Along the western road of the reservation were encountered several well-defined historic features.  These areas of historic material first came to light as mine waste removal took place beneath this road and its shoulder.  By lining up the background hills on historic photos with those same hills as they exist today, we were able to determine the approximate location of the photographer and the locations of historic structures depicted in those photos.  This analysis indicated that the features encountered corresponded with historic structures that made up the village of Elem at the turn of the century (1900).

Feature 1

Mine waste excavation beneath the western road encountered historical artifacts at the intersection of Pomo Street and the road that leads to the cul-de-sac.  The feature consisted of black soil covering an area ~3 meters in diameter.  The feature area was flagged and its boundary spray-painted to keep construction workers and equipment out.

The mine waste had been removed and it was anticipated that the feature would be protected and preserved by the placement of clean fill and road construction.  With the understanding that the feature would be protected, only two small soil samples were recovered and processed.  One 5-gal bucket sample was recovered and processed through ¼” mesh.  In addition a 2,000cc sample was recovered and screened through 1/8” mesh.  No attempt was made to determine the depth of the deposit.

A graph of all material recovered from the 5-gallon sample (top graph) indicates that “EuroAmerican other” (metal, leather, building material, etc.) made up most of the sample by weight.  This was followed by Euro American glass, Euro American ceramics, stone tool manufacturing debitage, organic material, Asian ceramics, buttons, and bone.

The 2,000cc sample processed through the 1/8” screen had a slightly different breakdown with Euro American glass having the highest weight.

Glass

Glass items included three olive green fragments of wine bottles, three brown glass fragments of beer bottles and one unidentifiable bottle fragment.

Euro American Ceramics

Ceramics included fragments of three cups, one wash basin, and two unknown items. 

Asian Ceramics

One piece of a Bamboo ware rice bowl was recovered.

Other Materials

A single “prosser” button was recovered.  It was a plain, 4-hole, sew-through type with a 16-line size.

In addition to manufactured items, a small amount of organic material was recovered.  These included some unidentifiable shell, mammal bone, charcoal, and black walnuts.  The amount of these materials was too small to allow any meaningful analysis.

Feature 1 Interpretation

Even if we didn’t have a 1906 photo showing the Elem Village, it would be possible to give an estimate of the age of Feature 1 based on the age of the artifacts recovered.

Glass recovered from Feature 1 included only hand-blown bottles, indicating manufacture before 1917.  The Asian bamboo ware rice bowl fragment is a style that was only in use in California between 1850 and 1920.  This piece suggests that some members of the household were of Asian descent.

All Euro American ceramics were plain white glazed pieces of either stoneware or cream ware (popular during the mid to late 1800’s). 

The type of material recovered suggests that Feature 1 was a deposit of general household trash dating just before or just after 1900.  The clearly defined size and dark stain to the soil, coupled with the fact that there was depth to the deposit suggest that this was a filled trash-pit feature rather than a sheet (surface only) trash deposit. 

Feature 2

Mine waste excavation beneath the western road encountered historical artifacts just north of the intersection of Pomo Street and the road that leads to the cul-de-sac.  The feature was well defined and consisted of black soil, bricks, rusty metal, blown glass, Euroamerican ceramics, and square nails covering an area 10.5 x 12.8 meters.  The feature area was flagged and its boundary spray- painted to keep construction workers and equipment out. 

The mine waste had been removed and it was anticipated that the feature would be protected and preserved beneath the clean fill brought in for road construction.  With the understanding that the feature would be protected, only a single 5-gallon bucket sample (for ¼” processing) and a 2,000cc sample (for 1/8” processing) were obtained from the feature.  In addition, any diagnostic artifacts exposed on the surface of the feature were collected and processed.

Graphs of the Feature 2 samples indicate that Euroamerican glass was the most abundant of the artifacts by weight, followed by Euroamerican other (metal, leather, building material, etc.) and Euroamerican ceramics.  Also recovered were obsidian stone tool manufacturing material (debitage), Asian ceramics, points, bone, and organic material.

EuroAmerican Ceramics

Euroamerican ceramics were of stoneware and creamware and included pieces of at least 4 main-course plates, one saucer, one soup bowl, and one pitcher.

Two makers marks were recovered.  One was a piece manufactured by James Edwards & Son between 1851 and 1882 (H2-66).  The other was manufactured by John Maddock & Sons sometime around 1896.  Both potters operated out of Burslem England (Godden 1991:230,406).  The reader must remember that the date of a maker’s mark does not provide the age of the historic feature.  Plates and bowls can be owned and used for many years before breakage causes them to be discarded.  The age of a maker’s mark can be used to indicate that the historic feature is not older than the age of the mark.

