HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-044t� _ I a - .�;o-r 0
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Florida Department of Transportation
JEB BUSH district Four Environmental Management Office THOMAS F'. BARRY, art.
GOVERNOR 3400 West Commercial Boulevard SECRETARY
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309-3421
Telephone:(954)7774330 Fax:(454)7774310
January 20, 2000
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Mr. Bob Keating
Community Development Director s, ,
Indian River County
1840 25th Street
Vero Beach, Florida 32960
Dear Mr. Keating-,
Subject: Indian Enver County Narrows Cultural Resource District
(Jungle Trail Multiple Property District)
National Register Nomination
As part ofthe Jungle Trail Enhancement Project, a nomination package has been prepared by our
in-house consultant and reviewed by Dr. Ken Campbell, our Cultural Resources Coordinator.
According to 'Dr. Campbell, tate attached package nrects the criteria established by the U.S.
Department of the Interior and it is ready for submission to the State Division Committee for
formal presentation to the Keeper of the National Register.
The original package should be submitted by your office as the sponsor of the project. Two copies
are attached to the original package. One is for your records and the other for Commissioner
Stanbridge.
Please forward any comments to our office. If you have any questions regarding this package
please contacme at (1954) 777-4' 5 or Dr. Campbell at ( 954) 777-4341.
Sincerely,
Beatriz CaICI MaMison, P.E.
Project Manager
WWWAot.state.Rus
G ii €CYCLED PAPER
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NPS Form 10.940-b OMD No. 1024-0018
(June 1991)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Multiple Property Documentation Form
'Ms form is used for documenting multiple property groups relating to one or several historic contexts. See instntetions in Flow to Complete the
Multiple Property Documen ration Farm (National Register Bulletin 169). Complete each item by entering the requested informatiou. For additional
space, use continuation sheets (Form 10.900-a). Use a typewriter, word processor, or computer to complete all items.
New Submission Amended Submission
A. Name of Multiple Property Listing
Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource Disti ict
B, Associated Historic Contexts
(Nance caeh associated historic context, identifying theme, geographical area, and chronological period for each.)
Paleovrdian Period 15,00 B.C. - 8,500 B.C.
Archaic Period 8,500 &C. - 500 B.C.
St. Johns/Malabar/Glades Period 500 B.{' -A.D. 1500
ConlactJEarly Historic Period 1500- 1565
C. Form Prepared by
narneltitle Karen Webster and Scott Lewis
organization Group Enterprises. Inc, date
street & number 7744 P t� ers Road. Suite 311 tclepltone__ _ 541!736-3377
city or town Plantation state Florida zip code 33324
D. Certification
As the designated authority under the National Historic Prescrvation Act of 1966, as arcaded, l hereby certiry that this documentation fort meets the
Nntional Register documentation standards and sets forth requirements for the listing ofrelated properties consistent tht National Register criteria. This
submission meets the procedural ani+ nrofaccir-al requi_'c= uais but ronit is 36 MR N41;30 and the Secretary of tht Intnior"s Standa.^+.s and Gt idcl zcs
IC- AFO.0 TO&V arni l iSft tie "rr MInion (5m cnrninuaunn sh[rt for ndditiond cornu^nos.)
Signature and title ofccrtifying official
State or Federal agency and bureau
Date
I hereby certify that this multiple property documentation form has been approved by the National Register as a basis for evaluating
related properties for listing in the National Register.
Signature orthe Keeper
Date of Action
Indilln-River Narrows Cultural Resource District FlQdda
Name Of Multiple Property Listing state
Table of Contents for Written Narrative
Provide the following information on continuation sheets. Cite the letter and the title before each section of the narrative. Assign page
numbers according to the instructions for continuation sheets in Henn an Complete the Multiple Property Dot<umenfaflon Form
(National Register Bulletin 16B). FiH in page numbers for each section in the space below,
Page Numbers.
E. Statement of l-listoric Contests
01.05
(If more than one historic context is documented, present them in sequential order.)
F. Associated Property Types
01-05
(Provide description, significance, and registration requirements,)
G. Geographical Data
01-02
H. Summary of ldentification and Evaluation Methods
01-03
(Discuss the methods used in developing the multiple property listing.)
1. Major Bibliographical References
01-08
(List major written works and primary location of additional documentation: State Historic Preservation
Office, other State
agency, Federal agency, local government, university, or other, specifying repository.)
Pape:mvrk Reduction Act: "`Chis information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominal[ proncrties for
listing or dcterm9ne eligibility for listing, to list properties, and to amend existing listings. Response to this rr,luesl if required to obtain a benefit in
arr^rdrncc with the National Historic Prewn-mici, Act, as a.'rttndrd (1 G U.S.C, 4 79 et saq.).
Estimated Burden Statement I'ablic reporting Nsrdtn For thi3 form is eMimmr.d to av^ranr 18.1 h^_tns n -T re.srmse inclnsling the timF for rcnir :ing
Lnst=tions, gathering and maintaining data, and computing and reviewing the Form Direct comments regarding this burden estimate or any e.,pect of
this form to the Citief, Administrativo Servic s Division, National Parse Senice, P.O. Box 37127, Washington, DC 20013.7127; and the Oi ice of
Management rand Budget, Papemoik Reductions Project (1024.0018),, Washington, DC 20503.
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*10NP8 Form 10-900-a
i®-8st
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
OMB Alppmar Iva, 1024-001a
Section number, _ Page I Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District
Statement of historic Contexts
Paleoindian ]Period (15,000 B.C. - 8,500 B.C.)
