Final Report on Project Activities at the Quarterman Site (8BR223)

Abstract

During the spring semesters of 2019 and 2021, the Cape Canaveral Archaeological Mitigation Project conducted Phase I exploratory testing at the Quarterman Site, 8BR223, a known archaeological site on the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. During fieldwork, field school students from the University of Central Florida recorded historic surface features and excavated 111 shovel test pits. Shovel tests contained both Euro-American and Indigenous artifacts, reflecting the known multi-component nature of the Quarterman Site. Artifacts, notes, and spatia l data collected at the Quarterman site were analyzed to reassess previous determinations of site temporal affiliations, spatial boundaries, historic usage, and condition. Shovel test results were used to identify spatial concentrations of Ind igenous and historic activity and locations of substantial modern disturbance. The result is a total site area of 8.23 hectares that includes temporal occupation components from the Malabar 1-11 periods, late-nineteenth to early-twentieth century, and mid-twentieth century. Students conducted soil probing and cadaver dog testing of the two cemeteries located within the Quarterman Site and fou nd that the Quatterman Notth Cemetety, 8BR2356, may contain additional buried individuals near or outside the cemetery's southern boundary. Tt is determined that the two cemeteries (8BR2355 and 8BR2356) are eligible for the National Register of Historic Places under criteria A and B. The historic homestead and Indigenous occupation of 8BR223 are not eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NHRP).