ST9401-SY 971222 (2)Cultural Resources Investigation Denton Tap Road
ST 94-01
Dallas County, Texas
by
Larry D. Banks
and
Sue E. Linder-Linsley
Co-Principal Investigators
TAC Permit #1890
December, 1997
Banks Archaeological Research Associates
4909 Weyland Drive
Hurst TX 76053
City of Coppell
P.O. Box 478
Coppell TX 75019
2
ABSTRACT
Backhoe testing was conducted in the vicinity of archeological site 41DL252 near the edge of
Coppell, Texas in association with proposed expansion of the Denton Tap Road across Denton,
Creek. The test excavation revealed that the original bridge construction and subsequent utility line
improvements had removed all natural stratigraphy in the specific area of the bridge, and it had
been replaced with construction fill consisting of extraneous pieces of concrete, asphalt, wooden
framing, and nails. There was an absence of archeological objects or features found in the area of
the proposed bridge expansion.
MANAGEMENT SUMMARY
An intensive cultural resources survey was performed on October 21, 1997 by Banks
Archaeological Research Associates -- Larry D. Banks and Sue E. Linder-Linsley, Principal
Investigators. This work was conducted in compliance with the Antiquities Code of Texas
administered by the Division of Antiquities Protection, Texas Historical Commission.
This work consisted of excavation of a single backhoe trench, creek bank survey, and walk~over
with observation of previous earthmoving activities within the project area. The work at the request
of the Division of Antiquities Protection also included visual inspection of adjacent private property
outside the project area.
As a result of these investigations no cultural remains were encountered in the project area. Site
41DL296 was verified as totally gone due to borrow activity. Likewise site 41DL252 within the
project area has been destroyed due to previous excavation and subsequent road construction
activities.
It is recommended that 41DL252 and 41DL296 be regarded as having no potential for becoming a
State Archeological Landmark due to their destruction. Furthermore, it is recommended that the
proposed bridge expansion and road improvement will not have a significant impact on cultural
resources.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract ....................................................................................................................2
Management Summary ..............................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................4
ENVIRONMENTAL BACKGROUND ..............................................................................4
Geology and Geomorphology ..................................................................................4
Soils .....................................................................................................................4
Hydrology ................................................................................................................4
Climate .....................................................................................................................5
Flora and Fauna ........................................................................................................5
Paleoclimatic Reconstruction .....................................................................................5
PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS AND DISCUSSION OF HISTORIC AND
PREHISTORIC SEQUENCE ............................................................................................6
Previous Archeological Research ...............................................................................6
Culture History .........................................................................................................7
Native American Cultural History ..................................................................7
Historic Cultural History ...............................................................................9
FIELD METHODS .............................................................................................................9
Research Design ........................................................................................................9
Archeological Survey Techniques .............................................................................9
Subsurface survey strategy and Data Collection Techniques ..........................9
Mapping and Provenience Control ................................................................9
RESULTS, EVALUATION AND INTERPRETATION .................................................... 10
SUMMARY RECOMMENDATIONS ...............................................................................11
REFERENCE CITED ........................................................................................................11
LIST OF PHOTOS
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
View noah across Denton Creek on right (east) side of Denton Tap Road Bridge .... 14
View east across 41DL252 ......................................................................................14
View from Denton Tap Road Bridge looking northwest toward Site 41DL296 ....... 15
View southeast across the borrow pit that removed site 41DL296 ............................15
View of backhoe trench at 5 ft deep ........................................................................16
View of backhoe trench looking south ....................................................................16
Back dirt from trench excavation ............................................................................17
LIST OF FIGURES
1 Site location for 41DL252 and 41DL296 ................................................................18
Cultural Resources
Investigation Denton Tap Road ST 94-01
Dallas County, Texas
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INTRODUCTION
Archeological investigations for the City of Coppell, Texas, as part of project ST 94-01 for road
improvements and expanding the width of the Denton Tap Road bridge across Denton Creek were
performed on October 21, 1997 by Banks Archaeological Research Associates -- Larry D. Banks
and Sue E. Linder-Linsley, Principal Investigators with additional work on December 10, 1997 at
the request of the Division of Antiquities Protection, Texas Historical Commission. This work
was conducted under Antiquities Permit No. 1890.