The earliest recognizable occupational period in Florida dates from approximately 12,000 B,P. to 9000 B.P. and
is known as the Paleoindian, or simply "Paleo," Period. Because much of this period fell within a time of lower
sea levels and drier environmental conditions, the rise in sea levels, water tables, changed vegetative communities,
and extensive passage of time have combined to obscure or obliterate much of the scant remains of these earliest
Floridians.
As noted above, however, there is direct evidence of the existence of Paleo populations in Indian River County and
the surrounding region from human remains found in direct association with fossil deposits in Vero Beach,
Melbounte, and Winter Beach (Rouse 1981:65-68). Purely makes a succinct yet cogent argument for early
Paleoindian populations in I,lorida based on recovered evidence, such as a radiocarbon -dated extinct bison skull
with a stone projectile point embedded into it and etched ivory artifacts from extinct species of elephants (Purdy
1996:3-7). Sellards also found what appeared to be etched elephant tusks in association with human skeletal
material at the Vero Beach fossil site (1916; 191.7).
The sulistantial climatic and natural vegetative changes which have occurred since the end of the Paleoindian period
have made finding in .situ Paleoindian materials extremely rare. Large grasslands which once covered much of the
state are now obscured by dense pine forests or wetlands, often with a more recent, thick hardpan stratum
overlaying the older soil layers. Other Paleoindian sites are undoubtedly submerged off the coast where ancient
shorelines existed, but have zince been covered over by a considerable rise in sea level.
Archaic Period (8,500 B.C. - 500 B.C.)
The dramatic environmental shifts that had nrrurred by nibot�t 9000 B.P. forced the hurnan communities of the
Florida peninsula to adapt to a wholly differeat subs:stetace strategy. Instead oz iauntinf large terresrriai land
mammals --which by now were largely extinct-- for a significant portion of their diet, a "total exploitation" food
procurement strategy became common. This meant that the people used whatever may be edible in their locale,
with certain foods such as deer, shellfish, fish, and nuts becoming dietary staples (Purdy 1996:12).
The Archaic peoples invented or began to commonly use a large assortment of tools and instruments to assist then
.in !heir varied endeavors for food procurement and preparation. Spear throwers (atlads), fishing hooks and spears,
small game snares and darts, fiber basketry, and stone and wand mortars cvcrc all used during the Archaic Period
(McGoun 1993: 53; Purdy 1996:13; Milanich 1994:67).
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HP8 FOM 104004
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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
OMB Approval No. 1024.0010
Section number E Page _2__ Indian River Narrows. Cultural Resource District
Much of the current understanding of the Early Archaic lifestyle in the region is a result of the study of the
Windover site in Brevard County, north of Indian River County and close to Cape Canaveral. Windover is a pond
site located along the Atlantic Coastal Ridge in which dense deposits of peat formed from the decomposition of
plant material. The peat preserved an enormous amount of organic burial, artifactual, and environmental remains
enabling archaeologists to reconstruct the Archaic lifestyle in great detail (Milanich 1994:71-72; Purdy 1996:16-19).
The human burials found at Windover were wrapped in fabric and staked to the bottom of the pond, probably both
to prevent animal scavenging and for religious reasons. Each burial had well-preserved tissue and bone that allowed
scientists to secure radiocarbon dates (8000-7000 B.P.) and DNA samples from them. Because it seems likely that
a single community of related individuals used the site for nearly a thousand years, Milanich states that "the
potential for learning about human evolution, genetically related health problems, and other changes in genetic
characteristics makes Windover Pond a priceless treasure of scientific information (Milanich 1994:73).
During the Early and Middle Archaic periods, Florida chert from the Gulf Coast and Central Highlands portion of
the state was used extensively for the manufacture of a variety of stone tools (Purdy 1996:20-21). Because stone
is heaviest in its unworked form and few quarry locations are located near the Atlantic Coast, most stone artifacts
would not have been produced initially in the Indian River area. It is likely that Archaic people in Indian River
County would have relied extensively on wood and bone tools, most of which have deteriorated over time once
buried in the area's acidic soils. Tools buried in a more neutral context, such as a peat bog or within a shell mound,
would have better preservation.
Dicket states that by the Middle Archaic the aboriginal populations were employing a semi -migratory subsistence
strategy in which they focused on a narrow source of fooa resources for part of the year (such as coastal and
estuarine fish and shellfish) and for the rest of the year returned to their broader hunting; and gathering activities
(Dicket 1992:17). Sites along the ir! ;Ian :fiver are usttally small, seasonal places of specialized food procurement
and Life not Itkv ccutempotary large, scdcntwy village sitcs found withUl the in -W601 aluug Ilse St. Julms River basin
(Dicke] 1992:18).
The Late Archaic period is characterized by environments which are essentially modVm in character and,
eventually, by the appearance of the first ceramics (Dickel 1992:21). Purdy states that chert quarries were used less
frequently by this time and that coastal shell commonly began to be fashioned into tools (Purdy 1996:24-25). The
use of shell tools accompanied an increasing reliance of Late Archaic populations on marine shellfish. It was at
this time, after the barrier island chnir and estuarine system had stabilized, th t castern oyster (C'rassustrea
vir&ica), coquina (Donax varrabihs), southern quahog (blercenaria eamj)echiensis), and other coastal :shellfish
began to be eaten in abundance. Substantial shell middens remain as evidence of their use (Russo 1988).
