American Bottom Field Station (ABFS)
During the month of August ABFS field crew completed pedestrian, shovel, and auger test surveys in Monroe, Madison, Washington, Marion, and Jackson Counties in association with IDOT projects. These investigations resulted in the identification of four new archaeological sites and the revisit of two previously recorded sites. Upcoming field work includes testing and survey for various projects in Jackson, St. Clair, Madison, and Monroe Counties. IDOT investigations in the American Bottom have recently shifted to investigations around the town of Mitchel, Illinois. Ongoing archaeological investigations along I-270 in Madison County focused on additional geomorphological testing near the large Mitchell Mound site by Strata Morph Geo Exploration Inc. Dr. Robert McCullough, ISAS, performed geophysical surveys in the Mitchell APE at Mound A at the Mitchell site as well as a mound at the nearby Hoeffken site.
Central Illinois Field Station (CIFS)
CIFS completed an ASSR for the FAP/IL 7/East 9th Street project in the Village of Lockport, Will County, which has been forwarded to IDOT for review. One registered historic period cemetery was documented in the project area. The ASSR for the 3.4-acre bridge over the Hennepin feeder canal project in Bureau County was submitted to statewide staff for edits and assembly. One historic farmstead was documented in the project area. CIFS completed fieldwork for a survey in Clark County; no sites were identified and an ASSR is currently in progress. In addition, three projects in Clay, Coles, and Will counties are currently in progress; each is approximately 80 percent complete. One borrow project was completed in Vermilion County; no sites were documented and project clearance was recommended.
CIFS staff has been assisting with geophysical survey work at the Mitchell Site in Madison County. Emilie Land submitted the draft Quincy Memorial Bridge Preferred Alternative Historic Resources Inventory Report to IDOT. She also prepared a Historic Resources Survey Form (HRSF) for a property at 696 N. Moore Street in Waterloo, Monroe County. Mike Smith continued work on the architectural resources report for the Florence bridge crossing project in Pike and Scott counties.
Northern Illinois Field Station (NIFS)
This past month, NIFS completed projects in Cook, DuPage, Kane, and Lake Counties. NIFS staff completed limited test unit excavations on a small Archaic through Late Woodland site along the West Branch of the DuPage River in DuPage County. Along with moderate amounts of lithic debris, they recovered grit tempered ceramics, FCR, and Matanzas and a Merkle point bases. The site is situated within a construction staging area for a proposed bike trail extension project; site avoidance via project redesign is being considered. NIFS is also working with the Forest Preserve of Cook County on two applications for enrolling a total of 29 sites along Thorn Creek, within the Hoxie Site Complex (including the Hoxie site itself), into Illinois Land and Water Reserve protection status.
Western Illinois Field Station (WIFS)
WIFS personnel have undertaken local IDOT infrastructure surveys in Calhoun, Greene, Warren, and McDonough counties this past month and also recorded a previously undocumented historic cemetery near Shanghai City. Additionally, they continued monitoring railroad construction activities in downtown Springfield as part of the 3rd Street HSR intersection crossing upgrades project. Lab work has been concentrated on analysis and report writing. The WIFS staff completed the Shybull Terrace (11MD1231) draft in August, which details the excavated Late Archaic Labras-Riverton, later Late Woodland, and possible Middle Archaic components, providing much needed baseline data about these poorly known regional cultural complexes in the Macomb area. In addition, they completed the ATSR for the Hardin Munro site (11JY515), which documents excavations at an extensive, shallowly buried Early Archaic lithic workshop with associated flintknapping facilities found along Illinois 3 near Grafton, Illinois.
*Funding provided in whole or in part by the Illinois Department of Transportation. The contents of this document reflect the view of the author(s) who are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or the policies of the Illinois Department of Transportation.
