Riprow Valley Arch. SurveyPlanning Services Deporl~nent
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque, Iowa 520014864
(563) 589-4210 office
(563) 589-4221 fax
planning~dtyofdubaque.org
July 3, 2001
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
City of Dubuque
City Hall - 50 W. 13th Street
Dubuque IA 52001
RE: Archeological Survey Report for Riprow Valley Restoration Project
Dear Mayor and City Council Members:
The City of Dubuque Historic Preservation Commission has reviewed the above-
cited report, which is attached for your review.
Discussion
The City of Dubuque and the Riprow Valley Committee are working with the Iowa
Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Dubuque Independent Girls
Softball League on the Riprow Valley Restoration Project, located at the east end
of Julien Dubuque Drive.
The proposal is to redevelop the former Koch Sulphur Plant site in the Riprow
Valley area along Catfish Creek and the Mississippi River into a recreational
complex of softball fields, open space and restored prairie. The Riprow Valley
Restoration Project is adjacent to Julien Dubuque's Monument and the Mines of
Spain State Recreation Area.
The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) has asked the City to consult with
local historical organizations and interested Native American tribes having a
particular interest in the Riprow Valley Restoration Project. The City and the
Riprow Valley Committee consulted with the Dubuque County Historical Society
about this project for initial research of the area's historical and archeclogical
significance. The IDNR consulted with Native American tribes.
As a result of the proximity to the Mines of Spain, the City contracted with the
Mississippi Valley Archeological Center for a Phase I Intensive Archeological
Survey of the Riprow Valley Restoration Project. The City has acquired all of the
land shown on the map on page 3 of the enclosed survey report.
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
Riprow Valley Restoration Project
Page 2
The 11.31 acre former sulphur plant site is proposed for redevelopment as the
softball complex. The report documents that this site does not have any potential
as a amheological site due to prior development. The SHPO also has indicated
that the sulphur plant buildings are not historically or amhitecturally significant.
The 5.7 acre wooded hillside on the north side of Julien Dubuque Drive, which is
not proposed for construction, has two historic sites - a historic mining pit and a
small limestone quarry.
The 14.46 acre site shown on the map on page 3 is will be developed by the IDNR
for picnic sites and a restored prairie as an extension of the Mines of Spain State
Recreation Area.
In a related project, the City has a grant to extend Heritage Trail to the east end of
Julien Dubuque Drive.
Recommendation
By a vote of 5 to 0, the Historic Preservation Commission recommends that the
City Council concur with the findings of the survey report, and to transmit that
concurrence to the SHPO and the IDNR.
Although the survey report does not recommend further amheological
investigations of the 5.7 acre wooded hillside, the two historic sites - the historic
mining pit and the small limestone quarry - could be interpreted in conjunction with
the development of the IDNR picnic and prairie sites, or the extension of Heritage
Trail to this area. The Commission recommends that the City and IDNR explore
this area as an interpretive site.
A simple majority vote is needed for the City Council to approve the request.
Respectfully submitted,
Terry Mozena, Chairperson
Historic Preservation Commission
Attachment
A Phase I Intensive Archaeological Survey for the
Proposed Riprow Valley Recreation Area
for the City of Dubuque, Dubuque County, Iowa.
(T88R03E Section 06)
Prepared for:
The City of Dubuque
Planning and Services Department
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque, IA 520014864
Principal Investigator:
Robert F. Boszhardt
Prepared by:
Wendy K. Holtz-Leith
Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Reports of Investigation No. 413
May 2001
A Phase I Intensive Archaeological Survey for the
Proposed Riprow Valley Recreation Area
for the City of Dubuque, Dubuque County, Iowa.