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NPS Form iv -9W -a
{886j
United States Department of tltc Interior
National Parr Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
AMB Appmvai ft W24-0015
a
Section number E Page _L_ Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District
The appearance of plain, hand -molded fiber -tempered ceramics in Florida about four thousand years ago (the
"Orange Period") marks a notable technological innovation for the Late Archaic cultures. Ceramics allowed people
to prepare, cook, and store foods in ways previously unavailable before. Although many of the other artifacts
associated with this period do not differ markedly from the Middle Archaic, the introduction of ceramics likely had
a profound effect on social organization over time. Pottery vessels, since they are both bulky and heavy, are
interpreted as an indication of sedentary or semi -sedentary lifestyles. The sturdiness and less permeable nature of
ceramic vessels helped the Late Archaic people preserve and maintain their food stores for longer periods of time,
freeing up more time for them from food procurement and preparation to engage in other activities.
The Orange Period --in its various stages --nuns from approximately 4000 B.P.-2500 B.P. About 3650 B.P., Orange
Period pottery begins to exhibit simple decoration, mid by 3250 B.P. pottery is being made with quartz sand temper
and by hand -coiling (Milanich 1994:94).
St. JohnsllVlalabar/Glades Period (500 B.C. - 1500 A.D. 1500)
By about 2500 B.P. (500 B.C,) the different populations of Florida had grown and diversified to the point that
regional differences are noticed. Along the Indian River lagoon and on Orchid Island proper, live oak coastal
hammocks had formed which would have provided people with oak acorns, sabal palm berries, wild blueberries
(Vaccinium spp.), wild grapes (Viiis spp.), and other food plants, along with a large assortment of hammock -
inhabiting animals, and plants and animals from the nearby water resources (Milanich 1994-116-117).
The Indian River area is often described as a transitional region between the St. Johns River region to the north and
west of the Indian River lagoon, and the Glades region to the south. The distinction between The Indian River and
St. Johns and Glades regions is based largely upon differences in ceramic assemblages and served as the basis for
naming this cultural region '"Malabar" (Rouse 1981:70). Malabar sites contain pottery types made from local clay
sources that exhibit producticn and decorative attributes of both St, johns and Glades ceramics (Milanich
1994:250). Distinctions based on studies of subsistence retuse in the Indian River area have been sorely lacking
and only gross generalizations are able to be made without more intensive study (Russo 1985:4-5).
What is known is that the native populations of Orchid Island and the Indian River region heavily exploited
estuarine fish, many of which may serve as seasonal indicators of site occupation due to their breeding and
migratory patterns (Russo 1985:5). Along the Atlantic coast, the mixed remains of stews containistg various 5111tt1i
estuarine boney fish have been found combined with coquina and shark's eye (Polinices a 1ujVir,caftry), providing
evidence that fisl3ing ant. shcllfisliiitg were imporiam activities throughout the year, and indicating what sp,-cies
were available at that time (Russo and Ste. Claire 1992). Thus, permanent settlement activity existed along the
coast throughout the year, and populations did not always have to shift living areas in the pursuit of food.
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NPS10-900-a
(8-86)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
OMS Approval No. 1024.0018
Section number __U-_ Page 4 Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District
Shellfish middens in the Indian Diver area tend to be formed primarily of oyster shell rather than coquina, which,
if represented, exists merely as tenses within the larger matrix (Russo 1985). Of the meat resources available to
the Malabar people of the Indian River region (fish, fowl, reptile, amphibian and mammal), it seems that about 80%
of the total dietary meat was provided by fish and reptile species and only about 15% from land mammals, showing
that the people were highly dependent on the resources of the Indian River and shore (Milanich 1994:251), By the
late Malabar period (A.D, 800-1500), seasonal hunting and foraging forays still occurred but it seems that greater
sedentism had developed, with major village centers near interior riverine and coastal estuarine resources. 'There
has been no evidence to indicate that either agriculture or horticulture was practiced on any significant scale by the
people of the Indian River region (Dickel 1992:29). Evidence also shows that the people of the Indian River region
engaged in trade with other distant cultures as evidenced by ceramic, stone, and other artifacts and inferred from
mound building activities.
Contact/Early Historic Period (1500 - 1565)
The first recorded, and officially sanctioned, Spanish voyage to the peninsula of Florida was by Juan Ponce de Leon
in 1513, landing in the vicinity of Melbourne Beach (Lyon 1999; Tebeau 1973:19; Milanich 1995;108). Other
European explorers and sailors certainly visited Florida after word of Columbus' journeys disseminated through
Europe, perhaps as early as 1497 by John Cabot or Amerigo Vespucci, but certainly by Spaniards between 1502-
1510 when it begins to appear in maps and records (Smith 1956:1). In fact, when Ponce de Leon reached Florida
he encountered one Indian who spoke Spanish and the Spaniards' hostile reception by the natives seems to indicate
that prior unauthorized Spanish slaving raids had periodically occurred (Smith 1956:2; McGoun 1'993:21; Tebcau
1973:19; Milanich 1995:109, 110).
After Ponce de Leon's initial 1513 voyage along the east and west coasts of Florida, Spanish exploratory and slaving
trips became common, though most of these voyages went to the Gulf Coast (Smith 1956:24). In 1516, following
Ponce de Leon's "&.cuvery" oFfitainlaiid North America, a Spanish slaver frlarn Santo D0n1ing0, Pedro de Salazar',
made a voyage up the Atlantic coast and captured 500 Indians --most of whom died on the return voyage or soon
after landing (Milanich 1995:111). The effect of these early voyages on native cultures far exceeded the actual
presence of the Europeans themselves, because they resulted in Spanish trade and salvage ,goods and brought
diseases, which spread rapidly throughout Florida.