The project area is just north and east of the main business district for the City of Coppell, Texas.
The area of investigation consists of the ROW to Denton Tap Road at Denton Creek. The map
reference for the project area is: Carrollton, Texas 7.5' USGS Quadrangle Map / 3296-333. This
area is just outside (west) of the 60 acres of land previously investigated by Don Dorward for the
City of Coppell and 100 m (east) of site 41DL296. Previously investigations have been conducted
by Jan Lorrain, Paul Lorrain, Bonnie Yates, and Reid Ferring. The proposed construction work
affecting the subsurface will consist of excavation and fill for the new bridge abutment on the south
side of Denton Creek immediately to the north and west of site 41DL252. The area of potential
effect for widening should not be any larger than the area impacted when the bridge was originally
constructed since the road grade and ROW were substantially sculptured at that time. The extent of
disturbance due to bridge construction and buried utility line activities was unknown prior to this
investigation. As-built plans for the original construction are not available.
Prior to the field survey, an examination of the records at the Texas Archeological Research
laboratory found two recorded archaeological sites near the project area. The proximity of site
41DL252 is such that it may have been impacted by bridge construction if it still exists. See
Dorward (1992) for full background information including Sam Street's 1900 map and
Hedgecoxe's 1852 map.
ENVIRONMENTAL BACKGROUND
Geology and Geomorphology
The project is located in northwestern Dallas County near the contact zone between the Eastern
Cross Timbers (on the west) and the Blackland Prairie (Ktichler 1966) to the east. Both
physiographic sections are underlain by Cretaceous aged geological formations: the Eastern Cross
Timbers by the Woodbine Sandstone, and the Blackland Prairie by the Eagle Ford Shale. The two
different lithologies of the geological formations account for the differences between the sandy
loams of the Eastern Cross Timbers versus the black clays of the Blackland Prairies. Yates and
Ferring (1986) provide the only detailed geomorphological discussions available for the soils
development of this section along the Denton Creek tributary of the Elm Fork of the Trinity River
system. A profile of soils in the immediate area is illustrated in Yates and Ferring (1986:91 ).
Hydrology
As mentioned above, Denton Creek is a west bank tributary of the Elm Fork of the Trinity River.
Grapevine Dam, about 3 krn upstream of the project area, was constructed by the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers in the early 1950's and the flooding that accounted for the natural sequences of
soils development in the Denton Creek floodplain no longer affect archeological horizons.
5
Climate
The climate is subtropical and mild. The winters are short and cool with only short duration light
freezes occurring sporadically. Such cold spells are the restfits of the northers which in this section
of the State are less severe and occur less suddenly than they do farther west. The winters are
rather wet. Some sleet and snow falls occasionally.
Northcentral Texas' middle latitude location noah of the Gulf of Mexico predisposes it to seasonal
temperature variations, long growing seasons, and sporadic moisture and atmospheric mixing to
support the sustained growth of prairie grasses and variety of tress. The average annual rainfall is
35 inches. Thunderstorms are common year round but late summer and early fall bring hurricanes
that move inland from the Gulf of Mexico bring the heaviest rainfall. Late winter to early summer
brings tornadoes and high velocity winds.
