Oaklands West Outbuildings (18PR925)
Site History
The Oaklands West Outbuildings site (18PR925) is a well, foundation, and 18th to 19th-century artifact scatter associated with Oaklands Manor house (also known as the Contee House). Oaklands is located near South Laurel in Prince Georges County, Maryland.
Archaeological Investigations
The site was discovered and recorded by Applied Archaeology and History Associates, Inc. during cultural resource monitoring projects associated with construction on the Oaklands estate. Four cultural features and several isolated artifacts were identified during the projects. Limited excavations were conducted on two of the features, a partial fieldstone foundation (Feature 1) and a hand-dug well (Feature 4). One feature (a hand-dug well) was excavated using shovels, trowels, and a mechanical excavator. The second feature, consisting of a partial stone foundation, was cleared using shovels and trowels in order to clarify its size and shape.
Both the foundation and the well were located on high ground to the west/northwest of the Oaklands manor house. The foundation appeared to belong to a small outbuilding. Artifacts associated with the foundation dated to the 18th century and included various imported ceramics, a brass buckle, and several large sherds of olive green bottle glass. The preponderance of domestic materials found near the feature suggests that the site of the structure was used to deposit refuse after its destruction or abandonment. A nearby scatter of similar artifacts, designated Feature 3, may also be associated with the foundation. Feature 3 also included a possible fence line as well as a large hand-hewn wooden beam. The well possessed a nearly intact stone sill and lining approximately 60 cm in diameter. Although the size and shape of the well indicate that it was dug during the 18th or 19th century, the fill was entirely comprised of 20th-century material. This included several complete or nearly complete milk and pharmaceutical bottles.
The site was subsequently destroyed during the development of the property.
References
2007 Cultural Resources Monitoring Report: The Oaklands Property, Prince George's County, Maryland. (Applied Archaeology and History Associates, Inc.).
2003 A Phase I Cemetery Identification Investigation of Portions of Parcel A and Lot 66 of Oaklands, Prince George's County, Maryland. (Applied Archaeology and History Associates, Inc.) MHT # PR 340.
2004 A Phase I Archaeological Investigation of Oaklands (PG 62-3), Prince George's County, Maryland. (Applied Archaeology and History Associates, Inc.) MHT # PR 493.
