Area A-1/A-2, Site A, B & S (18CH379)

Site 18CH379 is located northeast of the town of Indian Head in Charles County, Maryland. The site incorporates 3 loci (A, B, and S) that mark the locations of 3 individual house sites and associated domestic and agricultural landscape features. Archival investigations identified three parcels sold by Eugene Hyland Brawner in the late 19th century to African-American families.

The dominant feature of Locus A is the Thomas Brown Log Dwelling, a standing log house with several frame additions. Other structures include the collapsed remains of 2 small pole barns, and an extant small animal pen (possibly a chicken coop). Additional surface features include a trash-filled sinkhole (possibly a former well), and a well. Locus B is located approximately 300 m southeast of Locus A. Surface features include a pile of bricks that may be a ruined chimney, a shallow sinkhole depression that may be a filled well, and a nearby road trace. Locus S of Site 18CH379 includes the remains of a possible small pole barn with a corrugated metal roof still extant. In addition, there is a sinkhole (possible well), and two brick falls (possible chimneys). These loci are connected in 1930s aerial photographs and quad maps by a series of open fields or pastures and a network of roads and fencelines.

During the Phase I survey at Locus A, a total of 10 shovel test pits (STPs) were excavated at 20 m intervals within the yard area of the log structure. At Locus B 9 STPs were excavated, and at locus S 13.

Researchers returned to site 18CH379 later that year to conduct Phase II testing which included archival study, architectural analysis of the log structure in Locus A, systematic shovel testing, and formal test unit excavation. At Locus A 45 STPs were excavated, Locus B had 33 and Locus S had 61. Based upon Phase I and II data, Locus A and B each had 4 locations subjected to test unit investigations and Locus S had 5. Soils were removed by arbitrary 10 cm levels following natural stratigraphy and were screened through hardware cloth.

Artifact totals for both Phase I and II testing are as follows: Locus A yielded 362 historic artifacts and 41 prehistoric. Locus B yielded 1368 historic and 78 prehistoric. Locus B produced 3685 historic and 70 prehistoric artifacts.

The prehistoric components at all three loci of 18CH379 possess a degree of vertical integrity. However, each lacks the artifact density to accurately discern horizontally discrete activity areas, and each lacks the diagnostic artifacts required to place the facets of the occupation within a temporal horizon. Therefore none of the 3 prehistoric components possesses the potential to address significant research questions in Maryland prehistory.

All 3 loci appear to possess sufficient horizontal integrity in historic deposits to differentiate activity areas. At Loci B and S, enough localized vertical integrity exists that these activity zones may be placed within a discrete temporal framework. Thus the archaeological deposits at these loci may be able to address significant research questions. While such vertical integrity was not detected in the historic deposits at Locus A, the state of preservation of the standing Thomas Brown log dwelling is such that it retains significant potential for better understanding the vernacular architectural traditions utilized by African-American land owners of the period.

(Edited from the Maryland Historical Trust Synthesis Project)