Most Euroamerican ceramics were plain white glazed (H2-10), however, both transfer-ware (H2-41) and hand painted styles (H2-45) were recovered.

Asian Ceramics

Asian porcelain included pieces of 4 bamboo rice bowls, one serving bowl and a teapot lid.  One stoneware food jar or spouted jar fragment was recovered.  Spouted jars contained liquids such as soy sauce, peanut oil, wine, etc.

Glass

All of the identifiable glassware recovered (10 items) were machine made, generally indicating manufacture after 1917.  One piece was of purple glass (indicating manufacture between 1880 and 1914) and one piece was honey yellow (indicating manufacture between 1914 and 1930).

Of the bottle styles that could be identified, three were food jars (H2-25), two were canning jars (H2-56, 57), two were medicine bottles (H2-26), two contained alcohol (H2-21), and one was a soda bottle.  Also included were a drinking glass (H2-54), a gallon jug (H2-55), and a few pieces of broken window glass.

Glass maker’s marks provide additional information concerning the age of Feature 2.  The stylized “HA” mark of the Hazel-Atlas Glass Company was only used between 1920 and 1964 (Toulouse 1971:239).  The beer bottle had an Owens Illinois mark indicating manufacture between 1929 and 1954 (Toulouse 1971:403).

The Best Foods jar base had an Owens Illinois Pacific mark that was used between 1932 and 1943 (Toulouse 1971:406).

EuroAmerican Other

Metal items included a garden hoe/weeder, sheet metal (most likely rusted cans), 2 square nails and 4 wire nails.

Also recovered were a piece of floor linoleum, hewn wood, a black leather loafer and a rubber work shoe.

Stone Tools

One flat-based spear point was recovered (H2-65).  This point had a hydration band of 1.2 microns indicating manufacture ~100 B.P. or 1900-1908.

Feature 2 Interpretation

All artifacts recovered from Feature 2 suggest general household discard.  Household items included male oriented clothing, consumption of food purchased in cans and jars, consumption of medicine and alcohol, as well as canning activities.  Tableware suggested casual meals that were served and taken on plates and in bowls along with tea or other hot beverages.  Asian ceramics suggest some household members were of Asian descent.  Tools suggest vegetable gardening was taking place.  Although a small amount of bone was recovered, there wasn’t enough for statistical analysis.  Although there was some bird bone (chicken), most bone was mammal including one saw-cut beef rib.  Chipped obsidian and a point suggest that stone tool manufacture was taking place.

Feature 3

Mine waste excavation beneath the western road encountered historical artifacts further north of the intersection of Pomo Street and the road that leads to the cul-de-sac.  The feature was well defined and consisted of bricks, blown glass, Euroamerican ceramics, and square nails covering an area 9.6 x 16 meters.  The feature area was flagged and its boundary spray-painted to keep construction workers and equipment out. 

The mine waste had been removed and it was anticipated that the feature would be protected and preserved beneath clean fill and road construction.  With the understanding that the feature would be protected, only a single 5-gallon bucket sample (for ¼” processing) and a 2,000cc sample (for 1/8” processing) were obtained from the feature.  In addition, any diagnostic artifacts exposed on the surface of the feature were collected and processed.

Graphs of the Feature 3 samples indicate that Euroamerican glass was the most abundant of the artifacts by weight. The next most abundant material was Asian ceramics followed by Euroamerican other (metal, leather, building material, etc.) and Euroamerican ceramics.  Also recovered were obsidian stone tool manufacturing material (debitage), bone, and organic material.

Glass

Bottle fragments recovered included one hand-blown, turn-mold, bubble-base champaign and four unidentifiable bottles.  Other glass items included a glass saucer and a purple stemware glass.

Asian Ceramics

Pieces of two bamboo ware rice bowls were recovered as was a piece of a food or spouted jar and a piece of a Ng-Ka-Py jar.

EuroAmerican Ceramics

All Euroamerican ceramics were either stoneware or creamware.  Pieces of two main course plates, two cups, and four unidentifiable items were recovered.  All were plain white glazed except one with a gold rim band.

EuroAmerican Other

Other manufactured goods included sheet metal (most likely rusted cans), unidentifiable nails, and a shell button (H3-3).  The button was a two-hole, sew-through that was 36-line in size.

