Horse Farm No. 10 (18CH728)

Horse Farm No. 10, or Site 18CH728, is the archaeological remains associated with a razed 19th (and possibly early 20th) century cabin. The site is situated on a narrow ridge on Swan Point Neck.

The history of ownership of the land containing the Horse Farm No. 10 Site begins with a 1642 land grant of 2,000 acres to James Neale. Born in England, Neale was a prominent individual in Maryland politics. He named the entire land grant, as well as his dwelling, “Wollaston Manor.” This land was subsequently divided many times among his descendants, and various parcels passed through several owners until the mid-20th century. Much of the original Wollaston Manor property, including the area of 18CH728, was acquired by the Maryland Realty Investment Trust and later sold to the US Steel Corporation in 1969.

Site 18CH728 was initially identified during a reconnaissance survey carried out in April of 2004. During the Phase I survey, 18CH728 was defined by a possible cellar feature, 19 shovel test pits with artifact recoveries, and two surface artifact-collection areas.

Phase II testing was carried out 2007. A shovel test grid spaced at 15.24 m (50 ft) increments was superimposed and excavated. Based on the distribution of artifacts, this grid was narrowed to 7.62 m (25 ft) and 3.81 m (12.5 ft) increments. In total, 126 shovel tests were excavated. Following the shovel testing, 6 test units of varying size were excavated. Three trenches were also excavated. All excavated soils were dry-screened using hardware cloth. In some test units exploratory windows were excavated within test units to obtain further information. Special excavation and documentation procedures were followed when possible cultural features were thought to have been identified within test units. Features were cross-sectioned and documented with hand-drawn sketches followed by photographs. Based on field judgment, soil samples were retained for examination in the laboratory. These samples were waterscreened through window screen. Two cultural features were identified: A 20th century well pump hole with piping (Feature 1) and a brick pile interpreted to be a chimney fall (Feature 2). Besides the chimney fall, no cellar hole or other structural evidence of a house was identified within 18CH728.

A resulting artifact assemblage of 1,375 items was obtained. Only one prehistoric object was encountered (counted as an unidentified lithic object).

It was concluded that the site had a rural domestic function and a mid to late 19th through early 20th century temporal affiliation. The site occupants were thought to have a low socio-economic status and were probably field hands associated with the adjacent Lancaster Farm. The material record at the site was not thought likely to provide any additional research value. The overlying stratigraphy had questionable integrity. As such, the old shallow yard soils were impacted by an overgrown setting and bioturbation, and the site area was absent of buried artifact deposits. The historic landscape was in poor condition and absent of intact architectural features. The site is not a significant cultural resource.

(Edited from the Maryland Historical Trust Synthesis Project)