GAI Site 1/CCNPP Site 1(18CV474)

Site 18CV474, also known as CCNPP Site 1 or GAI Site 1, is a mid-19th to early 20th century domestic site located on the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Facility in Calvert County, Maryland. Extant stone ruins (a partially intact chimney stack and foundation remnant) make the site easily recognizable. The site was first investigated archaeologically in late 2006 during a Phase Ib investigation of the property due to the proposed expansion of the nuclear facilities at the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant.

Phase Ib investigations at 18CV474 consisted of systematic 15 m interval shovel testing (STPs), followed by radial STPs around positive finds and close interval shovel testing within an apparent cluster of historic artifacts. A total of 50 STPs were excavated within the roughly 50 X 50 m site, with 31 positive STPs producing 170 historic artifacts.

Shovel tests revealed an Ao/A-B soil horizon sequence with no evidence of plowing. Two possible activity areas were identified: the South Activity Area and the Southeast Activity Area. The South Activity Area lies immediately south of the foundation. The Southeast Activity Area is represented by two large rocks and a light scatter of brick lying on the surface approximately 10 m south of the foundation. The diagnostic artifacts pointed to a mid- to late 19th century date for the site. Phase II testing was recommended, which was subsequently carried out in 2007.

Archival background evidence links the 18CV474 property (known as the "Bay Farm" tract) to the Somervell family, prominent local slave holders in the 19th century. The Somervell’s tenure as Bay Farm may have begun in the 18th century. The Proprietary Debt Book places John Somervell farming part of “Preston’s Cliff” (a historic name associated with an area north of the site) in 1754. In October of 1795, and again in 1805, a William Somervell was party to some land transactions in the general area. Somervell’s residence may have been located at a large farm complex at Site 18CV480.

By the mid-19th century, at least two Somervell males are described as heads-of-households in the area. The 1860 Census identified a Charles Somervell in the area. He is listed as a 27-year-old farmer with a wife and four children. In addition, the Slave Schedule for that census identified Alexander Somervell (Charles' father) as the owner of 52 slaves, and Charles Somervell as the owner of 16 slaves. Housing for Somervell slaves may have been dispersed throughout their plantation, with locations determined by proximity to water sources, roadways, and cultivated fields. The 1870 Census identified Charles Somervell as a 37-year-old farmer with a wife and five children.

Charles T. Somervell dies in 1873 intestate and in possession of farmland near the village of St. Leonard's (the property in question). Court-appointed commissioners of his estate partitioned it into three parcels for the widow's dower. Alexander Somervell, Jr. purchased lot 2, and Margaret E. Somervell (Charles’ widow) purchased lots 1 and 3. However, Margaret died before the sale was ratified and before she made the first payment. Furthermore, all of the papers in the case were burned in a courthouse fire according to records filed in the estate equity case. Therefore, the court ordered the sale of the two lots purchased by Margaret Somervell. An Edwin D. Weems purchased lot 1 in May of 1883. Lot 3 contained "the dwelling house occupied by the said Charles T. Somervell at the time of his death," and it was eventually acquired by Willis G Dowell and John B Dowell. John B. Dowell had the property deeded to this son, Bell Sewell Dowell on October 3rd, 1889. A structure is depicted in the location of Site 18CV480 on a 1904 USGS quad map. Thus, a structure was present by at least 1904. It is, however, unlikely to be the site of Charles and Margaret Somervell’s residence, which is thought to be located at nearby Site 18CV480.

Bell Sewell Dowell transferred the property to Benjamin N. Gray and Clinton B. Gray. On February 12th, 1915. The tract was sold to a Goodman Goldstein in 1957, who would combine it with three other tracts that would come to be known as the "Bay Farm." The tract he obtained from Kolker was described in 1957 as containing a shed, a barn, and a house, which was noted as "largely depreciated." The heirs of Goodman Goldstein would eventually sell the entire farm property to BG&E, which would transfer it to the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Facility.

Phase II field investigations began with the excavation of 142 additional STPs at 15 ft intervals; 48 positive STPs produced a total of 228 artifacts. The STP work was followed by the excavation of 12 judgmentally placed test units varying in size (30 X 90 cm up to 1.5 X 1.5 m), with a total of 15 square meters (164 square feet) was opened up. Phase II excavations identified four features associated with the historic-period occupation of the site. Feature 1 Complex (1, 1a, and 1b) are the foundation remnants and chimney base for a dwelling mentioned previously. Features 2a, 2b, and 2c are builder’s trenches found on the interior and exterior of the west foundation and in the west foundation of the structure addition. Feature 3 is a stone paving located near the south side of the house in the South Activity Area. Feature 4 is a possible pier support for an addition to the north side of the house. No features were identified within the Southeast Activity Area.

Phase I/II investigations produced a total of 3,644 artifacts; only one object, an unidentified lithic, was prehistoric in origin. Temporally diagnostic artifacts and cartographic sources suggest that the site was occupied from ca. 1850 to 1910.

Site 18CV474 appears to be a mid-19th to early 20th-century domestic site with good preservation and intact deposits. Archival evidence in concert with archaeology suggests that the habitation site is located away from the landowner's domestic complex in an area that may be considered marginal land (since it appears not to have been cultivated). The 50 X 50 m site reflects the size of the domestic complex (house and yard area). Ancillary areas, such as the spring (located west of the former house), are located outside of the current site boundary. Most of the ceramics were undecorated. The limited quantity and variety of decorated ceramics suggests that the residents were of a lower socioeconomic status than the landowner of this large land tract. Based on the results of the archaeological investigations and archival research, this site may have been the residence of tenants, sharecroppers, slaves, and/or freed African Americans. This small farmstead site was established by the time of the Civil War and was occupied during the economic recovery of the Post-bellum era and into the 20th century.

(Edited from the Maryland Historical Trust Synthesis Project)