ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AT FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, MONTEREY COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
This website presents a brief summary of test excavations conducted between 2001 and 2003 by California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) at Fort Hunter Liggett (FHL) military installation in southern Monterey County, California. The work was undertaken as part of a Cooperative Agreement established between Cal Poly and FHL in 2001. The investigations were undertaken to evaluate prehistoric sites, CA-MNT-910, -1748/H, -1918, and -2181, which were suffering moderate impacts from road maintenance and erosion. As part of their ongoing compliance with sections 106 and 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act, FHL sought to determine the significance and extent of these deposits before they attempted to stabilize them. A more complete report on the results of these investigations (Jones and Haney 2005) is on file at the Fort Hunter Liggett Cultural Resources Office and the Northwest Information Center of the California Historic Resources Information System at Sonoma State University.
Environmental Setting - Field Methods - Lab Methods - Historic Resources
FHL is a 164,762-acre facility situated in California's South Coast Ranges in southern Monetery County. Located midway between the Pacific Ocean and the Salinas Valley, FHL encompases two major drainages-the Nacimento and San Antonio Rivers-that parallel one another and flow north to south into the Salinas River. Both drainages are associated with expansive inland valleys with the two principal valley systems dominating the topography of the central protion of FHL. Heavily dissected rolling hills separate the two valleys. The western boundary of the installation is formed by the Santa Lucia Range, which rises steeply out of the Pacific Ocean, 8-10 km west of FHL's western boundary.
Elevations are highest along the installation's western boundary, which follows the main ridge system of the Santa Lucia Range and rises to a maximum of 1,150 m (3,744 ft) at Alder Peak. Drainages west of this crest flow directly into the Pacific Ocean. Elevations of the valley floors range from 240 m (ca. 800 ft) along the lower San Antonio River to roughly 370 m (ca. 1,200 ft) in Milpitas. A wide variety of soil types reflect the diversity of the installation's topography, although loamy types are most common. Soils at FHL were described and mapped in 1978 (Soil Conservation Service 1978).
Fort Hunter Liggett is underlain by a variety of geologic formations derived from marine sediments and volcanic intrusives dating from the Pre–Cretaceous to the Plio–Pleistocene. Of particular importance are the marine sediment–derived sandstone outcrops, which occur primarily in the Nacimiento River drainage. The most formidable of these are the spectacular monoliths of upper Stony Valley, the Palisades (on the Nacimiento River below Gabilan Creek), and those at La Cueva Pintada (the Painted Cave archeological site, at the northeastern boundary). These sandstone outcrops were particularly attractive to prehistoric people as locations for bedrock mortars and rock art, and as habitation areas that offered some protection from the elements. Also important in the area of Fort Hunter Liggett is the locally available Monterey chert that was used by prehistoric inhabitants to manufacture flaked stone tools.
The installation's climate is typical Mediterranean, with cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers. Because the Santa Lucia Range shields it from the tempering effects of the Pacific Ocean, the installation experiences greater extremes in temperature and precipitation than the coast. Daytime temperatures in the summer commonly rise above 100°F and often drop below 32°F in the winter. Records kept between 1960 and 1997 show that lowest temperatures occur in December and highest in July. The range during this period was between 7° and 115°F. Mean annual temperature is 58.2°F. Mean rainfall is 19.22 inches. (48.8 cm), with a recorded maximum of 36.76 inches. (93.3 cm) and a minimum of 7.15 inches (18.2 cm). The higher elevations regularly receive snow in the winter. Overall, lands of Fort Hunter Liggett are characterized by a highly variable climate in which temperature, humidity, and precipitation change dramatically according to elevation and exposure.
The biota of FHL is exceptionally diverse due in part to its location midway between northern mesic environs and more xeric southern environments. Both flora (Bickford and Rich 1979:7) and fauna reflect this mid-latitude position. Topographic and microhabitat diversity result in an unusual coexistence of northern species and southern species. This pattern of coexistence is greatest on the coast of Big Sur west of the installation but is also evident in the interior. A number of endemic taxa exist in the area as well; creating a composite environment that includes a mix of northern, southern, and endemic species.