Organic Material

A black walnut shell, a small amount of fish bone and a piece of mammal bone were recovered.  There was not enough bone to enable any meaningful analysis.

Ground Stone

A single flat, polished sandstone slab was recovered that appeared to be an abrading stone for knife sharpening or shell bead grinding.

Feature 3 Interpretation

Feature 3 contained relatively more Asian ceramics than Features 1 and 2.   This suggests that some members of the household were of Asian descent. There were also fewer bottles and pieces of EuroAmerican ceramics than the previous features.  All glass suggested manufacture before 1914.  Asian ceramics indicate use between 1850 and 1920. 

It is likely that Feature 3 is a deposit of household discards that were in use between 1880 and 1914.

Feature 4

Mine waste excavation beneath the western road encountered historical artifacts between lots 12 and 13.  The feature was well defined and contained blown glass, Euroamerican ceramics, burned ash and rusty metal covering an area 10.5 meters in diameter.  The feature area was flagged and its boundary spray-painted to keep construction workers and equipment out. 

The mine waste had been removed and it was anticipated that the feature would be protected and preserved beneath the clean fill and road construction.  With the understanding that the feature would be protected, only a 5-gallon bucket sample (for ¼” processing) and a 2,000cc sample (for 1/8” processing) were obtained from the feature.  In addition, any diagnostic artifacts exposed on the surface of the feature were collected and processed.

Graphs of material recovered in the 5-gallon volume controlled sample indicate that EuroAmerican manufactured material dominated with glass, stone tool manufacturing, dietary shell, ceramics, and bone filling out the rest.  The 1/8” screened sample recovered more dietary bone than anything else, but manufactured material was a close second with glass, chipped stone, and dietary shell also recovered.

EuroAmerican Other

This manufactured material included square nails (3), sheet metal, a horseshoe, brass boat hardware, steel washer, leather, and a percussion cap (H4-12).

EuroAmerican Glass

Glass included parts of a car headlamp, four alcohol bottles, one cologne bottle (purple glass), and 4 unidentifiable bottles.  The two bottle fragments that could be identified were hand-blown indicating manufacture before 1917.

EuroAmerican Ceramics

Ceramics included stoneware, creamware, and porcelain.  Identifiable pieces included parts of one main course plate, one cup, one saucer, and one washbasin.

Asian Ceramics

No Asian ceramics were recovered from this feature.

Bone

The volume controlled samples from this feature obtained enough dietary bone to allow some basic analysis.  As was expected from the ¼” sample, mammal bone weights were the highest (top graph).  This is more a function of mammal bone being bigger and heavier whereas most small fish and bird bone are both lighter and smaller, tending to fall through this screen size.  The 1/8” sample (bottom graph) is a more realistic indication of the relative amounts of bone at this feature.

As would be expected of a lakeshore village, fish, shore birds and migratory birds would have made up a significant amount of the protein in the diet.  As this is a historic feature, it is likely that chicken is also represented. 

Financial constraints prevented an analysis of bird and mammal bone, however, the abundance of fish bone recovered from the 1/8” sample was submitted for species analysis (Gobalet 2007).

Of the individual bone that could be identified, 31 were from the minnow and carp family (Cyprinidae), 7 were from Sacramento perch (Archoplites interruptus), 5 were from the Sacramento sucker (Catostomus occidentalis), 3 were from Sacramento blackfish (Orthodon microlepidotus), 2 were from the tule perch (Hysterocarpus traski), and 1 was from a hitch (Lavinia exilicauda).  There were many pieces from unidentified ray-finned fishes.

Shell

A significant amount of shellfish remains were recovered from the 2,000cc soil sample.  These remains were dominated by gaper clam (tresus), lake mussel, and Washington clam (saxidomus).  The lake mussel would have represented a food resource, however, the coastal shell (tresus and saxidomus) would have been used for shell bead manufacture.  In addition to the shell, rounded and partly drilled (broken) bead blanks were recovered in the soil sample.  This suggests that shell bead manufacture and use was still very strong during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.  A single milk-glass Spanish trade bead was also recovered.

Feature 4 Interpretation

Feature 4 materials appear to represent discarded household materials.  Hand-blown glass suggests that this feature represents discard before 1917.  The existence of boat hardware and abundance of fish bone suggest that this household included a fisherman and that a substantial amount of the household diet came from fish.  The abundance of shell bead manufacturing material indicates the presence of a traditional person who was very-much a part of the shell-bead money economy. The general lack of Asian ceramics suggests that this household didn’t have members of Asian descent. 