(T88R03E Section 06)
Prepared for:
The City of Dubuque
Planning and Services Department
50 West 13~ Street
Dubuque, IA 52001-4864
Principal Investigator:
Robert F. Boszhardt
Prepared by:
Wendy K. Holtz-Leith
Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Reports of Investigation No.413
May2001
Abstract
In May of 2001, personnel fi.om the Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center completed a
Phase I intensive archaeological survey of 16 acres for the proposed Riprow Valley Recreation
Area for the City of Dubuque, in Dubuque County, Iowa. Approximately 11 acres of the project
area is located in an industrial area and five acres is located in a steep heavy wooded area on the
southern edge of Dubuque and near the Mississippi River. The 11 acres has been completely
altered by repeated historic activity and the original ground surface is either deeply buried or the
top soil has been removed. The five acres was inspected for historic cultural resources and was
shovel tested in areas with a slope of less than 10 percent. A historic mining pit and a small
limestone quarry were found on the steep slope. This area will not be impacted by ground
disturbing activities and the city has shown an interest in interpretation of the sites.
Consequently, as the hillslope will not be impacted and the industrial area has no potential for
near surface intact archaeological resources that would be impacted, further archaeological
investigations are not recommended.
ii
Table of Contents
Abstract
Table of Contents.
List of Fignres ............................................................... iv
Introduction ............................................................. ..... 1
Environmental and Geomorphological Setting ....................................... 1
Historical Context ............................................................. 6
Cultural Context ......................................................... 6
Research Design .............................................................. 9
Results ...................................................................... 9
Management Recommendations ................................................. 12
Sources Referenced ........................................................... 13
Appendix A: Soil Core Information .............................................. 15
Appendix B: NADB Form ...................................................... 16
Appendix C: Site Forms ....................................................... 17
Appendix D: Scope of Work .................................................... 18
Appendix E: Project Correspondence ............................................. 19
iii
Figure 1:
Figure 2:
Figure 3:
Figure 4:
Figure 5:
Figure 6:
Figure 7:
Figure 8:
Figure 9:
Figure 10:
Figure 11:
Figure 12:
Figure 13:
Figure 14:
Figure 15:
Figure 16:
Figure 17:
Figure 18:
List of Figures
Location of project area in Iowa and on Dubuque South, Iowa 7.5 min.
topographic map ................................................... 2
Plan of the project area ............................................... 3
Sulfur manufacturing facility ......................................... 4
Edge of fill, view north .............................................. 5
Close-up of fill along the eastern edge of the project area ................... 5
Cut along southern edge of Julien Drive ................................ 5
Railroad rusming through site east/west, view southwest .................... 5
Location of cement slab and manhole on southeastern edge of the site ......... 5
Manhole located between buildings .................................... 5
GLO map showing location of Lorimer's furnace in Riprow Valley (Trygg 1964)8
1874 plat of Dubuque County (Andreas 1874) ............................ 8
1904 plat of Dubuque County, Mosalem township (South Dubuque?; Huebinger
1904) ............................................................ 8
Buildings on the southeastern edge of the project area .................... 10
Pits associated with the sulphur operations ............................. 10
Areas of disturbance in project area ................................... 11
Profile of cut area, buildings due east and approximately 10 feet below the tree. 10
13DB***, mining pit .............................................. 12
13DB***, limestone quarry, close-up of rock ........................... 12
iv
Introduction
In May of 2001, personnel from the Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center (MVAC)
conducted a Phase I intensive archaeological survey of approximately 16 acres in Riprow Valley,
within the City of Dubuque limits, Dubuque County, Iowa (Figure 1). MVAC conducted the
work under contract with the City of Dubuque. The City of Dubuque has been awarded a
National Park Service Land and Water Conservation Program Grant for the Riprow Valley
Recreation Area. In addition, the Dubuque~Girls Independent Softball League has received a
Recreation Infrastructure Grant from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Consequently,
the project is a federal undertaking and requires compliance with Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act of 1966.
The project area is located on the southern edge of the City of Dubuque, Township 88
Range 03E Section 06. The project called for a review of the comprehensive background
research that the city has collected on this property, interpretation of soil borings from the
property, Phase I archaeological survey of the 11.31 acres slated for ground disturbance and of
the 5.7 acre woodland tract outside of the proposed construction (Figure 2) In addition, the scope
called for development of a mitigation plan for resources found during the survey.
