Laserfiche WebLink
AD 1300 - AD 1650); and, the early historic horse -riding nomads (Late Numic, Athabaskan, <br />Plains cultures) ca. AD 1650 - AD 1920). Historic records suggest occupation or use of the <br />region by EuroAmerican trappers, settlers, miners, and ranchers as well. An overview of the <br />history of the region is provided in the Colorado Council of Professional Archaeologists' <br />publication entitled Colorado History: A Context for Historical Archaeology (Church et al. <br />2007). <br />6.0 PROJECT BACKGROUND <br />The Hawks A lot site (5MF7762) was originally documented by GRI archaeologists <br />Curtis Martin and Holly Shelton on 3 September 2013, at which time the resource was field <br />evaluated as need data regarding National Register of Historic Places eligibility. The site was <br />officially designated as such by the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (OAHP) <br />of the Colorado Historical Society in 2014. As described in the 2013 survey report (Conner et <br />al. 2013:33-34): <br />Site 5MF7762 is an open prehistoric camp that consists of a scatter of lithic <br />debitage, tools, and a single mano. The site is in the Transitional Zone at an elevation <br />of 7040 feet. It is situated in the Williams Fork Mountains at the confluence of Jeffway <br />Gulch, a permanent stream, and an unnamed, intermittent, tributary blueline drainage. <br />Jeffway Gulch joins the Williams Fork River 4.5 miles to the south. The site is on the <br />prominence of a south-southwest trending ridge that extends into the valley of Jeffway <br />Gulch, forming a small hill (Plate 2). The site is vegetated with big sage, snakeweed, <br />rabbit -brush, a few bushes of serviceberry, snowberry, grasses, and purple aster. The <br />canyon in which the site is located is vegetated with dense serviceberry, Gamble oak, <br />and saltbush, with an understory of sagebrush, yarrow, snakeweed, aster, wild rose, <br />thistle, and Indian paintbrush. Ground visibility was approximately 85 percent on the <br />day of recording. The colluvial and aeolian soils consist of shallow (2 to 15cm deep), <br />brown sandy loam. The area is currently used for coal mining, hunting, and cattle <br />grazing. <br />The site measures 39m east -west by 34m north -south. The northern edge of the <br />site is defined by a modern fence and the edge of a pullout on the side of County Road <br />33. It is possible that a portion of the site was destroyed by the construction of the road <br />and pullout. In addition to the damage from the road (Plate 3) and fence construction, it <br />is possible that the site has been surface collected. A modern trash dump is situated at <br />the north-west edge of the site, and a recent fire circle is visible on the surface of the <br />pullout area. <br />7 <br />