property (Meissner 2000).Item Archaeological Monitoring of Electrical Conduit and Drainage Pipe Trenching at Mission San José y San Miguel de Aguayo, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas(Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2013) Wack, Lynn K.Over the course of five days in July of 2012, the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) conducted archaeological monitoring of the excavation of trenches in front of the church and convento at Mission San José y San Miguel de Aguayo. The project was conducted under the Texas Antiquities Committee Permit No. 6295. Lynn K. Wack served as Project Archaeologist, and Dr. Steve A. Tomka served as Principal Investigator. The trenches were intended for the installation of new electrical conduit, and they were approximately 15.24 cm (6 in.) in width and extended to a depth of 30.5 cm (12 in.) below the surface. One trench also was excavated for the installation of drainage pipes. This trench was approximately 55.28 cm (22 in.) wide and 30.5 cm (12 in.) deep. Two features (F-1 and F-2) and one isolated bone fragment were encountered during the course of the excavation of the drainage trench. The isolated fragment was collected to determine whether it was human or not. Upon reaching the conclusion that it was human, it was bagged and released to Susan Snow, archaeologist for the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. Subsequently, the skeletal fragment was replaced into the same trench where it was encountered.Item Archaeological Monitoring of Tree Plantings at Selected San Antonio Parks, Bexar County, Texas(Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2018) Stacy, Cathy A.; Figueroa, Antonia L.; Blomquist, JustinFrom November 9, 2010, through March 13, 2016, the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) of The University of Texas at San Antonio intermittently conducted archaeological monitoring for the City of San Antonio Tree Planting Initiative. This initiative was designed to improve San Antonio’s tree canopy across all 10 City Council Districts. The archaeological project involved monitoring the excavation of holes for the planting of 1,085 trees within multiple parks and cemeteries throughout the city. Archaeologists targeted monitoring locations identified to have a moderate-to-high probability of containing buried cultural deposits. The project was sponsored by the City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department and was conducted under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 5786. Dr. Steve Tomka was the original permit holder. After Tomka’s departure from CAR, the Texas Historical Commission (THC) permit was transferred to Dr. Raymond Mauldin in 2015. In addition, at the request of Sara Ludena (Project Reviewer, South Texas Region) of the Architecture Division of the THC, a historic structures permit (No. 790) was obtained for tree planting in Brackenridge Park due to the number (n=22) of trees to be planted at the historic park. The first of the monitoring occurred from November 9, 2010, through March 5, 2011. Cathy A. Stacy served as the monitor during this phase of the investigations. Mechanical auger bores (n=848) were excavated to facilitate the planting of trees in Olmos Basin Park, Mahncke Park, San Pedro Springs Park, Crockett Park, City Cemetery No. 3, Roosevelt Park, San José Burial Park, Espada Park, and Stinson Park. Cultural material was encountered at City Cemetery No. 3, though it was not associated with intact deposits nor were the finds significant. The different types of material were documented, but not collected. The second phase of monitoring took place on January 17, 2013. Justin Blomquist served as the monitor. Ninety-two mechanical auger bores were excavated for the planting of trees in City Cemetery No. 4, Confederate Cemetery, and City Cemetery No. 6. No historic or prehistoric deposits were identified during the excavations, and no temporally diagnostic artifacts were recovered during the monitoring. The third phase of monitoring was conducted in 2016, and Antonia L. Figueroa served as the Project Archaeologist. Tree planting activities in Brackenridge Park Lambert Beach, City Cemetery No. 1, No. 3, No. 6, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Cemetery were monitored. During this phase, 145 auger bores were excavated. No intact historic or prehistoric deposits were identified during the excavations, and no temporally diagnostic artifacts were recovered during monitoring. CAR recommends no additional work at this time, though additional excavations in high probability areas could require monitoring. All project-related documentation are permanently curated at the CAR facility.Item Archaeological Monitoring of Utilities Installation at Borglum Studio, Brackenridge Park, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas(Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2013) Dickey, Cynthia M.; Ulrich, Kristi M.; Thompson, Jennifer L.The Center for Archaeological Research was contracted by the Municipal Golf Association San Antonio-Brackenridge Golf Course to monitor trenching for the installation of waterlines connecting to Borglum Studio in Brackenridge Park in the vicinity of the golf course clubhouse. Borglum Studio is listed as a historic building on the Texas Archaeological Site Atlas and is a contributing resource to Brackenridge Park, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The excavation of two trenches was monitored over several days for the presence of potential cultural materials and features. Trench excavations revealed substantial subsurface disturbances resulting from prior construction activities. No intact soils were noted during the trenching, and no features were identified. No artifacts were collected during the project and all records, including field notes, digital photographs, photo logs, maps, and plan-view drawings, pertaining to monitoring were prepared for curation and are permanently stored at the Center for Archaeological Research facility.Item Archaeological Monitoring of Utilities Installations at Mission San José y San Miguel de Aguayo, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas(Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2011) Ulrich, Kristi M.Over the course of