Phase One Cultural Resource Survey Of The Proposed Route 3 Project Richmond County Virginia

Author : Katherine Kosalko
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (143 download)

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Download or read book Cultural Resource Survey in Association with the Proposed Widening of Route 3 written by Katherine Kosalko and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Louis Berger Group, Inc., Richmond, Virginia, has completed a cultural resource survey in association with the proposed widening of Route 3 (Germanna Highway) in Stevensburg, Culpeper County, Virginia, on behalf of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) as part of Project 0003-023-107, P101, R201; PPMS No. 14657. The survey area for this investigation as defined by VDOT covered the proposed widening of Route 3 from two 11-foot (3.4-meter) lanes to four lanes, extending the right-of-way from 60 feet (12.3 meters) to 130 feet (39.6 meters) for a distance of 1.7 miles (2.7 kilometers), from 0.2 mile (0.3 kilometer) west of the western intersection with Route 600 (York Road) to 0.5 mile (0.8 kilometer) east of the eastern intersection with Route 600. The survey area totaled 26.8 acres (10.8 hectares). Land surrounding the Salubria historic property (VDHR No. 023-0020) is held under easement by both the Virginia Outdoors Foundation and the Memorial Foundation of the Germanna Colonies in Virginia, Inc.; permission was not granted to access this easement, and therefore a distance of approximately 360 feet (110 meters) on the south side of Route 3 was not tested.This cultural resource investigation included background research and archaeological and architectural surveys. Background research involved a review of the site file inventories at the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (VDHR) in Richmond, maps and literature at the Library of Virginia, and property information from Culpeper County. Two previously recorded archaeological sites and 65 architectural resources are located within a 1-mile (1.6-kilometer) radius of the survey area. No archaeological resources have been previously recorded within or adjoining the survey area. The objective of the archaeological survey was (1) to verify the presence or absence of previously identified sites; (2) to identify any new archaeological resources that might be located within portions of the survey area; and (3) assess the potential for further investigation of any such resources. Archaeological fieldwork was conducted on July 27-31 and August 10-14, 2009, and consisted of pedestrian survey, metal detection survey, and shovel testing. Exposed surfaces were examined, and 163 shovel tests were excavated. The survey corridor was 200 feet in width, centered on the center line of Route 3. Four artifact locations (Locations 1-4) were identified during the shovel testing. Although the survey area is located within the Brandy Station Battlefield Historic District (VDHR No. 023-0053) and the Brandy Station Battlefields Study Area (VDHR No. 023-5055), only one artifact was recovered that may be related to the Civil War. No surface features indicative of military activities, such as earthworks, rifle pits or trenches, or remnants of artillery emplacements, were observed during the survey. Judging from the results of the field investigations, the survey area appears to have been impacted by construction activities associated with the road. Berger recommends Locations 1, 2, 3, and 4 as not meeting the VDHR’s definition of an archaeological site, and the survey area as not contributing to the eligibility of either the Brandy Station Battlefield Historic District or the Brandy Station Battlefields Study Area. Berger recommends that no additional work be conducted within the survey area.The architectural survey was conducted on July 29-31, 2009. VDOT requested that Berger survey 45 previously recorded architectural resources in the vicinity of the survey area at a reconnaissance level and evaluate their eligibility for listing in National Register of Historic Places. Of these 45, one is listed in the National Register, four have been determined eligible for listing in the National Register by the VDHR, four have been determined not eligible, and the remaining 36 resources had not been previously evaluated for National Register eligibility. During the survey Berger found that two of these resources have been demolished, and one is partially collapsed. Of the remaining previously unevaluated resources, Berger recommends two as eligible for listing in the National Register, Zimmerman’s Tavern (VDHR No. 023-5162) and the House at 19020 Stevensburg Road (VDHR No. 023-5164). The remaining 34 resources are recommended as not eligible. Although consideration was given to the potential for a historic district within the hamlet of Stevensburg, there was not a sufficient concentration of intact historic resources in the area that would convey the historical appearance, character, or feeling of the original hamlet. For these reasons, the hamlet of Stevensburg is not recommended eligible as a historic district.