By 1551, after several dccadcs of Spanish taxplui eis and settlers meeting with poor or disastrous results in their
gxpeditions to Florida, the peninsula was officially closed to travel by roval procInmation in 1561. However, in
1562, with news of France"s attempts to establish a colony in La f lorida, the proclamation was rescinded (S'nith
1956:6). In 1562 Captain Jean Ribaut established Port Royal on Paris Island, now within South Carolina, and in
1564 Captain Ren6 de Laudonniere established Fort Caroline at the mouth of the St. Johns River. The first attempt
in 1562 failed largely because of lack of supplies, poor planning and mutinous settlers. The 1564 colony was
suppr;,ssed is a reg.+.ill cXSpnniSh allach:, by Pedro .lc Avilds in 156Z7' tLyon t d3; Armstrong 1995).
Although most of the French colonists were captured and killed, a small group of survivors are known to have
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NF8 Form 1a•900 -a
� (8m)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
OMa ,Appmy&1 lvv. 1024-W O B
Section number _E_ Page —3-- Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District
evaded Menendez, living with local Indians, and they are believed to be the source of a number of French and
European artifacts found near Cape Canaveral and southward (Armstrong 1996).
The Indians who lived from Carpe Canaveral south along the Indian River lagoon were the Ais Indians. The Spanish
called the whole of the Indian River, from Cape Canaveral south to the Ft. Pierce Inlet, tate "Rio de Ais" (Rouse
1981:34). Currently, the location of the main Ais settlement, the residence of the chief, is unknown. Rouse
(1981:34) and Milanich (1995:66) believe that is was placed near the old Indian River inlet in St. Lucie County.
Their placement of the Ais settlement and early Spanish place-names comes from Alvaro Mexia who traveled the
Indian River from 5t. Augustine for the colonial governor, Pedro de Ybarra, in 1605 (Higgs 1981). However, as
Lyon (1999) points out, the location of the `bar of Ays' is not clearly placed in Mexia's derroteso, and conflicting
assignment of the name to various locations occurs at times throughout the historical record. Following a detailed
reckoning of the movement of Spanish and French troops through the area between 1565 and 1566, lie places the
main Ais settlement `at or near the Sebastian Inlet' (Lyon 1999.2).
The culture of the Ais was significantly affected by contact with the French and Spanish explorers and by their
proximity to the Gulf Stream's Bahama Channel, where European ships often wrecked. The Ais obtained European
goods through trade or by salvaging the wrecks (Sauer 1971:220; Milanich 1995:66; Lyon 1967:5-6), Thus, many
Native American archaeological sites, particularly near the coast, dating from the late fifteenth through the
sixteenth centuries include European manufactured goods among the site assemblage (Smith 1956).
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r NPS Farm 10-900-2
sa-sst
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
0W App(MM No 1024-0018
Section number -f— Page I Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District
Associated Property Types
F1.1 Name of Property Type: Shell. Middens
FI.2 Description
Shell middens in the Indian River region include the features, artifacts, ecofacts, and residues that built up from
residential ivities of daily life. Site features are primarily of oyster rather than coquina. Of the meat (fish, fowl,
reptile, amphibian and mammal) resources available to the people of the Indian River region, it seems that about
80% of the total dietary meat was provided by fish and reptile species and only about 15% from land mammals,
showing that the people were highly dependent on the resources of the Indian River and shore (Milanich 1994:251).
F1.3 Significance
The Shell Middens in the Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District are significant at the state level under
National Register Criterion D. While very little research has been accomplished in the proposed district, these sites
have the potential to address research questions concerning settlement and subsistence patterns, social organization,
technology, foodways, and cultural ecology. In addition, specialized age and season of death studies of shell fish
and fauna may indicate the more intricate aspects of the prehistoric cultural use of the biophysical environment.
The arrival of humans on Orchid Island and the Indian River Lagoon area has severely affected their natural
geomorphic and vegetative features and their animal populations over time. The earliest human presence in the
area of Orchid Island and Indian River County probably occurred between 10,000-12,000 years ago. Because the
evidence of the Paleoindian presence from this period is so ra<`, it is hard to determine how much of an effect these
people had on the landscape. 1t known from the Paleo sites which hav c been discovered, including the one found
at Vero Beach in 1913, that these earliest of inhabitants survived largely by hunting. Included among the wide
variety of large and small animals hunted by these people were species of animals that have become extinct --such
as the marnmoth, mastadon, horse, camel, etc. --and it has been suggested that these extinctions could be related
to human hunting in conjunction with climatic change (McGoun 1993:50).
Dramatic climate changes certainly had a great influence over the ways in which human activity has altered the
psiviroutneut. About 10,000 years ago the and criviyonineat which had characwrized Clurida up until that lime
began to change in conjunction with sea level rise. As the temperature and vegetation changed in response, human
activity would have needed to adapt as well (Milanich 1994:58-59).