Eighteen distinct plant communities have been described and mapped within Fort Hunter Liggett (Osborne 1997), including some modern communities (e.g., ponds), and others with very limited, albeit important, distributions (e.g., wet meadows, vernal swales). The immediate banks of the Nacimiento and San Antonio rivers are associated with riparian communities (Sycamore Riparian, Mixed Riparian, Willow Riparian, Valley Oak Riparian, and Cottonwood Willow Riparian). The flatter, lowest portions of the valleys are associated with grasslands and two savanna communities: Valley Oak Savanna and Blue Oak Savanna. The grasslands today in Fort Hunter Liggett are dominated by non–native annuals such as soft chess brome (Bromus hordaceous), wild oat (Avena spp.), and wild barley (Hordeum murinum). Native bunchgrasses such as Nasella spp. and Melica imperfecta were abundant prior to historic grazing (Osborne 1997:18). Grasslands also seem to have increased at the expense of woodland communities during the last 200 years due to agricultural activities (Osborne 1997:18). Grasslands today cover approximately 12% of Fort Hunter Liggett. The grasslands often intergrade with Valley Oak Savanna, which is the more widespread of the two savanna communities (representing 8.5% of FHL vegetation). Valley oaks (Quercus lobata) prefer deep alluvial soils and tend to form open savanna in those settings (Osborne 1997:19). On the fringes and interspersed between the valleys in rolling hills are two variants of what Barbour and Major (1988) defined as Blue Oak–Digger Pine Forest: Blue Oak Woodlands and Foothill Woodlands. Together with Blue Oak Savanna, the three blue oak (Q. douglasii) communities cover 30% of the acreage within Fort Hunter Liggett. Of these, Foothill Woodland, marked by an association of blue oak and gray pine (Pinus sabiniana) (formerly called “digger pine”) with occasional shrubs (e.g., Ceanothus spp., Rhamnus spp.), is the most widespread. The higher elevations and more rugged terrain of the Santa Lucia Range are associated with Mixed Chaparral and Chamise Chaparral. Live Oak Forest is found on the extreme western fringes of Fort Hunter Liggett, where it represents the inland edge of a coastal distribution. Associated with this community are coast live oak (Q. agrifolia), gray pine, and deerbrush (Lotus scoparius). From the standpoint of aboriginal land use, the grassland, savanna, and woodland communities held the most potential floral resources. The chaparral communities provided habitat for game animals.
Terrestrial mammals that frequent these habitats include black–tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus), bobcat (Lynx rufus), coyote (Canis latrans), gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus auduboni), and mountain lion (Felis concolor). Spanish explorers observed pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana) in central California, but these have not yet been identified in FHL archaeofaunal collections. Of the terrestrial taxa, deer and rabbits were probably the most significant prehistoric resources.
Field research was completed over three seasons with the investigation of CA-MNT-1748/H undertaken between June 26 and July 6, 2001, the work at CA-MNT-910 and -2181 completed between 28 July and 7 August, 2002, and research at CA-MNT-1918 completed between June 22 and July 3, 2003. The approach employed during the three seasons was essentially the same in that four types of sampling techniques were used: surface collection, and excavation of surface transect units, control units or test excavation units (TEUs), and column samples.
Surface collection was initiated with an intensive pedestrian survey whereby crew members walked systematically over the site surface along transects spaced 2-3 m apart. All formal artifacts, pieces of obsidian, and features were marked with pin flags. The distance and bearing to the site datum were then recorded for each surface artifact using tape measure and compass. All surface artifacts were collected and placed into bags that were labeled with provenience information. Upon completion of the surface collection, North–South and East–West grids were laid out over each site area. All features, surface collected artifacts (SCAs), and excavation units as well as natural topographic features were mapped in with reference to the grid.
