Glenda’s Yard (18FR984)

Glenda’s Yard (18FR984) is the archeological remains of a mid-late 19th and early-mid 20th century farmstead near New Market in rural Frederick County. The site is situated on gently sloping terrain between two unnamed tributaries of Bush Creek to the north and south. A long gravel roadway proceeds through cultivated fields to link the farm house and outbuildings to local roads. The dwelling, a modular home that dates from the 1980s, stands on a pier foundation, presumably over the location of the original farmhouse that was destroyed by fire ca. 1960. There are numerous barns and outbuildings that comprise the modern-day farm complex. The house and outbuildings are in a protected location with higher terrain to the north, west, and east. The driveway encircles this modern house, garden, and a springhouse and serves to separate the domestic portion of the site (house and yard), from the farm buildings and pasture. Five outbuildings (bank barn, chicken coop, granary, barn, and shed) located just outside the driveway loop are oriented towards the driveway. The foundations of a former hog pen and icehouse are also present just outside the loop. A pole barn is located in the pasture to the southwest of the home. Soils at the site are Mount Airy channery loams.

A detailed account of the site history and chain of ownership is available in FR266 and the Synthesis Project site summary.

The site was first examined archeologically in 2008 during the course of a Phase I survey carried out in anticipation of the installation of a 765 kV electrical transmission line from St. Albans, WV to Kemptown, MD and the associated substation infrastructure. This particular Phase I study was specifically associated with the construction of the Kemptown substation of the line. The cultural resource studies were undertaken in order to fulfill the responsibilities of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended.

The Phase I survey for the Kemptown Substation included the excavation of 1,450 shovel test pits (STPs) in 99 acres of manicured lawns and cultivated fields with reduced ground-surface visibility, as well as systematic pedestrian survey of 23 acres of cultivated fields with ground-surface visibility of at least 75%. Fieldwork identified 3 previously unrecorded historical archeological sites, one of which was the Glenda’s Yard Site (18FR984).

Phase I survey of 18FR984 involved the excavation of 48 STPs at 15 m intervals within a low-density domestic occupation associated with a farm that has been continuously occupied since the mid 19th century. Radial STPs were also excavated within the site. STP excavations revealed that the soil stratigraphy was comprised of brown silt loam A horizon capping a yellowish-red silt loam B horizon or subsoil in undisturbed portions of the site. The Phase I study determined that the area immediately south of the pole barn and bank barn was heavily disturbed and lacked intact soils.

The shovel testing identified areas of disturbance and intact soils within the core area of the site. In addition, during the Phase I survey, several areas were identified that contained historic archeological deposits. An area of moderate artifact density was found in the yard to the south of the primary dwelling. To the west of the structure, on the opposite side of the oval drive, a particularly high-density artifact concentration was encountered in a CA horizon (disturbed context). Finally, in an area approximately 60 meters west of the domestic complex along the drainage cut of an intermittent stream, a tightly confined high-density artifact cluster was identified. Two positive STPs along this stream contained primarily cut and wire nails, burned wood, and hardware, and may represent secondary deposition of some of the burned structure debris (from the 1960s farmhouse fire). There were no other positive STPs around this location or between this refuse deposit and the farm-building complex. The Phase I site boundary included this localized refuse area.

The Phase I survey defined 18FR984 as approximately 2.48 acres with approximately 1 acre falling within the domestic complex of the original house’s former location, the remnant hog pen and icehouse foundations, and several standing structures. The Phase I research yielded 474 historic artifacts, including utilitarian ceramics and tableware, bottle glass, architectural materials (nails, window glass and brick), a variety of hardware, canning jar lid liners, and several toys, suggesting a low artifact density within the site.

In 2009, researchers returned to the site to conduct Phase II testing of 18FR984, again, in association with the proposed construction of a Kemptown substation for the regional electric lines. Positive Phase I STPs were relocated, where possible, and were used to aid in the definition of site boundaries. Close interval shovel tests were then excavated to refine these boundaries within the substation project area and to delineate within-site artifact concentrations prior to the excavation of test units. STPs were generally excavated at 4.572 m (15 ft) intervals throughout the site area.

A total of 81 close-interval STPs were excavated during the Phase II project. Shovel tests measured 50 cm in diameter and were hand-excavated stratigraphically within natural and cultural horizons, using shovels and trowels, to at least 10 cm into sterile subsoil. Soils were screened through hardware cloth for systematic artifact recovery. For each STP, a standardized form was completed containing provenience date, depth of soil horizons and soil descriptions. STPs were backfilled following excavation, with original ground conditions restored.