Field work was completed by the author and four field technician. Archival research was
completed by the author. Originals and/or copies of all materials related to the project will be
housed at MVAC at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
Environmental and Geomorphological Setting
The project area is located in Dubuque County in northeastern Iowa. This area falls
within the Paleozoic Plateau (See Figure 1), formally known as the "Driftless Area" (Prior
1991). A common landscape is located in southwestern Wisconsin, extreme southeastern
Minnesota, northeastern Iowa, and northwestern Illinois (Martin 1965). The Driftless Area is
characterized by deeply dissected uplands with numerous stream and river valleys. Most of this
15,000-square-mile region remained uncovered by Pleistocene glaciers, at least during the later
Wisconsinan stage (75,000 to 12,500 B.P.; Paull and Panll 1977). The boundaries of the
Driffiess Area have been disputed, and some researchers believe that portions were ice-covered
during earlier glacial episodes. Nonetheless, this region is topographically distinct from
surrounding glaciated regions (Mickelson et al. 1982).
Limestone and Dolomite underlay this region. It is characterized by thoroughly
dissected, moderately broad uplands and rock outcrops, steep-sided valleys, and caves are
common. Galena chert outcrops in this area and was exploited for chipped stone raw material by
prehistoric flint knappers. Another resource from the Paleozoic Plateau is lead ore, or galena, an
important trade item to prehistoric Native Americans and later to the Euro-Americans who first
settled this area. The project area is located in the heart of the lead mining district and was one
of the first used by Euro-American miners, such as Julien Dubuque (Alex 2000:34).
Mile
Figure 1: Location of project area in Iowa and on Dubuque South,
Iowa 7.5 min. topog_raphic map.
KEY: Meters
~t 1.31 acres slated for construction
~ 5.7 acres outside of construction
-- 400
122
Figure 2: Plan of the project area,
The project area is an abandoned industrial area less than 200 feet west of the Mississippi
River and just north of the Mines of Spain Recreation Area located in Mosalem Township
(T88R03E Section6 NW,NE). Riprow Valley is the abandoned valley of Catfish Creek and
opens into the Mississippi River. Catfish Creek was captured by Granger Creek about 10,000
years ago and changed coarse, moving south of the project area.
The first people to inhabit Iowa did so at the end of the last ice age (Alex 2000:39). As
the ice began to recede it left behind a dynamic landscape. During this period, dramatic flooding
caused by ice dams breaking, blowing loess, and a variety of other natural forces were changing
the landscape. If there were archaeological sites from this time period (before 12,000 years B.P.)
many would have been destroyed or are deeply buffed (Alex 2000:40). At the end of the
Pleistocene the average temperature was 0°C (today the average temperature is 8 °C). There
would have been a mosaic environment of boreal hardwoods and coniferous trees distributed in
an open meadow-like, grassland covering most of the state (Alex 2000:40). By 8100 B.C.
warmer dry air from the Pacific allowed prairies to spread east. By 4400 B.C. the prairie had
spread into northeastern Iowa (Baker et al. 1992). The maximum period of dryness occurred in
eastern Iowa ca. 4400 B.C. to 1700-1200 B.C. By 1200 B.C. conditions in Iowa were similar to
what they were reported as by the first Europeans in the region. Vegetation in the project area
around the time that Julien Dubuque arrived would have been a mix ofmesic to wet forest-
prairie in the valley and dry-mesic and dry forest on the slopes (Abbot 1982).
Soils within the project area are mapped as Orthents loamy 0-5% slope, Nordness Rock
outcrop complex, and Arenzville silt loam 0-2% slope (Boeckman 1985). Orthents loamy soils
are described as level to gently sloping soils that are found in borrow and cut and fill areas, this
covers most of the project area (Figure 2, Fill). The project area is mentioned in the soil survey
as a site typifying this soil type. There is also a small area of remnant Arenzville silt loam, 0-2
% slope, mapped on the west end of the project area. However, the top soil had been removed
from this area (Figure 2, Cut). These are nearly level moderately well drained soils on narrow
bottom lands and alluvial fans, that are flood prone. The steeply wooded slope in the northern
half of the project area is mapped as Nordness Rock Outcrop Complex, 18-60% slope. These are
shallow, well drained soils on upland ridges, side slopes and escarpments, formed over hard
fractured limestone. Rock outcrops and the bedrock here is dolomite limestone.