"ince the ancicnt proplc of Florida did n_it build larr:e structurew of siosje as i:-& tjtlscr pier"ss of the %yodd. it is harden
to discern their physical presence lipon the modem landscape. It is likely that the most visible, dramatic, and large-
scale effects of prehistoric Indian populations upon in this area were planned bumings of groundcover and the
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NPS Fom, 10.900-a
ow (S -W)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
OMB Approve( No. 1024-0018
Section number -F Page 2-_ Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District
construction of large shell middens along watercourses. The shell or refuse midden is one of the most ubiquitous
of prehistoric landscape features. Midden deposits along the Indian River lagoon and on Orchid Island vary in size,
height and material but are usually composed of shell, sand and earth rich in organic nutrients as a result of the
decomposition of plant and animal matter brought to the site during the course of its occupation.
One such site is the South Hole Midden (8I11828), which was surveyed and tested twice in the past five years, In
1990, Richards (1990) tested property to the east of US AIA that contains part of the midden and the overall site.
Dickel (1992) tested part of the site to the west of US A]A as part of a county -wide survey of archaeological
resources. The South Hole Site is a large shell midden found on all sides of the intersection of US AIA and the
Jungle Trail within the west 1/2 of the southwest 114, and the southwest 1/4 of the northwest 1/4 of section 3 in T
31 S, R 39 E (Map 1). It extends from the estuary edge north and northwest of Jungle Trail east across U5 AIA.
Here it ends on the eastern slope of the back dune, facing the interdune trough between it and Seaview Drive within
the currently platted Seaview Development. The overall site dimensions, according to nickel (1992), are 245
meters east to west, and 300 meters north to south. While the largest portion of the dense midden is found east
of US AI A, substantial site coverage lies west of this route and north and south of Jungle Trail.
Combined, Dickel(1992) and Richards (1990) excavated more than 15 small test pits along the periphery of the
dense midden area, mid one within the densest portion east of the US AIA road cut. The midden deposit's depth
ranged from 5 cm to 75 cm in these test pits and produced a quantity of shell in sandy, black stained matrixes. The
shell was predominantly oyster, but small bar Venus clams, Mercenaria Quahog, and modified Busycon also were
found.
Cather sites in the area demonstrate this common feature. The Grapefruit Shell Midden Site (8IR829) contains dense
oyster shell and dark midden stain with some Clain, scallop, and conch fragments.
Middens are commonly found near water where fish, moiiusks, and other aquatic animals were harvested and the
accumulation of bones and shell often continued for generations in a single locale so that by the time they were
abandoned appreciable mounds of varying sizes had been created. Many of these middens of this region were so
large and distinctive that they were constantly commented upon by early explorers. For example, in 1773 William
Bartram noted on his journey through Florida's central coast that along the rivcrLnnks could bc,: seen "Ihigli swamp
land, exceedingly fertile"' composed of "loose black mould, with a mixture of sand, shells, and dissolved vegetable
,natter" ul:an which grew a number of hammock species (bartram 1928:112). He goes on to note elsewhere that
there was a "high perpendicular bluff, fronting more than one hundred yards on tate river, the earth black, loose,
and fertile, it is a composition of river -shells, sand, &c" and also contained a number of human burials covering
"two or three acres of ground ... (Bartram 1928:130).
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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic places
Continuation Sheet
OMB Approval Na. tae$ -Dore
Section number L Page -3-- Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District
Numerous middens once lined the banks of the Indian River lagoon, but many of them have been destroyed over
the last century for use of their materials for construction projects or because they were located where building was
to occur. At the turn of the century, one of the area's largest midden mounds --similar to the type described by
Bartram --existed on the west bank of the Indian River directly across from Orchid Island. The mound, known as
Barker's Bluff, was located at the south side of what is now the town of Sebastian and is described as once being
1009 feet long, 440 feet wide and "higher than the tallest cabbage palms." The mound was destroyed when its shell,
sand, and other material were quarried away for roadlill in the early 1900s after a railway was built to its base
(Lockwood 1975:3,15). Similarly, another substantial prehistoric shell midden found on Orchid Island itself was
used for construction material in the building of the Jungle Trail in 1926 (Stanbridge 1995:7).
The prehistoric people of the area likely practiced some controlled bunting to clear areas for habitation and to rid
the hammocks of understory which prevented easy movement, and possibly to encourage the cultivation of certain
plants. Burning groundcover not only clears the land for a number of uses but also enriches the soil with carbon,
nitrogen and other nutrients (See Cooke et al. 1996:107; Larsen et al. 1996: 163-164). Large grassy areas were
noted by Spanish explorers in Florida as early as the sixteenth century and were maintained by Indian burning
(Sauer 1971:42). Charcoal is a commonly noted component of subsurface excavations on Orchid island and
elsewhere.
Though agriculture was practiced prior to the arrival of Europeans in Florida by some Indian cultures, it was not
consistently practiced in all parts of the peninsula. Although most Indian cultures in Florida are known to have
extensively used certain native plant species for food and materials, it appears from existing evidence that the
people living in the Indian River area were foragers and did not practice agriculture as tribes did in northern Florida
(Milanich 1994:253) and therefore were not altering their surrounding environment in the same way as other tribes
did. This is evident in the known sites in the area. The Pregnant Turtic Site (8111831), Snratt Creek Site 1 and 2
(8111832, 8IR832a), Mangrove Site (8111833), and the Fishing Flat 2 Site (8SR848a) represent repeatedly used
eh.,11psitcs containing sc;attewd oyster shell and fish vcrtcbra. tic; cvidence of agrieultusai practice has yei been
found.