six days in May of 2011, the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) conducted archaeological monitoring of the excavation of trenches within the church and convento at Mission San José y San Miguel de Aguayo. The project was conducted under the Texas Antiquities Committee Permit No. 5955. Kristi Miller Ulrich served as Project Archaeologist, and Dr. Steve A. Tomka served as Principal Investigator. The trenches were intended for the installation of new utility and gas lines, and they were approximately 12 in. (30.5 cm) in width and extended to a depth of 12 to 16 in. (30.5 to 40.64 cm) below the surface. Seven clusters of disarticulated human remains were encountered during the course of the excavations. These were collected and returned to the CAR laboratory for inventory. Given that the remains came from within the church proper and that an agreement exists between the National Park Service (NPS) and the Catholic Archdiocese for the reburial of human remains, after identification, inventory, and packaging, the remains were reinterred by Fr. Tony Posadas in one location within the church.Item Archaeological Monitoring of Utilities Placement for OkTex Utility Construction Inc., San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas(Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2018) Zapata, José E.Archaeological monitoring of hand-excavated trenching was completed between May 31 and June 1, 2018, by staff of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Center for Archaeological Research (CAR). This archaeological work was in response to a request from OkTex Utility Construction, Inc. (OkTex). Two-hundred-and-forty five linear meters (lm) of fiber optic cable was installed along Aurelia and Yucca streets in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. The work was completed within the purview of the Antiquities Code of Texas, and required a Texas Antiquities Permit No. 8450. The Project Archaeologist was José Zapata, and Paul Shawn Marceaux, CAR Director, served as Principal Investigator. As pointed out by the City of San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation (COSA OHP), a 1921 document shows the Cavalry (sic) Cemetery within the Area of Potential Effect (APE). A review of the Bexar County Deed Records (BCDR) located a 1945 plat showing a 1.53-acre plot (BCDR 3347:337-339). In addition, the Texas Archeological Sites Atlas shows the footprint of a cemetery within the APE. Based on the indicated perimeters, the cemetery would have been located within the southwest quadrant of the APE. Local and State agencies were involved in the project, including the COSA OHP, the Texas Historical Commission (THC), and the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO). The goal of the construction monitoring was to identify and document any prehistoric and/or historic archaeologythat might be impacted by the trenching activities. No artifacts or archaeological features were encountered, and no additional ground disturbance is required within this area of potential effect (APE). All field notes, maps, and photos have been prepared for permanent curation at the CAR in accordance with Texas Historical Commission (THC) guidelines.Item Archaeological Pedestrian Survey for the Proposed Trail in Pittman-Sullivan Park, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas(Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2013) Blomquist, JustinIn January 2013, Adams Environmental, Inc. contracted with the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) to complete a background review for a proposed trail system followed by a pedestrian archaeological survey. The work was to be performed for the City of San Antonio (COSA). The Area of Potential Effect (APE) consists of a1 km (0.6 mi.) long pedestrian trail and associated trail heads around the YMCA located at Pittman-Sullivan Park, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. Pittman-Sullivan Park is bounded by Iowa Street to the south, New Braunfels Avenue to the east, Nevada Street to the north, and Palmetto Avenue to the west. Because the Pittman-Sullivan Trail Project is located on property owned by the COSA, archaeological work was conducted in accordance with the Antiquities Code of Texas, as well as under Chapter 35 of the Unified Development Code of the City of San Antonio. The survey was conducted under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 6448 issued to Dr. Steve Tomka, CAR Director, who served as the Principal Investigator. Justin Blomquist served as Project Archaeologist. In late January prior to the initiation of the fieldwork, the CAR carried out the background review associated with the project. The review found that in the late 1910s and early 1920s, at least a portion of the park consisted of the remnants of the City Gravel Pit. To help clean up after the massive 1921 floods, the flood debris may have been dumped in the western section of the park. It is possible that after abandonment, a portion of the gravel pit may have been cleverly reused to create a sunken garden by the late 1920s. A concrete tree sculpture attributed to famed San Antonio artist Dionicio Rodriguez stood in the garden at one time. City cemetery lots stood north of the project boundary but none look to have extended inside of the project APE. Also as part of the background review, the records of the Texas Archeological Sites Atlas, the CAR files, and archaeological reports associated with projects conducted in the vicinity of the APEwere consulted. The review found no known previously documented historic or prehistoric sites recorded within the APE. Subsequently, on February 5, 2013, archaeologists from the CAR conducted the pedestrian survey of the APE. The survey yielded no prehistoric or historic cultural materials in any of the nine shovel tests excavated along the project easement. It is therefore recommended that the proposed project be carried out as planned given that no historic properties will be impacted as part of the proposed improvements. All documentation generated by the project, including notes and photographs, was prepared for curation according to Texas Historical Commission guidelines and is permanently housed at the CAR curation facility.
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