Shoal Creek Site (18DO170)

The Shoal Creek Site (18DO170) is a prehistoric base camp at Cambridge in Dorchester County.

The site was first documented in 1988, during the course of a Phase I archaeological survey conducted by the Maryland Geological Survey – Division of Archeology. An intensive survey was carried out in this area due to the (then) planned construction of a dredge spoils facility by the Maryland Port Authority.

An initial unsystematic survey of the agricultural field led to the recognition of a concentration of artifacts (n=25) in the northwest portion of what would eventually be identified as a site. Surface data were supplemented by the excavation of 25 shovel test pits (STPs) in five cruciform clusters. These STPs were 50 cm in diameter and soils were screened through hardware cloth. Some historic artifacts were discarded in the field, but all prehistoric artifacts were collected.

The ca. 22 acre field was subsequently plowed which afforded 100% visibility, but time constraints required that surface collection be conducted prior to significant rainwashing of soils. The field was then walked along 1.5 m interval survey transects and artifacts were flagged. A third, brief, unsystematic surface reconnaissance of a previously examined area in the southern portion of the site was made following a rain. Additional artifacts were flagged and later collected. All flagged surface artifacts (n=118) were piece-plotted using a plane table and alidade. These artifacts were largely prehistoric and only diagnostic historic materials appear to have been retained.

An additional 55 STPs were excavated in 9 loci of activity identified through surface collection. An initial STP was placed in each area and then subsequent tests were placed in a cruciform pattern out from the initial STP, with occasional supplemental STPs along the wooded terrace edge as well as the plowed field. All artifacts (prehistoric and historic) were collected.

Artifacts from all Phase I fieldwork episodes in 1988 totaled 595 items, with the vast majority recovered from shovel test pits. No evidence of a discrete historic occupation was encountered and 58% of the assemblage relates to the prehistoric occupation of the site. Phase I artifacts indicated several prehistoric occupations of the site, beginning in the Early Archaic and extending through the Middle Woodland subperiods.

Based on these findings, Phase II testing was recommended for 18DO170 and was carried out in April and May of 1988. Phase II fieldwork was staged to include controlled surface collection, followed by the mechanical stripping of plowzone over selected portions of the site to search for features, and the excavation of several test units to evaluate the depth cultural deposits.

Phase II excavations yielded evidence of four definite cultural features and eight features of ambiguous origin out of an excavated sample of 22 stains. Definite prehistoric features include a large fire-cracked rock concentration and the bases of two basin-shaped circular pits. Early Woodland Dames Quarter sherds were associated with one of the pits. Both were severely truncated and of such similar shape that it was suggested both likely dated to the Early Woodland, and probably the same occupation. A cinder-filled historic feature is probably a postmold. Four of the “ambiguous” features are possible postmolds, but their isolation from any other potential postmolds calls this interpretation into question. The other 4 ambiguous features may be pits of some sort (these did contain artifacts), but their shapes were too amorphous to make any definitive conclusions.

Phase I and II archaeological investigations at the Shoal Creek site (18DO170) have documented prehistoric use and occupation of the terrace above the Shoal Creek estuary ranging from the Early Archaic through Late Woodland time periods. Casual historic period use also occurred. The major occupations of the site occurred in the Late Archaic through the Middle Woodland time periods. The Late and Terminal Archaic period peoples tended to favor the western edge of the site. Early Archaic, Middle Archaic, and Late Woodland site use was limited and transient.

In 1997, a Phase I survey, again, touched on the site. This work was carried out prior to construction of a new hospital in the area. A series of shovel tests near the edge of the site led to an extension of 18DO170 to the north. The Phase I work in 1997 did not lead to additional Phase II work.

The Maryland SHA) and the Maryland Historical Trust disagreed on the significance and eligibility of 18DO170. SHA stated in 1988 that the systematic Phase II investigations had recovered the bulk of the important information available from the site, but that intact deposits might remain near the edges of the (now) former agricultural field where plowing had not taken place. MHT determined that the extent of disturbance to artifact deposits and truncation of features by plowing and wind action was too great and that the site was not eligible for listing in the NRHP. Although SHA believed the site to be eligible, they agreed that no further work was necessary to document the site. Today, most of the site has probably been destroyed as it is currently the site of a golf course.

(Edited from the Maryland Historical Trust Synthesis Project)