The introduction of European animal species began to disrupt the local environmental balance in Florid i as early
as the sixteenth century with the introduction of cattle (Bus tatlrus), pig (Sirs seruja), goat (Capra hircus). sheep
(Ovis aries), and horse. The gazing of these animals spread the seeds of non-native plants through the deposition
Af excrement and allowed other native species of plants to thrive unnaturally because they were not a source of
forage. The seeds of non-native plant species took root rapidly when European livestock brake and turned uie soil
through their grazing and rooting activities. Pigs are known to have been brought to Florida as livestock as early
as 1539 with the Hernando de Soto expedition (Ewen 1989:118) and because they multiply rapidly often ran wild
as nuisaii.'c aniwais at mhcr Spanish ---effienients (Reagan !989:51-52). It is likely thtit t (Ohid Island was allecied
by feral European domesticated animals soon after contact given the number of explorations and shipwrecks in the
area. Also, the introduction of these animals caused an artificial competition for food resources with native
do
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NPS form 10900.6
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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
4INU ApMvil No. 107.4.0019
Section number _F_ Page Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District
animals, such as white-tailed deer (Odocaideus virginianus) and black bear (Ursus americanus) and would have
had a ripple -effect upon other species dependant upon the natural environmental balance.
The Spanish also introduced European crops such as the orange (Curies sinensis) and other staples. Orange groves
thrived in Florida and they were planted throughout the state by both Indians and colonists. Bartram notes that
orange trees could be found throughout his travels along riverbanks and provided a ready source of food (Bartram
1928).
Nonetheless, the cumulative effect of these early changes paled in comparison to the environmental changes which
began to occur along the Indian River and on Orchid Island with the arrival of permanent white settlements in the
mid to late nineteenth century. Though a fuller account of the history of white settlement in the area is provided
below, the anthropogenic changes which occurred following American pioneer development were dramatic.
Changes included dredging the Indian River channel and redepositing spoil, clearing the land for agricultural
purposes and constructing homes, filling wetlands, and digging drainage and mosquito ditches. On t! -e north end
of the island at Sebastian Inlet, which had periodically opened and closed naturally, was first artificially re -opened
in 1886 at the location of a former natural inlet (Woodward -Clyde 1994:2-26), Later, between 1919 and 1927 the
area"s water control district began the excavation of drainage systems which significantly altered natural watershed
patterns into the Indian River lagoon (Woodward -Clyde 1994:240,241). From the 1920s -1960s mosquito control
ditches and dikes were also built to restrict lagoon to slough water movement and impair mosquito breeding
(Kanaski 1997:2). Erosion of the Fishing Flat Site (SIR848) along the shoreline of the East Channel is severe and
has worsened since the 1989 freeze kiI led much of the mangrove cover. Tice site contains oyster shell and closely
resembles the Grapefruit Site. This site shows good preservation ever: after 70 years of cultivation.
With white settlement camp introduced agricultural and aesthetic exotic: vcgelation, including Austi'nhan pine
(Casuarina equisitifolia), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebindufolius), Canary Island date palm (Phoenbc
canariensi.$), grape€i uit (C aria paradisi) and additional orange varieties ("Thomas 1994:24). Other plants native
to Florida but not typical to Orchid Island, such as the Florida royal palm (Roystonia elata), also were propagated,
typically as ornamentals on home sites. Many of these plants now dominate over native plants on large parts of
the island either through intentional planting (i.e., orange groves), landscaping (Australian pine, date palms, and
royal palms), or through escape and propagation by birds eating the fruit (Brazilian pepper).
.Modern development of the island for recreational and home use began in earnest in the 1970s and continues to
the present. The modem construction of roads, large housing tracts and golf courses has tremendously altered the
island's remaining natural geological and ecological features and has detrimentally affected many of its remaining;
archaeological sites. Of great importance is the Blue Goose Midden (81815), which has been damaged by land
dcE°dopment. Mickel tI99w: 208) excavated wic lust pit to tirtil uadistuibed pn,-naiy deposition. Attttacts recovered
from this test and others from the site meld by collectors show a great variety of faunal materials and ceramics.
These findings alone allow the cultural period designation of at least Malabar 11 through protohistoric and European
M
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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
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r1,MB APprevaf NO. 1024-0018
Section number -L- Page -5— Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District
contact. The Fishing Flat Site is also in danger of encroaching development to the east and south.
FIA Registration Requirements
Shell Middens are eligible for nomination if they are associated with one of the periods described in Section E.
Middens hold great ,potential for interpretation and further research even if there has been a great deal of
disturbance. A shell midden should be considered eligible if it, or any remnant of it, is likely to provide information
that addresses the archaeological research questions briefly outlined above.
Large sites can sustain extensive damage and still contain significant archaeological deposits in the lower strata.
The field investigation required for a determination of eligibility should include a thorough inspection of the site
surface to determine the extent of disturbance. Sufficient information can be gathered with small test units to
document the size of the site, the nature of the midden contents, and the depth of the deposits. This investigation
method minimally disturbs the site, yet provides enough information to compare with other middens that have been
thoroughly excavated and determined eligible for listing. Even what would be considered extreme disturbance, such
as the construction of Jungle Trail, has left extensive portions of the site intact.
Smaller, or shallow, sites are often more extensively impacted by human and natural agencies such as grove
ditching and tidal degradation. However, their presence contributes information on regional settlement patterns,
or the variety of habitats that human groups have found suitable through time. While these sites may not appear
to be individually remarkable, their membership in a regional set of sites enhances their importance and eligibility,.
+!
