Final Report of Archaeological Investigations Along Colorado Forest Highway 59 in the Cottonwood Pass Area, Chaffee and Gunnison Counties, Colorado

摘要

An archaeological inventory along 33 miles of Colorado Forest Highway 59 over Cottonwood Pass resulted in the discovery of fourteen sites and seven isolated finds. Of the 14 recorded sites eight are aboriginal, three have both aboriginal and Euro-American components, and three are of historic age only. The seven isolated finds include two lithic tools, four Euro-American artifacts and a historic water catchment basin. These 21 resources document utilization of the Taylor Park-Middle Cottonwood Creek area by peoples of Paleo-Indian, Archaic, Ute and Euro-American affiliation over the past 8,500 years. Use of inventory data, supplemented by information from limited testing of eight sites, resulted in the nomination of four sites for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.