Cultural Resources Survey of the Morgan City and Vicinity Hurricane Protection Project

摘要

This report presents the results of cultural resources survey of the Morgan City and Vicinity Hurricane Protection Project area in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana. The prehistory of the Lower Atchafalaya Basin in reviewed, with attention given to evaluation of existing models of site distributions and settlement parameters within the region. The historic period is reconstructed subsequently, and land tenure in the project area is described from the Colonial Period to the present, with the special emphasis on the ante bellum sugar era and on the lumber industry that became preeminent after reconstruction. No new archeological sites or historic standing structures were found during survey. The single archeological site recovered, the Goat Island site (16 SMY 1), was found to be diisturbed by former and ongoing destruction processes, including dredging, clearing, deforestation, and erosion. The site, which appears to be a Coles Creek period shell (Rangia) gathering station, does not present evidence of any occupation, or use as a habitation site. It contains very few artifacts, and it does not appear to have research potential or sufficient integrity to merit consideration for listing on the National Register (36 CFR 60.6). No further work is recommended. (Author)