A geoarcheological survey of the proposed Plainview Hike and Bike trail, Hale County, Texas

In March of 2005, the Texas Department of Transportation issued work authorization #575-01-SA005 to the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) at the University of Texas at San Antonio to conduct a survey of areas affected by proposed improvements to the Plainview hike and bike trail in southern Plainview, Hale County, Texas. The survey was conduced under Texas Antiquities Permit #3707 between March 31 and April 7, 2005. Steve Tomka and Raymond Mauldin served as Principal Investigators. Trail construction included 2.0 miles of additional construction and 1.3 miles of improvements to existing trails. The Right-of-Way is 50 feet and extends from one to three feet below ground surface. Archeological services included a pedestrian survey, excavation of fifty-five auger tests placed no more than 100 m apart, and twenty-one Gradall trenches. Two of these trenches exposed the stratigraphy of Running Water Draw near the Plainview Site, 41HA1. Bulk samples were collected for OSL dating, diatoms analysis, and lithologic analysis for further examination of the age and stratigraphic context of the Plainview Site, which is a State Archeological Landmark, a National Landmark, and a National Register of Historic Places property. Site 41HA12 was re-examined with 10 mechanical auger tests and 1 trench, which found only recent alluvial and cultural deposition. No additional archeological sites were recorded. This report includes descriptions of the fieldwork, results of the special analyses performed on bulk sediment samples collected, and a discussion of the geomorphology of Running Water Draw with specific focus on the results from trenches excavated near the Plainview Site. The single artifact and all documents and photographs generated from this project are curated at the Center for Archaeological Research at The University of Texas at San Antonio.