Flora and Fauna
Blair (1950), defined Dallas County within the Texan biotic province. The Texan biotic province is
an intermediate zone between the forest of the Austroriparian and Carolinian provinces of East
Texas and the grasslands of the Kansan, Balconian, and Tamaulipan provinces to the North and
west. The Brushy Prairie zone for North Central Texas as defined by Jurney (1987) and Peter and
Juruey (1988) consisted of relatively open tracts of grasslands over which a wide range of trees are
dispersed. The dominant trees include elm and mesquite while incidentals include: post oak,
blackjack oak, Spanish oak, red oak, red cedar, box alder, willow, locust, gum bumelia,
mulberry, hackberry, plum, red haw persimmon, walnut, and pecan. Tall grasses and forbs
dominate vegetation (Dyksterhuis 1946) and provide forage for grazing animals. GLO notes
indicate that the Trinity River contained a diverse range of tree species (17) (Martin 1995:215). The
underbrush of the area consists of grapes, berries, peppervine, honeysuckle, trumpetvine, and
hawthorne (Shaw 1978). Grasses were likewise diverse including: little bluestem, big bluestem,
Indiangrass, hairgrama switchgrass, Virginia wildrye, Torrey silver bluestem, meadow dropseed,
buffalograss, vine-mesquite, eastem gramagrass, plains lovegrass, Canada wildrye, cane
bluestem, and southwestem bristlegrass (Coffee 1980; Cliff, Hunt, and Peter 1989).
Prior to urbanization, Dallas County would have been home to: bobwhite quail, pheasant,
meadowlark, field sparrow, sage grouse, lark bunting, cottontail rabbit, red fox, antelope, and
deer (Coffee 1980:50).
Paleoclimatic Reconstruction
The most specific model of paleoenvironmental reconstruction during the last 70,000 years is
presented by Ferring (1986) for the Upper Trinity River Basin of Texas. A pollen sequence is
available from Buck Creek Marsh (Holloway 1985), and Ferndale Bog (Bryant and Holloway
1985) which provide a more relevant data base for Northeast Texas. In addition, a refined tree-ring
sequence has been established. The work of Stahle and Cleaveland (1988) and Jumey et al. (1993)
have been used with integrating and correlating micro-environmental factors employing tree-ring
data for the greater Cooper Lake study area. Jurney et al. (1993) concludes that based on the
relationship between tree-ring chronologies in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, it is possible that
long-term reconstruction of river discharge could be developed which in tum could be used to
reconstruct the peak flooding and drought episodes for the past 300 years using established tree-
ring chronologies.
Regional models for the Late Holocene indicate a gradual warming trend following the end of the
Pleistocene, interrupted by a period of warmer temperatures than those of today (Bryant and
Holloway 1985:56-66; Delcourt and Delcourt 1985: 12-22; Henry 1995:67).
6
PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS AND DISCUSSION OF HISTORIC AND
PREHISTORIC SEQUENCE
Previous Archeological Research
Previous archaeological research in the Upper Trinity River is summarized in: An Assessment of
the Cultural Resources in the Trinity River Basin: Dallas, Tarrant, and Denton Counties, Texas
(Yates and Ferring 1986), Late Holocene Prehistory of the Mountain Creek Basin (Peter and
McGregor 1988), and A Synthesis of Prehistory of the Lower Elm Fork of the Trinity River
(Prikryl 1987).
Most of the professional research effort in the Trinity River Basin has focused on reservoir
development but many sites have been recorded through combined efforts with avocational
archeologists.
In the immediate vicinity of the subject project, professional investigations have been limited to
geomorphological investigations and associated archeological sites as discussed by Yates and
Ferring 1986. Avocational work consisting of site recordation and collections in the area have been
attributed to the late R.K. Harris and J.B. Sollberger, and of most recent significance by Jan and
Paul Lorraine. Of specific concern to the subject project addressed herein are two archeological
sites recorded as 41 DL252 and 41DL296.
Site 41DL252 was recorded in 1985 by Lorrain, and discussed by Ferdng (1986:289-290) as
being of Late archaic and possible late Prehistoric affiliation. Artifacts consisted of a variety of dart
point types, and most specifically of the Gary type. Yates and Ferring (1986:290) assessed this
site as having high research potential primarily on the basis of deeply stratified (2.5 - 3.0 m thick)
deposits below the modern surface. This site, which had been recorded immediately to the east of
the Denton Tap Road bridge on the south side of Denton Creek, was the primary purpose of this
investigation requested by the DAP, and of secondary concern was site 41DL296 which was not
mentioned by Yates and Ferring, but was recorded by Lorrain in 1985 and 1988 as being located
100 m upstream from the subject bridge and on the north side of Denton Creek. This was verified
with Paul Lorrain (personal communication, December 1997).