Figure 3: Sulfur manufacturing facility.
Although the project area has a rich historical
past dating back to the 1830s, more recent
manufacturing activities and cleanup in the 1980s
and 90s has greatly effected the integrity of the site.
From 1948 to 1985 the project area was used as a
sulfuric acid manufacturing facility under a number
of different owners. Environmental assessments of
the plant since its closing have included soil borings.
The soil bore logs have demonstrated that more than
five feet of fill has been placed across the eastern
edge of the site (Appendix A; Figures 3~5). The top
soil has been removed from a remnant terrace to the
4
south of Julien Dubuque Drive at the western edge of the site (Figure 6). Thc southern edge of
the site, following the railroad tracks (Figure 7), has been graded, so that subsurface limestone
and sandy materials are visible. The site was not serviced by city water and sewer and had/ts
own system. Consequently there is a drainage (Figure 8 and 9) and water system that also
disturbed portions of the site.
Figure 4: Edge of fill, view north.
Figure 5: Close-up of fill along eastern
edge of the project area.
Figure 6: Cut along southern edge of
Julien Dubuque Drive.
Figure 7: Raikoad nmning through site
east/west, view southwest.
Figure 8: Location of cement slab
and manhole on southeastern edge
of the site.
Figure 9: Manhole located
between the buildings.
Historical Context
Prefield investigations found the there are no archaeological sites reported within the
project area and no previous archaeological investigations have taken place. However, the
project area is adjacent to the Mines of Spain Recreation Area. This area has over 200 historic
and prehistoric archaeological sites recorded.
Cultural Context
The Paleoindian Tradition represents the earliest known human presence in North and
South America perhaps as early as 20,000 years before present (B.P.). These migratory bands
of hunter-gathers spread rapidly across the continent as the last of the massive glacial ice sheets
retreated northward and probably entered Iowa by 13,000 B.P. They moved in small very
mobile hunting bands following the Pleistocene megafauna; mastodon, mammoth, and extinct
forms of giant bison, that roamed the cold coniferous forests. This tradition is broken up into
Early and Late Paleoindian. Early Paleoindian is characterized by fluted lanceolate points, the
distinctive Clovis, Folsom, and Gainey points. The Late Paleoindian points are also lanceolate
shaped but not fluted (Mason 1986). Points from the Paleoindian time period are £mely made.
Generally speaking the tradition is fairly uniform across much of the continent. About 10000
B.P., the beginning of the Holocene, there was a mass extinction of various forms of megafauna.
The transition between the Late Paleoindian and the Early Archaic correlates to the beginning of
the Holocene (Anderson 1975).
The Archaic Tradition (10,000-3000 B.P.) is the longest of the Native American
traditions, as they are defined by archaeologists, but it is also the least well known. Prairies
dominated the landscape and deciduous trees replaced the coniferous forests along river ways
(Bettis et al. 1992). This change in the climate along with the possible over hunting by
Paleoindians caused the extinction of the megafauna (Meltzer and Mead 1984). Smaller forms
of bison, modem bison, became the focus of the Archaic peoples for the first part of this
tradition. These bison supplied many of their needs. Archaic peoples had a more varied diet
then the earlier Paleoindians. Fish, waterfowl, large and small mammals, and a variety of wild
plants would have made up a large portion of their diet. They may have possibly began small
scale cultivation of some plant species (Alex 2000:56-57). Around 5000 B.P. cooler
temperatures and increased moisture caused the prairies retreat to the west, and eastern Iowa
became more forested. In the Late Archaic period gathering and foraging in the forest became
more important. Plants became a more important resource during this period, especially nuts
(Anderson 1975). The O1d Copper Complex is a Middle to Late Archaic manifestation that has
the earliest evidence of metal working in North America. Most of the finds in Iowa from this
complex are found in Allamakee, Wiuneshiek, and Clayton Counties. In Wiuneshiek County
most are along the Upper Iowa River (Alex 2000:103).
