Broad Creek Site (18PR131)

The Broad Creek site (18PR131) is a multi-component prehistoric occupation located on the Potomac River floodplain near Fort Washington in Prince George’s County. It consists of Middle and Late Archaic and Early, Middle, and Late Woodland period base camps.

The site was first identified in the 1940s or 1950s during surface collection by Richard Slattery. In 1975, it was one of four adjacent sites examined by a group of avocational and professional archaeologists. Later work showed that the four sites overlapped, so 18PR131 was expanded to encompass all. The first significant investigation was a Phase I survey in 1987 for the Fort Washington Lifecare Retirement Community. The survey included a pedestrian reconnaissance of exposed shorelines, and excavation of 116 shovel test pits elsewhere.

Phase II and III studies were conducted in 1989-1990. The site straddled two property parcels, called A and B. The retirement community development terminated before a final report could be prepared. A later owner of Parcel B agreed to complete the report on that area alone, so details about the Parcel A work are less well known.

The Phase II investigation involved the excavation of 46 additional shovel tests within Parcel A, and 52 test units within Parcels A and B combined. This identified three spatially distinct loci at the site: Locus 1 in Parcel B, which dated from the Middle Archaic period through the Late Woodland; Locus 2 in Parcel A, a Late Woodland occupation; and Locus 3 in Parcel A, which produced two historic features (a cluster of boulders overlying a large 19th-century pit) and a shallow depression of unknown origin.

The Phase III work in Locus 1 consisted of mechanically stripping large areas of plowzone and the excavation of 126 test units. Undisturbed deposits, mostly dating to the Late Archaic and Early Woodland periods, were present below plowzone, while the Middle and Late Woodland components were mostly in the plowzone. Cultural features included a possible postmold and two Early Woodland concentrations of fire cracked rock, one of which produced an uncalibrated radiocarbon date of 2405 ± 118 years before present. A total of 72 projectile points and 3502 ceramic sherds were recovered from Locus 1 (Phase II and III), with a majority dating to the Late Archaic and Early Woodland.

Phase III work was also conducted in areas of Locus 2 where the Phase II investigations indicated the presence of features, thick deposits, or high artifact densities. A total of 84 test units were excavated. This revealed that small Late Archaic, Early Woodland, and Middle Woodland period components were present along with the previously-identified Late Woodland material. One postmold, one concentration of fire-cracked rock, and a possible pit were uncovered, but none had diagnostic artifacts.

Additional Phase II work, consisting of seven test units, was conducted at 18PR131 in 2005. Late Archaic through Late Woodland period points and ceramics were recovered, but no cultural features were noted.

(Edited from the Maryland Historical Trust Synthesis Project)