At some unknown point in the recent past, essentially all of site 41DL252 has been stripped to a
depth of approximately two meters deep, and the resulting "borrow-like" pit is now being filled
with waste materials of other soils and debris (Photos 1 and 2).
Site 41DL296 which was also recorded by Lorrain subsequent to the date of the Yates and Ferring
investigations, was located upstream from the bridge on Denton Tap Road and on the north side of
the creek. Lorrain (personal communication November 10, 1997) believed the site to be of middle
to late archaic age on the basis of a variety of dart points found in association with mussel shells
and fire cracked rock. In combination with recent developments for housing and a relocation of
State Highway 121, a large borrow pit has been placed in the immediate vicinity of Site 41DL296,
and has obliterated most if not all of the site (Photos 3 and 4). The borrow pit that is currently
standing in water from recent rains is apparently still active because of the recent cut banks and
tracks of earth-moving equipment still in evidence. The pit is approximately 75-100 m in width and
some 300-350 m in length, and is aligned essentially parallel to the flow of Denton Creek in this
immediate area from a northwestern to southeast position. A narrow remnant of the original terrace
still exists between the southern edge of the borrow cutbank and Denton Creek, but no observable
artifacts or features were noted in the eroding cutbank at the time of this investigation.
Culture History
Native American Culture History
The prehistoric archaeological record in North Texas will be discussed briefly and is drawn from
comprehensive summaries to which the reader is referred for more information (Smith 1969;
Skinner 1972; Skinner, Richner, and Johnston 1978; Skinner et al. 1996; Ferring 1986; Story
1990). The occupation periods of Native Americans in North Texas have been divided into seven
temporal subdivisions following Prikryl (1990) and Skinner et at. (1996).
Native American Cultural Sequence for Northeast Texas
Temporal Period Date
Paleolndian
11,000 - 8,500 B.P.
Early Archaic 8,500
Middle Archaic 6,000
Late Archaic 3,500
- 6,000 B .P.
- 3,500 B.P.
- 1,250 B.P.
Late Prehistoric I
Late Prehistoric H
1,250 - 750 B .P.
750 - 250 B.P.
Historic Native American
250 - 150 B.P.
The Paleolndian period in North Texas is represented by archaeological remains of human
occupation that can be dated to the transitional post-Pleistocene time period (ca. 11,000 - 8,500
B.P.). There are few sites of this time period that are known to have good stratigraphic contexts
and fewer that have been systematically excavated by researchers (Perttula 1988).
Paleolndian archaeological sites represent the material remains of small hunter/gatherer groups and
are typically identified by the presence of projectile point styles such as Clovis, Folsom, Dalton,
San Patrice and Plainview. Some researchers have concluded that these groups were small and
very mobile based on the wide distribution of Paleolndian diagnostic point styles across the area,
as well as the high frequency of occurrence of nonlocal lithic raw materials. The ephemeral nature
of these sites, no house remains or developed middens, small quantities of recovered tools/points
has also tended to support this conclusion. This conclusion is also based on the assumption that the
early Paleolndian cultures were focused on the exploitation of megafauna. While this may be true,
evidence from sites such as the Aubrey site (41DN479) (Ferring 1989, 1990) suggests that these
groups may have been less dependent on the megafauna than has been previously assumed.
Another well known Paleolndian site in nearby Denton county is the Lewisville site. Both Aubrey
and Lewisville occur in deeply buried floodplain deposits associated with Clovis points (Crook and
Harris 1957; Ferring 1989).
The late Paleolndian period appears to indicate a divergence into several distinctive point styles.