Feature 5

Mine waste excavation beneath the western road encountered historical artifacts in front of Lot 13.  The feature was well defined and contained glass, ceramics, metal objects, regular brick and firebrick.  The feature covered an area 16 meters NS by 20 meters EW.  The feature area was flagged and its boundary spray-painted to keep construction workers and equipment out. 

The mine waste had been removed and it was anticipated that the feature would be protected and preserved beneath the clean fill and road construction.  With the understanding that the feature would be protected, no soil samples were recovered or processed from the feature.  A few artifacts exposed on the surface of the feature were collected and processed.

Metal Artifacts (16)

Most metal artifacts recovered represented outdoor farming and hardware activities.  Wire nails (5), square nails (1), a fence staple, washer, and angle bracket were recovered indicating general construction.  Two horseshoes (H5-45), a strap buckle (H5-50) and the blade from a horsedrawn tilling rake (H5-47) suggest agricultural activities.  An ax head (H5-44) suggests the preparation of heating and stovewood.  A toy truck (H5-28) and wheat penny (H5-23) indicate personal and recreational items.

Glass Artifacts (21)

Glass bottles included fragments of a canning jar, cold cream jar, medicine (H5-9), soda (Pepsi), a large hand-blown carboy (H5-20) and several unidentified clear, brown, lime green, aqua green, and one of purple glass.

Both machine made and hand blown bottles were recovered indicating use as early as 1914 and as late as 1960.  Glass containers indicated household activities including canning, general food and beverage consumption, medicine, and hygene.  The carboy suggests water transport.  These types of jugs and bottles are expected due to the fact that the reservation had no running water until the 1970’s.

EuroAmerican Ceramics (14)

Tableware included stoneware and creamware main course plates (2), saucers (2), and at least 8 unidentifiable pieces.  One porcelain toy sugar bowl lid was recovered (H5-33) indicating children’s recreational activities.

Ceramics included a fire brick embossed with “HEATHERY KNOWE/PATENT/GLASGOW”.  This brick  was manufactured near the village of Heathery Knowe, Scotland.  Rawyards Brickworks, Glenboig Brickworks, and Drombathie Brickworks are listed in the area, however, we were unable to determine which company made the brick or when it was manufactured.

Asian Ceramics (3)

Asian ceramics included two porcelain pieces (a blue on white and a polychrome) that appeared to be rice bowl fragments (H5-3, H5-31).  One brown glazed stoneware piece was recovered (H5-4) that is a fragment of either a food jar or spouted jar.

Button (1)

A single prosser button was recovered.  This was a 4-hole, sew-through type, 22-lines in size.

Chipped Stone (1)

A single Borax Lake obsidian knife (H5-2) was recovered from the H5 area.

Bone and Shell

Three pieces of mammal bone, one piece of Washington clam (H5-52, saxidomus), and several pieces of freshwater mussel (H5-51) were also recovered.

Feature 5 Interpretation

Feature 5 materials contained similar household discards that were found in the previous features, but relatively more items that were related to farming and livestock.  The square nails and purple glass combined with the Pepsi bottle indicate use as early as 1900 and as late as 1960.

Toys recovered suggest that both girls and boys were present in the household and the existance of Asian ceramics suggest that some members of the household were of Asian descent. 

Feature 6

Mine waste excavation beneath the western road encountered historical artifacts in front of Lot 24.  The feature was well defined and contained a pile of brick (13 to 15), glass, ceramics, and metal objects.  The feature covered an area 18.4 meters NS by 19.2 meters EW.  The feature area was flagged and its boundary spray-painted to keep construction workers and equipment out. 

The mine waste had been removed and it was anticipated that the feature would be protected and preserved beneath the clean fill and road construction.  With the understanding that the feature would be protected, no soil samples were recovered or processed from the feature.  A few artifacts exposed on the surface of the feature were collected and processed.

Examination of the historical photo (see above) indicated that most of the 1906 structures had mortared brick and rock fireplaces and chimneys.  It is likely that the small pile of brick disturbed by the waste removal excavator represented the remains of one of these brick fireplaces.

Metal Artifacts (9)

Recovered from Feature 6 were three horseshoes (H6-2, 65), two wood-burning stove parts (H6-3, 4), a boat bracket (H6-6 identical to the bracket from Fea. 4), car spring, square nails, and a kerosene lamp burner (H6-59).   The adjustment handle on the burner was stamped “W&S, 1886, DAUNTLESS”.  These marks indicate that the burner was manufactured by the Wallace & Sons Company of Ansonia, Conn.     

