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<br />00213S' <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />2 <br /> <br />(2) The work by the Park Service ("An Assessment of Site <br />5MF605 in Brown's Park National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado" D. <br />Bauxar et alii, D.S.C./N.H.P., March, 1976; and L. Loendorf <br />personal communication July, 1976) specifically developed data on <br />the 1830's trading post of Davy Crockett for the National Historic <br />Register nomination. This site, 5MF605, besides containing Fort <br />Davy Crockett, also contains upper deposits of historic data con- <br />cerning the ferry operation and a lower deposit of an unknown <br />(apparently) Indian occupation. It should be easy to radiometrically <br />date this sequence and obtain an excellent stratigraphic column. <br />In passing, Leondorf also noted in the immediate area some 40 tipi- <br />rings, several rock outcrops adjacent to the river having bedrock <br />matars and pictographslpetrolyphs, and several camp or village sites <br />as revealed by hearths truncated by road-bulldozing in or adjacent <br />to the segment. Additionally, a great deal of rock art was noted in <br />the canyons feeding the river. The people who made it obviously <br />dwelt near the water. <br /> <br />(3) My own observations confirmed these impressions of <br />excellent archaeological potential. I saw most of the sites <br />mentioned above and additionally studied the eroding river banks <br />very closely (My own research has been on deeply burie~ stratifie~ <br />floodplain sites). I observed numerous buried cultural components as <br />represented by extended (sometimes to 500 meters) apparent bands of <br />charcoal. While not all of these turn out to be of human origin, <br />obviously this area is of major importence for these untested, <br />buried cultures. I tested a sandy soil sample from the Green River <br />bank to a pH of 8 (very basic), which would mean excellent biotic <br />preservation. Indeed, MF605 appears to confirm this excellent <br />preservation. <br /> <br />CONCLUSIONS <br /> <br />The potential archaeological data recoverable from this <br />segment is (1) very great and (2) represents data of more than usual <br />interest to both regional prehistorians and historians due to its <br />geographic location. The general area of Brown's Park, as known <br />from both historic accounts and from archaeological observations, <br />is rich in cultural history. <br /> <br />I predict an extensive, professional survey will reveal <br />(1) much more rock art, (2) very informative archaeologicalsites-- <br />both (a) buried in the floodplain and (b) on the bluffs just back <br />from the channel, (3) a cultural sequence from the earliest Paleo- <br />indian through the Desert Archaic and late horticultural villages, <br />to and through the last 200 years of historic White)and White-Indian <br />cultural contact. Not only is such a cultural column of general <br />scientific interest, but the role of trade stations such as Fort <br />Davy Crockett in orienting the century of Indian-White contact is <br />of exceptional State and National significance. <br />