These are divided geographically into a western or plains subgroup and a southeastern, midwestem
subgroup. The westem tradition is typified by point styles such as Scottsbluff and Plainview,
while the more eastern tradition is represented by Dalton and Dalton-related point styles, such as
San Patrice (Ensor 1987; Webb et al 1971).
The Archaic occupation period in Noah Texas includes the time span between 8,500 and 1,250
B.P. The Archaic is divided into three subdivisions, the Early, Middle and Late Archaic (for more
information see Prikryl 1990). The Archaic appears to have begun as a response to a drying trend
in Noah Central Texas coinciding with the termination of the Pleistocene. Archaic cultural remains
are most often found in upland settings, although lowland settings become more common during
the latter part of this time period. Quite often Archaic remains are found in the same context with
later materials (Story 1981), and possibly represent recycling of earlier tool forms.
The Early Archaic time period is characterized by small, widely distributed sites which suggests
highly mobile groups with a generalized hunting and gathering economy. Prikryl reports 22 sites in
his study area which produced Early Archaic projectile points. While no distinct Early Archaic
components have been reported, the majority of sites beating Early Archaic points occur on
terraces.
During the Middle Archaic there appears to be a trend toward increasing population size and
density, increasing sedentism and an increasingly complex settlement system (Story 1985;
Kenmotsu and Perttula eds. 1993). Environmental data from Oklahoma suggest that current
Holocene conditions were established between 5,000 and 4,000 B .C. Ferring (in Prikryl 1990:71)
suggests the oak-savannah started its development about 4,500 B.P. and displaced grasslands. The
Middle and Late Archaic peoples became increasingly dependent on a large variety of plant foods
that were abundant in this area as demonstrated by the greater presence through time of mortars,
pestles and mealing stones. Ground and polished grooved axes, atlatl weights and stone pendants
are also associated with the Middle Archaic occupation period. An increased number and greater
spatial distribution of sites on the landscape, together with evidence of sedentism, suggest an
increase in the population density during the Late Archaic. This spatial distribution and increased
population reflect the rich evenly distributed food resources available in the Northeast Texas area.
Diagnostic dart points with expanding (Ellis, Ensor, Palmillas and Yarbrough) or contracting
(Gary, Kent) stems are associated with the Late Archaic (Story 1990; Kenmotsu and Perttula eds.
1993).
While our knowledge of the Archaic is limited in the Upper Trinity River drainage, recent
investigations (Peter and McGregor 1988; Yates and Ferring 1986) indicate that primary context
for Archaic sites will be found deeply buried within floodplain alluvium.
Pottery is first seen in North Central Texas during the Late Prehistoric I period. This cultural
period is identified by coarse plainware ceramics tempered with clay/grog or sand, sandy paste
wares (Story 1990). It is during this time period that arrow points (Scallorn and Alba) are first
identified in this region. Plant remains from middens and the presence of plant processing tools
(grinding stones) indicate that plants played a large part in the subsistence economy.
Sites continued to be more common on tributaries than along the Elm Fork and East Fork of the
Trinity. Chipped stone tools were primarily made of Ogallala quartzite. The end of this period
coincides with a shift toward the drier climate of today as documented by the West Fork paleosol
date of 1060+50 B.P. (Beta-16416) (Skinner et al. 1996).
The Late Prehistoric II phase shows a Southern Plains influence characterized by the appearance of
Nocona Plain ceramics. The lithic tool assemblages includes Harrell, Fresno, and Washita points
which are triangular in shape and the Perdize point. Other tools include scrapers, edge-beveled
knives, and flake drills. These sites are located on sandy terraces above the flood plain. The shift
toward higher elevation sites may be due to the increased flooding that occurred after 950 B .P.
(Prikryl 1988). Evidence of horitculture on the sandy soils and procurement of bison appears in
North Central Texas are this time (Harris and Harris 1970; Morris and Morris 1970).
The Historic Native American Period is known from sparse historical documentation and
archaeological evidence. Skinner (1988) has argued that the physical archaeological evidence
indicates that very little of this period has been documented in North Central Texas. Wh~e exact
locations and detailed ethnohistoric data are almost nonexistent, the Tonkawa, Wichita, Caddo, and
Comanche are likely to have utilized the area.
