Quiet Lodge (18HA242)

The Quiet Lodge (18HA242) represents the site of an 18th-20th century standing house, a historic trash dump, posthole, sheet deposit and an Archaic lithic scatter located on the Aberdeen Proving Ground. The site is found on the east and south lawn of the ca.1740 residence named Quiet Lodge.

Phase I archaeological work was done at the site in 1993 by Goodwin and Associates and consisted of 81 close interval shovel test pits excavated by natural strata. Over 90% of these shovel test pits yielded historic artifacts. Goodwin and Associates conducted Phase III archaeological work at the site in 1998 in advance of the construction of drainage pipes. Six 1x1 m units and 1 1x.25 m units (encompassing 23% of the intact area of the site to be impacted) were excavated. The 1x1 meter units served to investigate more fully those areas with high frequencies of cultural material.

Work at this site produced 9,589 historic artifacts, most of which were kitchen or architectural. Many of the items were temporally diagnostic, indicating pre-1860, generic 19th/20th, and post-1880 occupations. Dense concentrations of artifacts were found in two intact features, one apparently served as a trash disposal zone from the 18th through mid-19th centuries. Numerous bones, representing kitchen refuse, were also found. Bases on the information presented, we believe that the site can provide important information on historical land use, diet, and household economics for Harford County.

Phase III mitigation focused on questions relating to land use and refuse disposal patterns and how they change over time. The area of impact is characterized by a moderate density scatter of 18th to 20th century historic artifacts and possible cultural features. The historic assemblage is relative homogenous and represents discard from the continuous occupation of a domestic structure from the mid-18th century. Five historic cultural features were identified. They included one 19th-century refuse pit, one posthole, one garden/terrace delineation wall, one modern utility trench, and a pit of unknown function.

Two postholes discovered during the Phase II and III work may represent part of a fence line that ran east to west about twelve meters south of the Lodge. Kitchen refuse disposal found in the test units stopped within the confines of the fence line and was replaced by a scatter of sheet midden within the delineated yard. A small retaining wall was built where the slope increased, perhaps as an erosion control measure.

(Edited from archeological site survey form, Maryland Historical Trust, by Patricia Samford)