Thomas Wallace started the wire and brass business in Birmingham, Conn. in 1848.  He soon relocated to the industry town of Ansonia and specialized in copper and brass goods, pins, burners and 100+ other items.  He had a large store and warehouse at 89 Chambers Street New York (Depew 1895, Orcutt et.al. 1880).

Glass (16)

Glass items included bottles, a fancy bowl (H6-36), and marbles.  Random surface collection recovered pieces of 6 alcohol bottles.  At least three of these were hand-blown (H6-53, 55) indicating manufacture before 1917.  One was honey-colored indicating manufacture between 1914 and 1930 (H6-42).  Two pieces of canning jars were recovered (H6-35, 40), and one cobalt blue medicine bottle (H6-43).

Bottle makers marks included the “MG” mark of the Maywood Glass Co. (H6-38) indicating manufacture around 1958 (Toulouse 1971:357), a Latchfield Glass Co. mason jar made between 1925 and 1938 (Toulouse 1971:364), and an unidentified “CC” mark (H6-39).

The cobalt blue medicine had a “DOHO NY” mark on the base.

The marbles included three glass pieces including two clear ones (H6-52) that were most likely manufactured during the 1930’s, a swirled white and green (H6-44) that was most likely manufactured around 1920, and a ceramic “Bennington” marble (H6-51) (Webb 1994).

Most brown manganese glazed Bennington marbles were imported from Germany.   Germany began making clay marbles in late 1700’s. This import was cut off during WWI (1914-18) and most likely didn’t resume after the war.  It is possible that the Bennington could have been manufactured in the U.S. by Samuel Dyke or A. L. Dyke who opened factories in Ohio in 1884 and 1889.  In 1891, the factories consolidated and became the American Marble and Toy Manufacturing Company.  In the late 1890’s several more clay marble manufacturers came on the scene.  The clay marble began to decline in popularity when glass marble making machines were developed in 1902.  This lowered the price of glass marbles allowing them to compete with the less expensive clays.  A few stores were still selling old stocks of clay marbles into the 1930’s (Webb 1994:19).

EuroAmerican Ceramics (38)

Ceramics were evenly divided between building ceramics and kitchen ceramics.  The 16 bricks and two porcelain door knobs (H6-56) recorded in the field made up half of the ceramic collection.  Kitchen items included pieces of one serving bowl (H6-12), one serving platter (H6-7), two saucers, one cup, one tea pot, one vase, and 12 unidentifiable pieces of tableware.

Some pieces had maker’s marks.  The American made serving platter (H6-7) had the KT&K China mark indicating manufacture by Knowles Taylor and Knowles between 1905 and 1920 (Lehner 1988:238).

The English marks of Alfred Meakin Ltd. (H6-14, 1898+) and John Maddock & Sons (H6-57, 1896+) were also found  (Godden 1991:406,425).

Both the teapot lid (H6-11) and casserole lid (H6-12) were decorated with transfer patterns.  Other patterns included yellow-ware, hand painted, and rim-line designs.

One fragment of an English-made stoneware ginger-beer bottle was recovered (H6-29).

Buttons (2)

Two prosser buttons were recovered.  Both were sew-through 4-hole types.  One was 19-lines (H6-45) and one 17-lines (H6-58) in size.

Asian Ceramics (9)

Randomly gathered from the surface of Feature 6 were pieces of three bamboo ware rice bowls (H6-25, 47,60), one blue-on-white rice bowl (H6-28), and the piece of a blue-on-white teapot with a picture of a person apparently plowing or pushing a cart (H6-26).

Other tableware included one piece of a Four-Seasons serving bowl (H6-24) and an unknown polychrome porcelain piece (H6-46).

Other Asian ceramics included the broken base of a Ng-Ka-Py jar (H6-27) and part of a bisque doll’s head with the impressed word “Japan” (H6-61).  These porcelain dolls were manufactured in Japan between 1924 and 1927 (Coleman 1986:565).

Bone and Shell

A few pieces of mammal bone and bird bone (most likely chicken) were recovered. Also recovered were pieces of Washington clamshell (saxidomus).

Prehistoric Artifacts

Three obsidian points and one sandstone mano were recovered from the Feature 6 area.  It must be remembered that 7 of the 8 historic features were located within the boundaries of prehistoric site LAK-76.