Historic Cultural History
The Historic Period in north central Texas starts about 1840 and sites predating 1840 are extremely
rare in the Dallas County area (for more information see Dorward 1992).
The first settlers moved into the area as a result of Mercer' s and Peter' s Colonies. Peter' s Colonists
were the first to move into the Coppell area. Coppell grew as agriculture based on cotton as a cash
crop grew and declined by the mid 1920s. Today, Coppell is part of the growing metroplex of
Dallas-Ft. Worth.
RESEARCH DESIGN
FIELD METHODS
The research design as approved by the Division of Antiquities Protect to be conducted under
Permit No. 1890 was limited to the area of proposed bridge expansion since this is the only area to
have subsurface impacts. The "research" for this work is a matter of collecting information about
the potential impact of the proposed construction on cultural resources in the project area.
Specifically, the potential impact on known sites 41DL252 and 41DL296 is to be determined.
ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEY TECHNIQUES
The project area as defined by the City of Coppell is limited to the existing 120 ft ROW of Denton
Tap Road. Approximately, 1 mile of Denton Tap Road will be widened and raised to meet the 463
ft amsl level where it crosses Denton Creek. The raising and widening of the road bed is to be
accomplished by adding fill to the existing roadbed. There will be no subsurface impact from this
road improvement. The existing road bed and surrounding surface has been contoured for drainage
and flood control and this area is considered to have little potential for intact archaeological deposits
and will not be impacted by the proposed project.
Visual inspection and consultation with the City Engineering Department indicated that the only
subsurface area to be affected was a strip parallel, south, and east of the present bridge crossing
Denton Creek (also see Permit Application scope of work). The portion of the project area north of
the creek will consist of raising fill to an approximate height of 4 ft above present levels. There will
be no subsurface excavation on the north or west sied fo the bridge (personal communication, Ken
Griffin).
Due to the reported location of 41DL252 and the planned subsurface excavations on the southeast
side of the current bridge this area was investigated to determine what impact, if any, the
road/bridge improvements might have on site 41DL252.
The location of site 41DL296 was verified and photo-documented as being well outside the current
project area on private property.
Subsurface Survey Strategy and Data Collection Techniques
Work conducted under the provisions of the permit were limited to excavations of a backhoe trench
in the affected area of the proposed bridge expansion to a depth at which sterile weathered clay
from the Eagle Ford Shale was encountered.
Mapping and Provenience Control
A north-south orientated backhoe trench was placed 12 ft from east of the current bridge abutment.
The trench was 2 ft wide and 16 ft long. Also, the trench was parallel to and west of the long
sewer pipeline that had been installed in 1976. It was excavated to a depth of approximately 11 ft.
10
Excavations were made in approximately one foot levels. The floor and walls of the trench were
monitored continually, and at selected intervals the walls were scraped with a trowel to inspect
potential stratigraphic levels. The trench revealed construction fill to a depth of 9 ft 2 in which was
directly ove~ying sterile weathered clay from the Eagle Ford Shale. Photographs were taken of the
trench. Back dirt and trench walls were inspected. No artifacts or archaeological features were
encountered.
RESULTS, EVALUATION AND INTERPRETATION OF CULTURAL
RESOURCES
The location of site 41DL296 was verified and photo-documented (Photos 1 and 2) as being well
outside the current project area on private property. Paul Lorrain was contacted to verify that this
was the location of 41DL296 (personal communication, December 1997). Larry Banks was
reminded by Lorrain that he had visited this site with Paul and Jan Lorrain at the time (about 2
years ago) the borrow pit was first being opened up. At that time no archaeological materials could
be located in the areas being exposed.