The Woodland Tradition (3000-1000 B.P.) is marked by the innovation of grit or sand
tempered ceramic containers, the beginning of horticulture, and the construction of earthen
mounds. Woodland people were more seditary then preceding cultures. The Early Woodland
peoples can be characterized as Archaic peoples with pottery. Middle Woodland is marked by
6
the flamboyant Hopewell Interaction Sphere. During this period long distance trade flourished.
Hopewell is characterized by earthen mounds with high status burials with exotic funeral items.
Hopewell in Iowa is clustered along the Mississippi River. Hopewellian influence can he seen in
burial mounds along tributaries of the Mississippi, such as the Des Moines and Skunk rivers,
however these burial mounds do not have evidence of a ranked society. Late Woodland is
characterized by distinctive regional styles. Burial mounds were now being constructed and the
bow and arrow came into use (Alex 2000).
Four late prehistoric cultures have been identified by archaeologists in Iowa: Great Oasis,
Mill Creek, Glenwood, and Oneota. All of these cultures are marked by semi-permanent
villages dependent on corn agriculture. Great Oasis and Oneota sites have been found in north
central Iowa. By 1050 B.P. the Oneota were spreading across much of Minnesota, Wisconsin,
Illinois, Missouri, eastern Nebraska, and Iowa. They were the last prehistoric group to occupy
this area before Euro-Americans arrived in the mid-1700s. The Oneota spread rapidly at the
expense of the contemporaneous Late Woodland peoples. The Oneota optimized maize
horticulture, which made possible a tribal society and living in large populated villages. By
1300 all late prehistoric groups but the Oneota had left Iowa. It is believed that the Oneota are
the ancestors of the Ioway, Oto, Missouri and other tribes that were encountered in Iowa and
other areas of the Midwest when Euro~Americans first arrived (Anderson 1975).
With the coming of Euro-Americans the native populations shifted dramatically.
Disease, population movement, and a cold climatic regime known as the "Little Ice Age" led to
great changes in historic Native American tribes in the area. Some historians have estimated that
85 to 90 pement of some native populations died from European introduced disease (Green
1993). The French were the first to enter what would become Iowa in the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries and they established fur trading relationships with the local Native
Americans. The fur trade along with the introduction of the horse caused more displacement of
native populations. Groups shifted to take advantage of areas with abundant fur beating animals
and other shifted to the plains and took up bison hunting (Wedel 1986, Alex 2000:216-220). The
Louisiana Purchase of 1803 brought this area under the control of the United States. In 1832
Iowa was officially open for Euroamerican settlers.
The Mesquakie presence in the area is well documented beginning in the 1760 to the
1830s. A Mesquakie village was located at the mouth of Catfish Creek. Here they m/ned galena
lead alongside Julien Dubuque. The graves of some of this eras important Mesquakie leaders
and Dubuque are located on the high bluff located to the south of the project area.
Julian Dubuque was a French-Canadian who came to the area in the 1780s. Dubuque
built a relationship with the Mesquakie, who allowed him to mine for lead on the west side of the
Mississippi. In 1796 he applied for a land grant from the Spanish government, for the "Mines of
Spain" area (Auge et al. 1986). After his death in 1810 the Mesquakie did not allow other white
miners in the area until they were forced to cede the land in the 1830s (Kurtz 1986). The Mines
of Spain Recreation Area is a portion of Dubuque's original land grant.
7
Government Land Office (GLO) survey plats from 1835 depict the "Loumier Co. Lead
Furnace ca Riprow & Hse" in Riprow Valley (Trygg 1964, Figure 10). Peter Lorimer was a
well-known public figure in Dubuque. Lorimer was from the welt to do St. Louis French-
Canadian families. He owned and operated on of the first Cupola furnaces on the west side of the
Mississippi, in Riprow Valley. A small settlement of Riprow existed in the vicirdty of the
furnace. The settlement of Riprow was not plotted on any of the plat maps that were examined
by the author or listed in Mott (1930-1932). The 1875 plat map (Andreas 1875) does indicate
lots west of the project area that may correspond to Riprow (Figures 11 and 12).
Figure 10: GLO map showing location of
Lorimer's furnace in Riprow Valley (Trygg
1964).