Point H6-50 was sent for hydration and had a mean rim reading of 4.4 microns indicating manufacture ~1,800 B.P.

Feature 6 Interpretation

Both household and equestrian artifacts suggest that Feature 6 represents the discards from a family who took care of horses.  Tableware suggested that meals were served to the members of a fairly large family at one setting.

Feature 7

Mine waste excavation beneath the western road encountered historical artifacts in front of Lots 26, 27 and 28.  This was not initially identified as a well-defined feature because mine waste removal in the area took place piece-meal over several days and from several different directions.  Individual historic artifacts were encountered, plotted, and recovered during these various waste removal episodes.  Once all mine waste had been removed, we realized that a defined historic feature had been exposed.  The feature contained glass, ceramics, shell, bone, and metal objects.  The feature covered an area 38 meters NS by 11 meters EW. 

The mine waste had been removed and it was anticipated that the feature would be protected and preserved beneath the clean fill and road construction.  With the understanding that the feature would be protected, no soil samples were recovered or processed from the feature.  A few artifacts exposed on the surface of the feature were collected and processed.

Glass Artifacts (11)

Four hand-blown bottle fragments were found (pre-1917).  Two of these were most likely wine bottles, one was a two-piece-mold beer bottle, and one most likely a soda.  Three honey colored glass bottles were recovered (1914-1930).  One of these was a canning jar, one a preserve jar (H7-18), and one unidentifiable.  One cobalt blue Vick’s Vaporub bottle was recovered, as was a possible kerosene lampshade.

The preserve jar has the stylized “HA” on the base indicating manufacture by the Hazel Glass Company sometime between 1920 and 1964 (Toulouse 1971:239).  The honey color of the bottle indicates that it was made between 1914 and 1930.

EuroAmerican Ceramics (9)

All ceramics pieces represented tableware.  Pieces of two cups, one saucer, and one main course plate were recovered along with several unidentified pieces.  Ceramic items were made of both Stoneware (5) and cream ware (6).  One piece had a Taylor Smith & Taylor “VERONA” maker’s mark indicating manufacture sometime between 1900 and 1920 (Lehner 1988:461).

Metal (4)

Metal artifacts included an enamelware pot (H7-3) and a fork or spoon handle (H7-4) with “FRAZIL SILVER” stamped on the back.  Although the “Frazil Silver” mark could not be found, the pattern is known as “Tipped” and was first sold by Rogers Bros. in 1847 (Rainwater et.al. 1968:442). 

Feature 7 Interpretation

The Feature 7 area was not as clearly defined as the previous features.  It did not include a darker stained soil and artifacts were scattered and much sparser.  It is likely that Feature 7 represents a surface deposit of discards often called a sheet trash deposit. Maker’s marks and other period indicators suggest that Feature 7 materials were discarded between 1880 and 1930.

Interpretation

The following table lists the historical features, their probable age, function, and general characteristics.  This information suggests a historic Native American community that was maintaining their traditional lake resource economic focus and their traditional religious focus while taking on some of the agricultural practices of the colonizing European culture.  The features indicate differences between households in economic focus as well as traditional focus.  

Features 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 all included Chinese related materials suggesting that most Elem households accepted the Chinese mine-working pioneers into their families.   The features indicate that different households specialized in different economic activities. Feature 4 had an abundance of fishing related material where Features 5 and 6 had more agricultural related material.  Some features (particularly Feature 4 but also 5 and 6) had more “traditional” cultural items suggesting that older or more traditional individuals lived in these households.  Children’s items used by both girls and boys were found in two of the features (5 and 6).  A striving to be self-sufficient and not tied to the market economy introduced by the colonizing Europeans was evident by the existence of canning jars in most of the features (2, 5, 6, 7).

It is likely that these historic features contained information that could have been used to define specific families and the economic and cultural differences each family brought to the community as a whole.  The study of these features could have provided documentation of the rate of acculturation that was occurring in the community following European colonization of the area.  A study of the Chinese materials contained in these features could have provided a timetable for the arrival of Chinese pioneers in Lake County as well as an indication of what part of China they came from.  The Chinese materials could have indicated their cultural status in the community and when and if they were forced to return to China following passage of the 1888 Scott Act (any Chinese who returned to China could not return to the U.S.) or the 1892 Geary Act (all Chinese in the U.S. must carry certificates of residence). 

Unfortunately, all the historic features described on this page were destroyed by EPA grading without any data recovery or mitigation as required by the National Historic Preservation Act.

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Last modified: April 26, 2011