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NPS Farm 10.900-9
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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
OUn Approve? No. 1024-00f S
Section number� Page I Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District
Geographical Data
The State of Florida
Indian River County
The Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District is located upon Orchid Island, a barrier island that makes up
the easternmost portion of the Atlantic Coastal Ridge (ACR) physiographic province. It is separated from Florida's
peninsular mainland by the Indian River lagoon to its west and bounded by the St, Lucie Inlet to the south, by the
Sebastian Inlet t the north, and by the Atlantic Ocean to the east.
The ACR is a series of relict sandy beach ridges and bars which formed parallel to the Atlantic Ocean through
wave, wind and current action as the sea level has risen and fallen over time. The narrowness and close proximity
of the ACR, which comprises the mainland dune ridges and Orchid Island, to the Atlantic Ocean in Indian River
County has led geologists to surmise that this area is one of the geologically most recent oceanic shores to be
formed along the state's Atlantic coast (White 1970:85).
Providing geologic stability to Orchid Island against the constant erosional activity of winds, waves, and currents
is the Anastasia Formation, The Anastasia Formation is an extensive deposit of coquina rock extending from St.
Augustine southward for about 150 miles to northern Palm Beach County. Coquina is a rocky mineral comprised
of whole or broken shell and quartz sand (in varying proportions) typically cemented together by calcium carbonate
or iron oxide (Cooke and Mossum 1929:191-203) that is the remains of ancient beach deposits (Scott 1997:60, 66).
In places the formation also has substantial deposits of marl. The Anastasia Formation, which formed during the
Pleistocene period, can be seen at points along the shore and is the only rocky coast on the eastern side of the state
north ofthe Florida Kcys. By its imnwbilit-�, It anchors the barrier islands and their high primary durst -.s a0 helps
to prevent overwashing and landward migration of sediment (Davis 1997:158).
Covering the Anastasia Formation is a geologically thin band of Holocene sediments that form the present beach,
dune, marsh, and lagoon sediments along the Atlantic shore (Scott 1997:67). These more recently formed parts
of the present coastline are being gradually covered by a constant rise in sea level. The sea level along the Atlantic
coast has been risitig at approximately 1 cm. every 25 years for the last 3,000 years, a decrease from the rate of l
cm. every 4 years that occurred between 6000-1000 B.C. and the early Holocene rate of approximately I cm. per
year (Davis 1997:157).
Because of the narrowness and steepness or the Continental Shelf adjacent to Florida's Atlantic coast and the
relatively high mean annual wave heights, 70 cm. here versus 10-25 cm. on the state's Gulf Coast (Davis 1197:156),
ccrribistcd with a tisc In swa k;vc Ll the shoreline or Orchid island is subject to dytiamic georuorphic changes. At
various times the inlet on the northern end of the island has been naturally formed and sealed in several other
locations.
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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
OMD Approved No, 1024 -MO
Section number G Page 2 Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District
When the inlet has been closed in the past it has linked the area of Orchid Island to the long narrow peninsula
extending down from Cape Canaveral and would have allowed the easy migration of terrestrial animal species to
populate the island.. Terrestrial animal species inhabiting the island at various times include a variety of birds,
reptiles, amphibians, and mammals that could have been exploited for food by prehistoric and human populations.
Additionally, about 255 species of fish and a number of crustaceans, mollusks, marine mammals, and marine turtles
exist off the Atlantic shore of the island and about 400 species of fish, 200 mollusks, and many other animals exist
in the Indian River lagoon (Jones 1990:14-11).
The climate and weather of the area places Orchid Island between temperate and sub -tropical conditions. Summers
are very warm and humid and the winter is relatively mild with occasional severe cold fronts. The area's average
annual temperature is 72.6°F. The rainy season lasts from about May -October (average annual rainfall is 53
inches/year) and the dry season from November -April (Woodward -Clyde 1994a3-1, 3-5).
Orchid Island also sits in a transitional vegetative zone between the dominant temperate vegetation of northern
Florida and the sub -tropical vegetation of southern Florida. In fact, on the southern end of Orchid Island tropical
plant species predominate (Thomas 1994:1). The eastern side of the island facing the Atlantic Ocean is comprised
of low, coastal scrub and dune species which are tolerant of high winds, poor sandy soils and salt, such as seagrape
(Coccoloba uvifera)_ gnanish bayonet (Yucca aloifolia), and cactus (Opuntia spp. ). Behind the primary dune scrub
area and into the cent .t portion of the island and secondary dunes begins coastal hammock vegetation dominated
by larger trees, shrubs and vines, including live oak (Quercus virginiana), strangler fig (Ficus aurea), and cabbage
palm (Sabal palmetto) (Richards 1990:16). Toward the Indian River lagoon and in the wetland and slough areas,
plants such as mangroves comprise the principal plant communities. Until a series of severe freezes struck in the
1980s, most of Orchid Island's mangroves were rel mangrove (Rhi--ophora inangle). Most mangroves growing
along the lagoon now are either white mangrove (La,Runcularia racemosa) or black mangrove (Avicennia
germinans) (Thomas 1994:4).
The Indian River lagoon itself is a shallow, bar -built estuary which is partially enclosed front the ocean and receives
freshwater inflows (Woodward -Clyde 1994a:1-2). The lagoon formed as a result of the relative stability of the
barrier island system separating it from the ocean. because of the lack of washover from waves striking; the islands
along its length and the long distance between inlet:,, which reduce tidal range, and the inflt x of water from inland
streams and rivers, the water of the lagoon is relatively fresh (Davis 1997:159).
