2010-12-17_REVISION - C1981019 (113)

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364 Class IIIInventory, Colowyo's Collom Mine Project TRC Mariah revisited the site in August of 2005 as part of the Collom Mine Expansion project. During the revisit, the prehistoric component appeared to be largely intact from its original 1995 recording; however, it is possible that additional material has eroded from the cutbanks, especially the western cutbank. The new material consisted of debitage (15+ opaque white chert), 10+ heat - altered rocks, and two manos. Because the original 1995 recording did not plot exactly which artifacts were eroding from particular locations, TRC Mariah was unable to determine which artifacts are newly eroded or were exposed in 1995. The historic component appears to have been slightly impacted by upgrading of the road passing through it, but overall it is unchanged from its original condition. A review of the MTP and Historical Indices for T4N, R93 W, and the BLM website indicates that Site 5MF4003 occurs within lands that received a Homestead Entry Patent (HE No. 961928) for 299 acres on June 19, 1925. The BLM website shows that Augustus E. Merritt received the entry. It was filed (0 16169) at the General Land Office in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, and was not cancelled or relinquished (BLM n.d.). This would date the time frame of initial occupation during the early Depression era. NRHP Eligibility Recommendation and Project Effect Site 5MF4003 was recommended in 1995 as potentially eligible for the NRHP under Criterion D based on what appeared to be a possible deeply buried prehistoric component, and the Colorado OAHP officially concurred with that assessment. During the 2005 inventory evaluation, the likely existence of a buried cultural component was confirmed. Testing will be required to assess these buried deposits and determine their nature and extent. The current assessment is that the prehistoric component is eligible for the NRHP. Subsurface testing and data recovery excavations are required to determine the extent of cultural material extant at the site. The historic component at Site 5MF4003 is recommended as noncontributing to the site's eligibility. It is not associated with significant national, regional, or local historic events. It was settled late (1925) and does not factor into settlement during the territorial period or early Colorado statehood. It is not associated with an individual (Augustus Merritt) of extraordinary historic significance. The • 47599 TRC Mariah Associates Inc.