Prepared by: Dr. Thomas J. Loebel CAGIS Archaeological

Consulting Service University of Chicago.

Dept. Of Anthropology (M/C 027)

1007 W. Harrison

Chicago, Illinois 60607

October 17, 2007 &

Submitted to Jane Taylor, Director of Business Services

Lake Bluff SD 65 121 E. Sheridan Place, Lake Bluff, IL 60044

Introduction:

On September 26-27, 2007, (CAGIS), Archaeological Consulting Services Archaeologists Thomas Loebel, Hector Quintero, and human osteological specialist Kathleen Forgey, conducted a Phase II archaeological investigation within a portion of land contained within the southeast 1/4 of Section 17, T44N, R12E Figure 1.) The project area is located within the grounds of the Central Elementary School located in Lake Bluff, Illinois, and has been determined to contain portions of the Dwyer Settlement and early 19thy century Euro-American Irish settlement consisting of a Tavern and Stage Coach Stop, circa 1844-1859 St. Anne's church, and associated Cemetery (Spencer and Peters 2007).

A ground penetrating radar (GPR) and Magnetometer survey of the project area conducted in July 2007, by CAGIS Figures 2 & 3), as well as a resistivity survey conducted by Northern Environmental in April of 2007 suggested the presence of multiple subsurface anomalies potentially related to past historic uses of the site. Scattered subsurface anomalies possibly related to the former location of the Historic St. Anne's Church and associated cemetery were detected

Although the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency has not yet requested a Phase 1 archaeological survey, knowledge of the location of potentially sensitive cultural resources is essential to plan for adequate land and cultural resource management prior to development. At the request of Lake Bluff School District #65 and Pursuant to and in compliance with Federal and State regulations protecting historic resources, in particular the Illinois Human Skeletal Remains Protection Act (20 ILCS 3440) and implementing regulations (17 Il Adm. Code 4170) CAGIS undertook Phase II investigations to evaluate the potential for human interments within the project area and to assess the sites' potential for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) by "ground truthing" previously detected anomalies.

PHASE II FIELD INVESTIGATIONS

PHASE II investigations consisted of the mechanical stripping of topsoil across areas of interest where subsurface anomalies were detected during the previous remote sensing surveys Figure 4, above, A total of 1,348.9 m2 in three separate blocks were stripped in order to investigate both individual anomalies and general high probability areas suspected to contain the cemetery and former church locations.

Figure 5 displays a map of the GPR grid and radar anomalies overlain with the Phase II areas of investigation. While GPR results did not reveal the presence of any particularly strong "ditch-like" radar returns often associated with disturbances related to the presence of grave shafts, oral accounts of tombstones either visible in this area in the 1930's, or recovered from this area, suggested the potential for graves to be located in or near this section of the project area. A possible tombstone fragment was recovered from a disturbed surface context in the woodlot by CAGIS during the remote sensing survey. Figure 6 Possible Tombstone fragment recovered from surface of woodlot. Photo below. This you would have to see in person to be able to tell if it is a tombstone.

Foxie's Note: as explained to me by Dawn Cobb, Assistant Director of the Human Skelton Remains Department in Springfield, IL, this is like an x-ray of the area of the ground. They take these pictures with their GPR machine and then take them back to the lab in Springfield in which they study them to see if there might be some place or presence here that could help in locating things which might be underground. But like all things it is not fool proof. 

A block measuring 1,067.25 m2, and encompassing a substantial portion of the GPR grid was stripped along the edge of the woodlot and south of the baseball infield. Tree growth prevented access to the wood lot, with the exception of a smaller second block measuring 63.75m2 located on a slight topographic high just within the southern edge of the tree-line Figure 4. Mechanical removal of topsoil the excavation of soil to an average depth of 18" or until an undisturbed yellowish-brown subsoil was reached---Figure 7--Stripping underway in main block along edge of woodlot. Note field drain running NW-SE across block. View facing south. I believe Cathy also sent me the color photo of the above survey and it can be found on the first page.

       Soil Profiles in this area generally consisted of an Ap atop a remnant E. horizon that overlaid a clayey yellow-brown Bt subsoil. The Ap contained both historic period artifacts and a substantial amount of modern garbage.

No Cultural features were encountered within either of these two blocks, however a number of geologic and modern disturbances were unearthed which account for the anomalies detected during the remote sensing survey. These include several large glacial boulders, a recent field drain, the rusted remnants of a 55-gallon drum, and a pile of broken drain tiles and garbage Figures 7-9--above). A single chert biface Figure 10 above--was recovered from the Ap horizon during stripping, however from clearly disturbed deposits, as a wire fragment and glass shard were uncovered in immediate proximity.

A second area of interest consisting of loosely clustered anomalies detected by the magnetometer was also investigated.

Located east of the main block towards Green Bay Road, archaic deed measurements suggest this area as the possible location of the former St. Anne's Church (Spencer and Peters, 2007). Four trenches covering 197 m2 of were stripped of topsoil in this block Figure 13.  Trench straticgraphy revealed a heavily disturbed soil sequence in this area. Multiple discontinuous fill lenses were visible overlying a truncated heavy clay B horizon, suggesting cut and fill disturbances most likely related to construction of the existing school. three anomalies were checked, and all found to be related to recent disturbances to the area.

Two consisted of fill lenses containing burned historic trash, and a third consisted of a pile of glacial boulders. Figure 14

Phase II archaeological investigations exposed in area of 1,348.9m2 in an effort to ground truth the nature of subsurface anomalies detected during a previous remote sensing survey. No cultural features clearly associated with either the former St. Anne's Church or associated cemetery were encountered in any of the investigated areas. Heavy disturbance in the former location of St. Anne's Church has rendered the potential for the area to contain intact or undisturbed archaeological deposits extremely low and as a result appears ineligible for listing on the NRHP. A large block adjacent to the  existing woodlot and athletic field was also investigated to evaluate the possibility of human internments within this area. Although less disturbed, all areas of interest detected during remote sensing in this block proved to be of geologic origin or related to recent minor disturbances within the area, mainly the dumping of burned historic trash. No evidence of human internments, remains or grave furniture were encountered.

While GPR results did not return any strong radar responses clearly indicating the presence of graves within the surveyed portion of the woodlot, only a small portion of the woodlot was accessible to investigation through mechanical stripping. A Phase II investigation map was scaled to and overlain on a current site map, which suggest that portions of the existing woodlot will be impacted during construction figure 15. While no evidence of a cemetery was encountered during the Phase II investigation, the reported recovery of a tombstone now on display at the Vliet Museum and the possible tombstone fragment recovered by CAGIS in this general area combined with oral accounts of a cemetery warrants caution during future ground disturbing activities in this area.

Figure 15, Phase II area of investigation overlain on current site plan.