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' the mine machinery to the Colorado Fistorical Society. Recently, the entire property was <br />sold to Bowie Resources, Ltd. <br />Culture History <br />Regional archaeological studies suggest nearly continuous human occupation of west- <br />ccntral Colorado for the past 12,000 years. Cvidence of the Paleolndian Tradition, the <br />archaic Tradition, Formative Cultures, and Protohistoric/Historic Utes has been found. <br />Historic records suggest occupation or use by EuroAmerican trappers, settlers, miners, and <br />ranchers as well. Overviews of the prehistory and history of the region arc provided in the <br />Colorado Historical Society's publications entitled West-Central Colorado Prehistoric <br />Context (Reed 1984) and Colorado Plateau Country Historic Context (Husband 1934). An <br />overview of the local History can be found in a recent study for lire Somerset Mine by Steven <br />G. Baker (199 l ). <br />The Bowie t13 Mine survey area lies at the west edge of the central mountain region <br />of Colorado. A study that examined a similar environmental area was conducted during 1930 <br />for the Bureau of Land Management 's Glenwood Springs Resource Area. This study was <br />an archaeological survey that randomly sampled three percent of its managed lands. a total <br />• of 17,x00 acres was surveyed for cultural resources. As a result, 58 prehistoric sites and 2 <br />historic sites were recorded, an average of about 2 sites per section (.0034/acre). Three <br />types of prehistoric sites were distinguished by the study; limited activity areas, short-term <br />camps, and large habitation sites. These were classified on the basis of site size and diversity <br />of artifacts/activities represented. Notably, the sites were unevenly distributed and varied by <br />vegetation community. The highest site density, about 5.0 sites/section (a ratio of 1 site per <br />l28 acres), and the greatest diversity of sites occurred in pinyon/juniper and sagebrush <br />communities. Outer environmental factors found to be important during rite statistical <br />analysis of the settlement patterns included I) vertical distance between the site and the <br />primary water source is a greater controlling factor titan the horizontal distance, 2) sites tend <br />to be near or on points of vantage, 3) sites tend to be located in forested areas, preferably <br />with a southern exposure and, 4) sites tend to occur on Flat ground (less titan 40% grade) in <br />areas of relatively low surface relief (Burgess et al. 1980:108-120, 138-139). In general, the <br />region exhibits a relatively low site density and sites tend to cluster near permanent water <br />sources. A brief review of the prehistoric context follows. <br />Cultural resource investigations in the region have yielded surface diagnostic artifacts <br />and excavated cultural materials consistent with rite regional cultural history. Reportedly, <br />artifact assemblages front the region exhibit similarities with bout the Front Range and the <br />Colorado Plateau (Baker et al. 1980, and Gooding 1981). <br /> <br />5 <br />