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<br />INTRODUCTION <br />Trapper Mining, Inc. of Craig, Colorado contracted with Nickens and <br />Associates of Montrose, Colorado to evaluate two cultural resource sites <br />on their property. One site, 5MF950, had been recorded in 1980 by Arch- <br />aeological Services of Laramie, Wyoming. The other site was known to <br />mine personnel but had not been formally recorded. Neither site had beer <br />evaluated as to their eligibility for inclusion on the National Register <br />of Historic Places. Both sites are in areas planned for eventual coal <br />mining and, therefore, are expected to be destroyed. The sites are <br />located in Section 3, T5N, R91W and Section 32, T6N, R91W, 6th P.M. <br />(Figure 1). <br />On May 12, 1987, Jonathon C. Horn of Nickens and Associates met with <br />hlr. William Agnew, Environmental Engineer of Trapper Mining, Inc. The <br />locations of the two sites were visited with Mr. Agnew and evaluation and <br />recording undertaken May 12, 13 and 19. It was found that site 5MF950 <br />had been inadequately recorded by the previous investigators and so was <br />rerecorded on the appropriate Office of Archaeology and Historic Preser- <br />vation site forms. The other site, designated 5MF2427, was similarly <br />recorded. <br />Project Objectives <br />The scope of work for the contract entailed visitation by an archaeo- <br />logist to two known site locations. Both sites were described as his- <br />toric in nature, one a sheep camp with a standing outhouse, the other a <br />hcmestead location with structural remains. As these were known loca- <br />tions, no survey work was anticipated or required. One of the sites, the <br />sheep camp had been previously recorded, therefore re recording was not <br />expected but gathering of additional information pertinent to the evalua- <br />tion of the site's National Register eligibility was anticipated. Full <br />recordation of the homestead site was expected. It was anticipated that <br />the resultant data would enable a National Register evaluation of that <br />site to be made as well. The RP-3 docwnent for the history of the region <br />(Husbar~o 1984) indicated that sheep grazing and homesteading were known <br />activities in the area for which fairly limited documentation existed. <br />The evaluation of these two sites was at the request of Trapper Mining, <br />Inc. They are within areas planned for eventual strip mining for coal. <br />National Register evaluations were foreseen as a necessary step in satis- <br />fying their obligations in the proper management of these cultural re- <br />sources in light of the anticipated impacts of mining. <br />Area and Site Descriptions <br />The Trapper Mine is located about 6 miles southwest of Craig, <br />Colorado, on the southeast side of Highway 13 and 789. It is situated on <br />the northern slopes of the Williams Fork Mountains on the Cretaceous age <br />Williams Fork Formation composed of sandstone, shale and seams of coal <br />(Tweto 1979). The Yampa River, the major river system in the area, is <br />located about 2.5 miles to the north of the mine. <br />Site 5hiF950: Previously recorded by Archaeological Services of Laramie, <br />Wyoniiny, site 5MF950 is located on a tributary of Flume Gulch at an <br />