Surface transect units (STUs) were excavated to evaluate the horizontal distribution of cultural materials. STUs were 0.5 x 2.0 m in size and were excavated by contour in increments of 10 cm. In most cases excavation terminated at 20 cm, but in a few instances units were continued to 40 cm. Soil was dry–screened through 6 mm (1/4”) mesh, and recovered materials were placed in bags labeled with provenience information.
The depth and character of constituents were investigated with 1.0 x 2.0 m and ocassionally 1.0 x 1.0 m TEUs. These were set up along grid coordinates and unit datums were established with reference to either the SW or NW corner. TEUs were also assigned numbers sequentially as they were established to simplify provenience designations. Soil from TEUs was dry screened through 3 mm (1/8”) mesh although in one instance, at CA-MNT-1918 in 2003, soils were wet-screened. TEUs were excavated in arbitrary 10-cm levels. When features were encountered, they were exposed by brush, whisk broom, and trowel, photographed, sampled (when appropriate), drawn, and removed. The only exception to this procedure was a house floor that was uncovered at CA-MNT-1748/H and left in place.
Column samples were excavated to recover controlled samples of microconstituents. These were 20 x 20 cm in dimension and were excavated into the sidewalls of completed TEUs. Generally two columns were completed for each site. They were excavated in 10 cm levels, and all soil was placed in labeled bags that were transported to the laboratory for post-field processing. Soil samples of ca. 0.25 liters were also collected from exposed sidewalls and floors of STUs for pH analysis. After all excavation and sampling were completed, units were backfilled, and concrete markers were established at the central mapping datum of each site and in the corners of key units.
At the completion of each field season, all recovered materials were transferred from FHL to California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo for laboratory processing. Laboratory processing and cataloging were done by students in ANT-311, Archaeological Laboratory Methods. All specimens were first washed in provenience lots using water and soft toothbrushes, and allowed to dry. The only specimens not washed were projectile points from CA-MNT-1918 that were intentionally left dirty to allow for blood residue analysis. After washing, materials were sorted into analytical classes, and were then cataloged in a Microsoft Excel data base. Individual artifacts were assigned specimen numbers, while entire lots of flaked stone debitage and non–artifactual bone and shell from specific proveniences were assigned single specimen numbers. All specimens were placed in 4.0 mm thick plastic bags and labeled with computer generated, acid free/non–stick labels, packaged in cardboard bin–part boxes, and stored in archive boxes for curation. All of the collections resulting from the investigations have been temporarily curated at the FHL Cultural Resources Office.
FHL is home to Historic as well as Prehistoric Cultural Resources.
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| Mission San Antonio was founded on July 14, 1771 and is located inside the boundry of Fort Hunter Liggett |
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| In addition to designing Hearst Castle, architect Julia Morgan was commissioned in 1929 to design and build the structure now known as the "Hacienda" in the San Antonio Valley |
References Cited
Bickford, C. and P. Rich; 1979; Vegetation and Flora of the Landells Hill Big Creek Reserve, Monterey County, California. Environ–mental Field Program Publication No. 15, University of California, Santa Cruz.
Jones, Terry L. and Jefferson W. Haney; 2005; Archaeological Evaluation of CA-MNT-910, CA-MNT-1748/H, CA-MNT-1918, and CA-MNT-2181, Fort Hunter Liggrett, Monterey County, California. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo. Copies available from Northwest Information Center of the California Historic Resources Information System at Sonoma State University.
Osborne, M.A.; 1997; Integrated Training Area Management (ITAM)Program, Fort Hunter Liggett, California: Land Condition Trend (LCTA) Component, Annual Report 1997. Center for Ecological Management of Military Lands, Colorado State University. Copies Available from Fort Hunter Liggett Environmental Office, Jolon California.
Soil Conservation Service; 1978; Soil Survey of Monterey County, California. United States Department of Agricluture in cooperation with the University of California Agriclutural Experiment Station. United States Government Printing Office, Washington DC.
