Cultural Resource Monitoring for the KDC Frost Tower CPS Energy Line Project, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas

Date

2020-04

Authors

Figueroa, Antonia L.

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio

Abstract

The University of Texas of San Antonio (UTSA) Center for Archaeological Research (CAR), in response to a request from KDC Real Estate Development and Investments (KDC), conducted archaeological monitoring for the KDC Frost Tower CPS Energy (CPS) Line Project in downtown San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. The archaeological work was conducted from February 21 through March 18, 2019. The project consisted of monitoring backhoe trenching and auger boring associated with a CPS gas line on the north side of E. Houston Street between Camaron Street and N. Flores Street as well as the CPS electrical lines along the south side of W. Travis Street and the east side of Camaron Street. CAR also monitored auger boring for the installation of five light poles. The locations of the electrical lines crossed the boundaries of five archaeological sites that were documented during the Frost Bank Tower Project (Figueroa et al. 2018). Therefore, the principal goal of the monitoring was to identify and document any prehistoric and/or historic archaeological resources that may be impacted by the excavation of trenches and boreholes for the electrical lines. The project area was located on City of San Antonio (COSA) owned lands and falls under the Texas Antiquities Code. Therefore, the project required review by the COSA Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) and the Texas Historical Commission (THC). The project was completed under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 8795. José Zapata served as Principal Investigator, taking over for Paul Shawn Marceaux, former CAR Director, who served as Principal Investigator for the fieldwork and analysis. Antonia L. Figueroa served as the Project Archaeologist. CAR staff monitored approximately 325 m (1,066 ft.) of backhoe trenching that ranged in depth from 0.9 m (3 ft.) to 1.5 m (5 ft.). CAR staff monitored auger boring to a depth of 1.5 m (5 ft.) in two locations along Camaron Street and in three locations along W. Travis Street. The total area monitored was roughly 0.024 acres (0.099 ha.). The principal archaeological recovery was associated with the monitoring for an electrical line along Camaron Street, where CAR staff identified one feature (Feature 1) that consisted of ceramic earthenware, stoneware, and glass. The feature, which was part of previously recorded site 41BX2255, dates to the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, and it appears to be a trash dump. The feature was documented and photographed. No further work was recommended for the feature. The trench excavations for the electrical line locations were completed. CAR recommended no further archaeological work, and the gas and electrical line installations proceeded as planned. However, if future work in the area exceeds depths greater than 1.5 m (5 ft.), archaeological monitoring is recommended. The THC concurred with CAR's recommendations. All project related materials and collections, including the final report, are permanently stored at the CAR curation facility according to the THC guidelines.

Description

Keywords

Texas archaeology, historic archaeology, San Antonio

Citation

Figueroa, A.L. (2020). Cultural Resource Monitoring for the KDC Frost Tower CPS Energy Line Project, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. Archaeological Report No. 480. Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio.

Department