Following shovel testing, 8 formal test units were excavated at the site in areas of higher artifact density, unusual stratigraphy, or potential cultural features, as indicated by shovel testing results or by surface features. One test unit measured 76 cm by 1.8 meters (2.5 X 6 feet), four measured 76 cm by 1.5 m (2.5 X 5 ft), and three measured 1.5 X 1.5 m (5 X 5 ft). Including both STPs and test units, 18 square meters of the site were excavated.

Test units were typically hand-excavated by arbitrary 10 cm levels within natural strata to a minimum depth of 10 cm into the B horizon and 10 cm below the last recovered artifact. Excavated soils were screened through hardware cloth and recovered artifacts were placed in bags labeled with the appropriate provenience information. Select diagnostic artifacts found in situ were point provenienced and bagged separately. Standardized level forms were completed for each level, noting relevant data (provenience information, depth of level, soil description, excavation methods, and numbers and types of artifacts recovered). At the completion of each test unit, measured profiles were drawn and photographs were taken of at least one wall of each test unit. Test unit locations were plotted on site maps and units were backfilled upon completion of site testing.

Potential cultural features exposed during test unit excavations were troweled clean to clearly determine boundaries. Feature locations were plotted on the appropriate level forms and on the site map. Digital photographs were taken of the feature in plan view. A detailed plan map of the feature was drawn on a standardized feature form and field data (soil descriptions, feature dimensions, and provenience information) were recorded. The feature fill was screened through hardware cloth for systematic artifact recovery. A measured drawing of the feature profile was recorded on a standardized profile/summary form, noting feature shape, stratigraphy (if present), and soil descriptions. Photographs were taken of the feature profile. Recovered artifacts and samples collected from feature fill were placed in bags labeled with the appropriate provenience information.

Phase II investigations revised the site boundary to omit a restricted refuse dump located along a stream in one of the agricultural fields. The site size was revised to 1.36 acres and included the domestic site (house and adjacent yard areas and older buildings facing the circular driveway). The site includes within it areas of significant disturbance associated with the construction of a septic drainage field and other landforming activities. In addition, the demolition and removal of the earlier structure that stood on the site likely further disturbed the yard area. The part of the site that lies to the west of the oval drive has been stripped of it’s a horizon, and archeological deposits in this part of the site area composed entirely of modern fill. The part of the site that appears to retain the most integrity is the part of the yard that lies south of the existing residence, most prominently the area in the vicinity of the springhouse.

Excavations identified five cultural features within the site boundaries. These features included four postholes and one concrete foundation remnant. Combined, the Phase I and II research projects at 18FR984 produced 2,883 artifacts. The assemblage from the site consisted of 155 activity items, 1,349 architectural artifacts, 14 clothing-related items (4 belt/strap pieces, 8 fasteners, 1 shoe part, and 1 sewing item), 13 furniture items, 1,269 kitchen-related artifacts, 12 personal objects, 6 arms objects (mostly ammunition shells) and 64 miscellaneous items. The activity items were 10 pieces of lighting glass, 3 auto-related items, 6 containers, 1 flowerpot fragment, 23 heating items, 1 livestock item, 59 hardware objects, 1 manufacturing item, 1 recreation item, 18 toys, 4 transportation-related objects, 4 writing utensils, and 24 other items. The architectural assemblage included 2 pieces of brick, 2 electrical items, 2 pieces of mortar/cement, 1,143 nails or spikes, 1 plumbing item, 13 roofing materials, 184 pieces of window glass, 1 piece of wood, and 1 other item. The kitchen assemblage included 210 ceramic sherds, 6 pieces of table glass, 1,026 container glass fragments, 3 other pieces of glassware, 10 pieces of bone, 5 pieces of shell, and 9 miscellaneous kitchen items. Personal items were 2 coins, 1 cosmetic object, 1 hygiene item, 1 jewelry item, 5 pharmaceutical items, and 2 other personal objects. Included in the ceramic assemblage were 10 pearlware sherds, 1 redware sherd, 122 whiteware sherds, and 8 yelloware sherds.

While the yard to the south of the residence, particularly the part nearest the springhouse, appears to retain some depositional integrity, archeological deposits are for the most part diffuse and representative of a palimpsest accumulation over a number of years, with older and more recent artifacts occurring together in the same soil horizons. No artifact-rich contexts representing limited chronological periods, such as trash pits or privies, were identified in this part of the yard. Given that the water source for the residence, the spring or well associated with the springhouse, is located in this part of the site, pit features (particularly privies) would have been less likely to have been placed in this area. There does seem to be some stratification within the A horizon, with earlier whiteware examples somewhat lower in the soil column, but artifact densities were low.

It was ultimately determined that 18FR984 did not possess the potential to address important questions relating to the practice of agriculture in 19th century Frederick County. No further research was recommended.

(Edited from the Maryland Historical Trust Synthesis Project)