Figure 11: 1874 plat of DubuqUe County
(Andreas 1874).
Figure 12:1904 plat ofDubuque County,
Mosalem township (South Dubuque?;
Huebinger 1904).
8
Research Design
The project area is located in the Riprow Valley Recreation Area, south of the City of
Dubuque. This is located just north of the Mines of Spain Recreation Area and on the west bank
of the Mississippi River near its confluence with Catfish Creek. The project area is likely
located within an abandoned valley of Catfish Creek.
The Mines of Spain Recreation Area has been extensively surveyed for prehistoric and
historic archaeological sites. Over 200 sites have been recorded within the Mines of Spain. This
area was settled very early by Euro~Americans. This area was visited by the French fur trader
Perrot in the late 17~ century. In 1788 Julien Dubuque was granted the right to work the lead
mines by the Fox (Mesquakie) and the Spanish gave him a land grant in 1796. Permanent Euro-
American settlement began in 1833. In 1834 Peter Lorimier built a Cupola furnace to smelt
galena at the mouth of Catfish Creek.
The location of the project area has potential for early historic and prehistoric
archaeological sites. This area has been used for a number of uses since the 1830s. Lorimier
gave the Railroad a right-of-way to build the first railroad in the area. The most recent enterprise
within the project area was a sulphur company (1954-1985). This and earlier activities may have
destroyed much of the archaeological integrity of the area.
Prefield work will include a records check of previously recorded sites and the history of
the area. Soil boring records have been provided by the client. These along with additional soil
coring, if needed, will help to evaluate the potential for intact archaeological resources within the
project area. Phase I survey will include shovel testing at an interval of 15 meters or less. All
soil will be placed through quarter inch mess screen. Soil profiles will be noted. Ifanycultural
remains are encounter the area will be assessed for disturbance. Site boundaries will be
delineated, both horizontally and vertically.
This area has great potential for historic and prehistoric archaeological sites. The
location of the project area is in an ideal environmental setting for human exploitation. The
objective of the Phase I archaeological survey will be to identify and delineate all cultural
resources within the area of potential effect. The Phase I survey will attempt to determine if any
located sites are eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places and the cultural
affiliation, age, and style of the resources. The results of this survey will be compared to the
results of the intensive survey in the Mines of Spain Recreation Area. If enlmral resources are
encountered the impact of the proposed recreation area will be assessed.
Results
In May of 2001 personnel fi:om MVAC completed a Phase I intensive survey of the
proposed Riprow Valley Recreation Area on the southern outskirts of Dubuque, Iowa. The
project area is partially located within an abandoned sulphur processing plant (Figures 13 and
14). Soil cores from earlier enviromnental assessments of the project area were reviewed before
9
field work began. These along with the soil survey maps indicate that much of the project area
has been altered in the recent past.
Figure 13: Buildings on the
southeastern edge of the project area.
Figure 14: Pits associated with the sulphur
operations.
The area slated for development, south of
Dubuque Drive, (see Figure 2) is the most
disturbed. The eastern edge of the site contains fill that is
over five feet deep (see Figures 4 and 5). The area to the
west, containing the railroad tracks and the buildings
from the sulphur plant, has been graded (Figure 15) All
top soil in this area has been removed and light brown
sand with limestone nodules is exposed. The cut area is a
.renmant terrace or fan the top soil was completely
removed from this area (Figure 16), probably as part of
the dismantling and cleanup of elevated tanks from the
sulphur plant. Shovel tests were excavated on the small Figure 16: Profile of cut area,
remnant original surface shown in Figure 16. No cultural buildings located due east and
materials were found. All areas were probed by the approximately 10 feet below the
supervisor to verify the above descriptions, tree.
The hillslope to the north of Julien Dubuque Drive will not be impacted by construction,
but was also surveyed. The hillslope is at 50 degrees or more. Shovel tests were placed on a
small flat area approximately 20 meters north of the road. The shovel tests were 10 meters apart
and were excavated to the subsoil. All soil was placed through quarter inch hardware mesh. No
cultural materials were found. The hill slope was walked by the field technicians, 10-15 meters
apart, looking for surface features (mounds, mining pits, eot...). Two surface features were
found near the northern edge of the project area.