Site 41DL252 was the subject of discussion by Dorward (1992:6-7). Paul Lorrain (Lorrain and
Lorrain n.d.; Lorrain 1988, 1985) suggested a Late Archaic date for the site based on surface
collections and excavations. This previous work describes 41DL252 as containing deeply buried
deposits 5.5 to 8 ft (1.8 - 2.7 m) below normal ground surface. According to the site location for
41DL252 given in Figure 1 (1992) it was slightly south and east of the area to be impacted by new
bridge construction activities.
The original soil would have been alluvial and located along a contact zone of higher ~uviatile
terrace deposits as indicated in the Dallas sheet of the Texas Geologic Atlas (Barnes 1972).
However, a 30" water line approximately 8 ft deep was installed in the project area by the City of
Dallas in 1974. Also, in 1976 a 15" sanitary sewer line approximately 13 ft deep was installed by
the City of Coppell. It is apparent that much of the original surface of the area was contoured for
drainage adjacent to the road bed and soil was moved and contoured to some undetermined extent
during the original construction of the road alignment and bridge abutment. This is the narrow strip
of land that will be subject to excavation for the new bridge abutment. At present, the contoured
surface is covered in thick Bermuda and Johnson grass, and pedestrian examination of the area
would contribute nothing to the archeological state of knowledge except to verify previous
earthmoving activities. There is a remote possibility the remnant deeply buried strata may contain
archeological materials or features. The fluviatile soils overlying the highly weathered surface of
the Cretaceous aged Eagle Ford Shale are less than three meters thick.
Placement of the backhoe test excavation was determined by the plans for the proposed bridge
expansion on the east side of its present location and immediately north or on top of the reported
location of 41DL252. The backhoe trench was located midpoint between the existing eastern edge
of the bridge and the easternmost extremity of the proposed expansion, aligned paralleled to the
bridge running north-south. The trench was 12 ft east of the bridge and 12 ft west of the proposed
eastern edge of the new bridge based on surface topography this location seemed most likely to
contain remnants of naturally existing terrain in an otherwise highly disturbed area of previous
construction activities. The location was dictated to a large extent by buried utilities described as
follows. The northern end of the trench was positioned near the crest of the possibly naturally
fluvialtile terrace with allowance of sufficient space to avoid the buried high power voltage lines
that run east to west parallel to the creek bank, and to the west of a large deeply buried sewer line
belonging to the city of Dallas. In fact, the north-south alignment of the sewer line will apparently
be immediately to the east of the new bridge alignment. Thus, no new areas will be disturbed by
the proposed work. The front wheels of the backhoe was positioned directly over the high voltage
line alignment. The trench was excavated in approximately 1 ft increments in horizontal cuts of 15
ft in length. The southern extremity was approximately adjacent to the southern end of the bridge.
11
The backhoe was admirably operated by Larry Smith, Public Works Department for the City of
Coppell. The excavation was supervised by staff from the City of Coppell Engineering
Department. The work was monitored by the co-principal investigators to determine if any natural
or cultural stratification was indicated by changes in soil color, compaction, or sedimentation.
Differences such as these could be an indication of paleosols or archaeological features being
present.
The material from the uppermost surface levels to the lowermost excavation was homogeneous
light brown sandy clay mixed with extraneous materials from previous construction fall material;
there was an absence of material and cultural stratigraphy exposed in the walls of the trench. Hence
there was no comparison of this trench profile to the profile provided by Yates and Ferring
(1986:91) for the natural stratigraphy of the general area. In the absence of stratigraphic levels, no
detailed mapping was warranted. For example, the construction fall was permeated with small
chunks of calcareous sandstone, blocky pieces of old asphalt pavement, and small chunks of
concrete. At a depth of about 9.5 ft a dense clay was encountered and after an additional cut was
made the clay was determined to be the typical clay weathered from the bedrock Eagle Ford Shale
geological formation. The hard, impervious, and weathered clay was encountered at a depth of
nine ft and two inches.
Paul Lorrain said, that 41DL252 was gone and that he visited the site when it was being removed
(personal communication, December 1997). This confirms our findings that 41DL252 no longer
exists.
