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1776, was the first Euro-American incursion into the azea. Removal of the Utes in 1881 <br />freed the valley of the North Fork of the Gunnison for agricultural development, railroad <br />construction and permanent settlement. By the mid-1880's this alluvial valley had been found <br />suitable for fruit growing. Valley hay production combined with summer range in the <br />surrounding mountains aided the establishment of a prosperous livestock industry until a <br />severe winter kill in 1893 reduced many of the herds. The construction ofan extension of <br />the D&RG Railroad into the North Fork Valley by 1902 (as far as Paonia) aided fruit growers <br />and cattlemen. Additional track laid into Somerset in subsequent yeazs (by 1906) initiated the <br />coal minittg boom Overviews of the history of the region aze provided in the Colorado <br />Historical Society's publication entitled Colorado Plateau Country Historic Context (Husband <br />1984) and in the Bweau of Land Management's publication Frontier in Transition (O'Rowke <br />1980). <br />Study Objectives /Research Design <br />The purpose of the Cultwal resowces investigation was to identify resowces within the <br />lease tract, to evaluate these sites' eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic <br />Places (NRHP), and to make management recommendations for those sites found to be <br />• eligible or potentially eligible. The presence of prehistoric resowces was considered likely due <br />to the previously recorded sites. Historic resources were known to occur from previous <br />observations in azea. <br />Field Methods <br />This Class III inventory of the 1360 acre tract was limited by heavy vegetation cover <br />and steep slopes. Accordingly, the survey was restricted to open terrain provided by existing <br />roads, trails, and erosional areas. Open areas on the main ridge and benches above the <br />flowing streams were located and inspected as well. <br />Cultwal resources were sought as surface exposwes and were chazacterized as sites or <br />isolated Ends. Sites were defined by the presence of six or more artifacts and/or significant <br />featwe(s) indicative of patterned human activity. Isolated finds were defined by the presence <br />of a single artifact or several artifacts, which appazently represent a single event (e.g., a single <br />core reduction), and aze swficial in natwe. Cultwal resowces encountered were to be <br />recorded to standards set by the Forest Service (FS) and the Office of Archaeology and <br />Historic Preservation of the Colorado Historical Society (OAHP). <br />Sites were recorded using the following methods of mapping and note taking. <br />Artifacts were pin-flagged to establish site boundaries. Mapping was conducted using a <br />. Brunton compass, based on a centrally located temporary datum, and site boundaries were <br />determined by the extent of swface artifacts. Measwements were made by pacing or use of a <br />