13DB*** is a small isolated mining pit located approximately 30 meters south of the
southern end of the road in the Mount Carmel Sisters of Charity cemetery (Figure 17). The pit is
two meters across and approximately one meter deep. The area is very heavily wooded and no
10
KEY:
I Fill
~;] Cut
E~ Cut/Fill
Figure 15: Areas of disturbance in project area.
13DB*** is a small isolated mining pit located approximately 30 meters south of the
southern end of the road in the Mount Carmel Sisters of Charity cemetery (Figure 17). The pit is
two meters across and approximately one meter deep. The area is very heavily wooded and no
other pits were fotmd around it. The site probably is Euro-American and dates from 1800 to
1850, the approximate dates for lead mining in this region. Later farming becomes the
predominate means of making a living (Tiggers and Shaffer 2000). However, the pit could date
to a later time.
13DB*** is a limestone quarry (Figure 18) located approximately 25 meters east of
13DB***. The quan~ is approximately 10xl0 meters in a densely wooded area. The age of the
quarry could not be determined. There was no evidence for dynamite blasting.
A small rock shelter was also inspected on the east end of the bluffiine. One shovel test
was placed in the shelter and no cultural remains were recovered. A number of rock outcrops
were inspected for rock art or prehistoric quar~ sites. None were found.
Figure 17: 13DB***, mining pit.
Figure 18: 13DB***, limestone quarry, close-
up of cut rock.
12
Management Recommendations
The project area is located in the heart of the historic lead mining district of northeastem
Iowa. This area was heavily utilized by prehistoric peoples as is attested for in the Mines of
Spain Recreation Area directly south. This area was one of the fn'st settled by Euro-American in
Dubuque County because of its location on the Mississippi River and the rich lead in the area.
Consequently, it has great potential for containing archaeological sites. However, historical
tanduse over the last 100 years has greatly altered the original landscape.
The area located'south of Julien Dubuque Drive is slated for ground disturbance. This
area has been used for industrial purposes for over 50 years. Soil cores from the environmental
assessments of the sulphur plant that occupied the area slated for ground disturbance indicate
that the top soil has been removed from the majority of the site and in some areas fill has been
added. Field investigations verified the soils information. Shovel tests were excavated in some
areas and probing also was used to verify that the original ground surface had been removed
from the areas south of Dubuque Drive. Consequently, the area has already been altered and no
intact cultural resources remain.
The area to the north of Julien Dubuque Drive is not slated for ground disturbance. This
area is very steep and densely wooded. One flat area was shoveled tested with negative results.
The entire hillslope was walked looking for surface cultural materials. Rock outcroppings were
inspected for rock shelters and rock art. One small potential shelter was found, but shovel
testing was negative. No rock art was found. Two historic sites were located, a small mine pit
and a limestone quarry. No cultural materials were found around either of these sites. This area
will not be impacted by ground disturbance and there will be no adverse impact on the sites.
Further archaeological investigations are not recommended at this time.
13
Sources Referenced
Abbot, Larry
1983
The Cultural Resources of the Mines of Spain Area, Dubuque County, Iowa.
Contract Completion Report 206, Office of the State Archaeologist.
Alex, Lynn M.
2000 Iowa's Archaeological Past. University of Iowa Press, Iowa City.
Anderson, Danne
1975 Eastern Iowa Prehistory. Iowa State University Press, Ames, Iowa.
Andreas, A.T.
1875 Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa. Andreas Atlas Company,
Lakeside Building, Chicago.
Anonymous
1880 History of Dubuque County, Iowa. Western Historical Company.
Bettis, E. Arthur, R/chard G. Baker, William Green, Mary Whelan, and David W. Berm
1992 Late Wisconsinan and Holocene Alluvial Stratigraphy, Paleoecology, and
Archaeological Geology of East-Central lowa. Guidebook Series 12. Iowa
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Appendix A: Soil Core Information
Appendix B: NADB Form
Appendix C: Site Forms
Appendix D: Scope of Work
19
Appendix E: Project Correspondence