SUMMARY RECOMMENDATIONS
Site 41DL296 is located 100 m upstream from the bridge on private property and has apparently
been destroyed by borrowing activities. If site 41DL252 extended into the project area it has been
totally destroyed and therefore can not be affected by the proposed work. The backhoe test
exhibited nothing but old fill material resulting from earlier construction activities overlying a
weathered surface of Eagle Ford Shale. No cultural remains were encountered during this
investigation. The area is highly disturbed due to road, bridge, and utility line construction
activities and none of the surface or near surface deposits are in situ. No further work is
recommended. Therefore it is our recommendation that construction be allowed to proceed without
any further concern for impacts on possible archeological remains.
REFERENCES CITED
Barnes, V. E.
1972 Geologic Atlas of Texas, Dallas Sheet, Elias H. Sellards Memorial Edition. The University of Texas
Bureau of Economic Geology. Austin.
Blair, W. F.
1950 The Biotic Provinces of Texas. Texas Journal of Science 2(1).
Bryant, V. M., Jr. and R. G. Holloway
1985 A Late-Quaternary Paleoenvironmental Record of Texas: An Overview of Pollen Evidence. In Pollen
Record of Late-Quaternary North American Sediments, Edited by V. Bryant and R. G. Holloway, pp. 39-
70. American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists Foundation, Dallas.
Cliff, M. B., S. M. Hunt, and D. E. Peter
1989 Cultural Resource Survey of the Weary Site Along Spring Creek, Dallas County, Texas. Miscellaneous
Report of Investigations No. 10. TAC Permit #827. Prepared for Dallas County Park and Open Space
Program, Dallas County. Geo-Marine, Inc. Plano.
Coffee, D. R., R. H. Hill, and D. D. Ressell
1980 Soil Survey of Dallas County, Texas. USDA, Soil Conservation Service in cooperation with Texas
Agricultural Experimental Station.
Crook, W. W., Jr. and R. K. Harris
12
1957 Hearths and Artifacts of Early man near Lewisville, Texas, and Associated Faunal Material. Bulletin of
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14
Photo 1. View north across Denton Creek on fight (east) side of Denton Tap Road Bridge. Site
41DL252 had been reported in this area on the extreme right of the photo which has been stripped
out.
,,. ' ~: ..... '."~:~:~-,, ...~ii~.~._ -~. ':'~:~ 5.'- _""'
Photo 2. View east across 41DL252, the stripped ~ea cu~ently being Br soil ~d back fill.
15
Photo 3. View taken from southwest edge of DentOn Tab Road Bridge looking northwest across
Denton Creek. Site 41DL296 had been reported on this private property in the area of the
excavatedfor borrow in conjunction with a housing development.
,--. . _ , .
!:~.'
· -: !.: ,'
· ,:'- : ? ;::t
: ' ' ' ' :' ' '. "~: ;'C'7 .;.':.~
:'- :;::i,!:: . ;:j:":;i;:
.. .... :,:;..,.:,-.' .~'...
Photo 4. View from' ihe north looldh~oUtheast across the borrow pit that removed site 41DL296.
The white dots in the background are cars on Denton Tap Road crossing the bridge. A possible
intact remnant of the site may be to the fight center of the photo located on a narrow strip of land
between the borrow pit and Denton Creek.
16
". ,.,., .....t:!;,
Photo 5. View of backhoe trench at depth of approximately 5 ft. Note chunk of concrete exposed
in bottom of trench at left center.
Photo 6. View of backhoe trench looking south. Note homogeneity of fill with sporadically mixed
small pieces of concrete shown as white inclusions.
17
Photo 7. Back dirt from trench excavation. Note chunks of old asphalt near bottom fight center
from Linder-Linsley's right arm. Also note the dense blocky weathered gray clay beneath backhoe
bucket derived from top of Eagle Ford shale at the lowermost levels of the excavated trench.
4 Fi-e~ure 1:
CarroLlton quad USGS 7.5' TopograPhic Series with the
project &tea, known sites and bachkhoe ~renches
shown ·
T