FACTORY FARM
18FR39B

Introduction

The Factory Farm site (18FR39) contains evidence of multiple prehistoric occupations.  Archaeological research has documented Early through Late Archaic period material, Early and Middle Woodland period short-term camps, and a Late Woodland period hamlet.

Archaeological Investigations

Phase I and II testing was conducted at the Factory Farm site by R. Christopher Goodwin & Associates in advance of development efforts at the Frederick Municipal Golf Course in Frederick County.  Research focused on three subareas of the Factory Farm site: 18FR39, 18FR39A, and 18FR39B.  Shovel test pits excavated at 18FR39 produced no cultural material.  Test units at the site produced three flakes (one each of quartz, quartzite, and rhyolite).  Shovel test pits excavated at 18FR39A were also negative, although 2 rhyolite flakes were found on the surface.  Three quartz flakes were found outside mapped boundaries in plowzone contexts.  Site 18FR39B yielded 703 unmodified flakes, 13 cores, 106 utilized flakes, 10 bifaces, 13 points/fragments, 53 ceramic sherds, 11 small bone fragments, 13 small pieces of antler tine, and 3 fragments of fire-cracked rock.  Most flakes and all cores were quartz.  Two postholes were identified in one test unit.  All of the antler tine fragments were from one of these features.  Of the 13 points, only 4 were diagnostic.  Three were quartz Late Woodland period triangular points, and one was a rhyolite Middle Woodland period Selby Bay stemmed point.  Ceramics included 10 cord-marked Keyser sherds, 4 smooth shell-tempered sherds, and 1 Moyaone incised sherd.  Peck reported Early Woodland to early Middle Woodland period Marcey Creek, Accokeek, and Popes Creek ceramics at 18FR39B, and triangular points and Biggs Ford (Keyser) ceramics at 18FR39A. 

Archeobotanical Studies

Flotation samples of unknown volume were secured from prehistoric postholes (Features 1 and 2) at site 18FR39B.  The samples yielded a small number of wood charcoal flecks collected from flotation, which were identified to the ring porous category by Thomas W. Neumann.

References