Ridgeley Farm Site (18CV61)

The Ridgeley Farm site (18CV61) is a multi-component archaeological site with evidence of Late Archaic, Early Woodland, Middle Woodland prehistoric occupations as well as 19th- and 20th-century farmstead remnants. The site is located west of Prince Frederick in Calvert County, Maryland.

The site was first encountered in the spring of 1980 during the course of a preliminary survey of the right-of-way for a transmission line from the Calvert Cliffs nuclear facility. Following a predictive model, the crew dug shovel tests in transects where the project crossed or was parallel to streams or rivers. Three 3 X 3 ft. test units were also excavated in the backyard of a historic residence built in 1883 (and since razed). A deep 3 X3 ft. unit was also excavated on the terrace edge to determine the natural stratigraphy.

Site 18CV61 consisted of a moderate concentration of artifacts which included projectile points and other lithic implements, as well as prehistoric ceramics. Diagnostic artifacts collected and mapped in 1980 included 5 quartz Calvert points, a quartz Kirk point, 1 rhyolite Potomac River side-notched point, 1 other rhyolite point, a net-impressed quartz-tempered sherd, an Accokeek rim sherd, and a shell-tempered sherd.

Researchers returned to the site in 1991 to conduct a Phase I survey for the same powerline. The 1991 Phase I work began with the excavation of 4 shovel test pits. Three of the 4 STPs contained artifacts. Based on these findings, 7 transects at 20 meter intervals parallel to the centerline of the powerline were surface collected. Surface visibility was determined to be 100%. Historic and prehistoric artifacts were encountered during Phase I surface collection and shovel test excavation. The historic artifacts recovered suggest the historic occupation of 18CV61 dates back to the 19th and 20th centuries. Based on these findings, Phase II testing was recommended.

Phase II investigation took place in 1992 and included the excavation of 45 shovel tests twenty-four 3 X 3 ft. test units, and one 5 X 5 ft. test unit. One intact prehistoric feature was encountered during the Phase II excavations. It initially presented itself as a dense concentration of pottery sherds at about 30 cm below ground surface. Many of the sherds were upright in the soil or overlapping one another. The test unit in which the feature was identified was expanded in size and a concentration of oyster shells and a dark soil stain were identified in the enlarged unit. These were determined to be later (possibly historic) intrusions. The dark stain was likely a historic pit. The sherd concentration is believed to represent a surviving portion of a former prehistoric occupation level that, although later disturbed, survived plowing largely intact.

The prehistoric component of Site 18CV61 retains subsurface integrity in at least some portions of the site. In addition, the site has provided significant information relevant to the prehistory of Calvert County and the Western Shore of Maryland. The dominant element in the prehistoric collection was ceramics. Although, in some cases, Accokeek sherds were found below Mockley sherds, in other cases (most notably the prehistoric feature), both wares were found together in an undisturbed context. Since the estimated terminal date of Popes Creek and Accokeek sherds is around AD 200 and the estimated staring date for Mockley also is AD 200, it is tempting to suggest that a date around that time represents the main occupation of 18CV61. The lithic evidence, where it is unambiguous, also points to an Early/Middle Woodland transitional date.

A change in decorative motif from Z-twist cording on the Accokeek vessels to S-twist cording on Mockley sherds raises questions related to ethnic change. Thus, Site 18CV61 appears to possess data relevant to the ethnic transition that encompasses these two distinct ceramic traditions. In other words, these materials potentially can address research issues related to technological change and to social/ethnic transformation in the region.

Numerous historic artifacts were encountered at 18CV61 during Phase II excavations as well. The historic component includes late 19th- and 20th-century artifacts found throughout the disturbed A horizon, a modern fence post-hole, traces of garden posts, and a concrete lined well. The vast majority of artifacts were structural in nature: nails (both cut and wire), brick fragments, fragments of tar paper and roof shingles, and window glass were recovered. The age of the artifact collection corresponds to archival evidence for occupation of a former late 19th-century house, a resource that is not historically unique. The historic component of Site 18CV61 lacks substantive research potential.

(Edited from the Maryland Historical Trust Synthesis Project)