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NPS Form 10.900-a
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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
OMB Approval No. 1024-0016
Section number H Page ,I, Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District
Summary of Identification and Evaluation Methods
Previous Research
The first observations of prehistoric activity in the Indian River area was made by the father and son botanists, John
and 'William Bartram, in 1766. The Bartrams noted the existence of several large prehistoric middens along
waterways, though they did not recognize the nature of their creation by the Indians (Rouse 1981:63). William
Bartram's later journey to the central Florida coast in I77I also noted the existence of middens and burials, as noted
earlier (Bartram 1928),
It was not until Daniel G. Brinton, an anthropologist from the University of Pennsylvania, visited the region in the
1850s that middens and burial mounds were professionally studied and clearly recognized as having been
constructed by humans (Rouse 1981:63). Brinton was followed by Jeffries Wyman of Harvard University who
conducted several expeditions to the region between 1860 and 1873 to study midden and habitation sites (Rouse
1981:63; Bickel 1992:7).
A civil engineer from Titusville, Florida, J. Francis Le Baron, also discovered and studied a number of prehistoric
sites in the region between 1877-1878 while working on a railway project. Le Baron became so interested in these
sites that he hired an assistant to help him study the material, which he later donated to Harvard University's
Peabody Museum (Rouse 1981:63; Dickel 1992:7).
Wyman and Le Baron were followed by an archaeologist from New York, Andrew E. Douglass, who surveyed the
region between 1878 and 1890. The published works of Wyman and Douglass concerning the St. Johns and Indian
River region did a great deal to dispel the misconception that the "shell heaps" were natural and not produced by
prehistoric Native Americans (Milanich 1994:245; Rouse 1981:63; Dicke] 1992:7).
During the winter of 1895-1896, Clarence B. Moore began conducting excavations along the Indian River following
earlier work he had completed along the St. Johns River between 1891-1894. Moore's work, which he conducted
with a large crew, helped to provide the basis for the prehistoric chronology of the region which was better
articulated by mels C. Nelson in 1918 (Rouse 1981:63-64; Dickel 1992:7-8; Milanich 1994:246). Moore's studies
also helped to discern that many of the cooper artifacts found within mounds .Vere of aboriginal, and not European,
origin by conducting compositional analysis of the metal itself. He demonstrated that metal working did exist prior
to European contact and that extensive Nwtive i�uuei Wan trade networks would have existed to supply the material
from the Great Lakes region (Purdy 1996:132-134).
Little attention was paid to this region of Florida until ancient human remains were found in association with
extinct, fossil animal at Veto Beach in 1915. During thc: conmut-tion of a drainagF — v4mil system for the afea,
workers began noticing fossils in the sediments beginning in 1913, In 1915, two local residents were collecting
fossils when they discovered human bones in association with the animal remains. The men contacted E.H.
i
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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
arts APoraysl nra 10240M
ra
Section number H Page _Z_ Indian River Narrows Cultural resource District
Sellards of the Florida Geological Survey and Scllards conducted additional excavations of the site in 1916 (Rouse
1981:65). Sellards concluded that the materials were genuinely contemporaneous with the associated extinct
animals, such as Columbian elephant (Elephas columbi), mastadon (Mammul americanum), horse (Eguus leidyi),
saber -tooth cat (Smilodon spp. ), and other species, and not intrusive to the geological deposit (Sellards 1916:121-
160).
These finds and their apparent association caused an immense controversy because many anthropologists of the
period refused to believe that Indian ancestors had existed in the Americas at such an ancient time. Prominent
anthropologists and geologists took both sides, but those opposing Sellard's view included Ales Hrdlicka, physical
anthropologist at the U.S. National Museum, George G. MacCurdy, archaeologist at Yale University, and Rollin
T. Chamberlin, geologist at the University of Chicago (Sellard 1917:70; Rouse 1981:65). Over the next several
decades as more evidence accumulated and further analysis of existing finds was conducted Sellard's view was
vindicated and the antiquity of human habitation in Florida, and in Indian River County specifically, was
established.
In 1940-1942, excavations on OrchiL. Island and elsewhere along the Treasure Coast were conducted by Charles
D. Higgs, a winter resident of the area from Wisconsin. Higgs identified a series of sites with mixed deposits of
Indian and Spanish material which he correctly attributed to the early Spanish colonial era (Rouse 1981:68). Hale
G, Smith, the Florida Park Service archaeologist, returned to the Higgs Site (originally BR 1341134, now IR 24)
to conduct additional excavations in 1946 (Rouse 1981:68, 212-217). Smith correctly inferred from the existing
evidence that the site was likely associated with salvaging the wrecks from the 1715 Spanish Plate Fleet and was
not a mission or other habitation site (Smith 1956:94), It is now conclusively known that the island has several
other terrestrial (e.g., the McI.arty Site, IR -26) and submerged sites associated with the shipwrecks and salvaging
of vessels from the 1715 Spanish Plate Fleet and the area off shore has become one of intensive treasure salvage
since the 1960s (See Willer aad, Richards 1996).
Additional research on prehistoric and historic period sites was conducted in the 1960s -1970s by both avocational
(Homer Cato) and professional archaeologists (Carl J. Clausen, Adelaide K. Bullen and Ripley P. Buller) which
helped to further refine the archaeological sequences of the area. Beginning in the 1970s and continuing until the
present, much of the archaeological research conducted in Indian River County has been provided by contract
archaeological firms in association with public and private development. Much of the focus of the recent
archaeological research has been to identify site types rind to delineate site boundaries and has riot concentrated
on further refining what is known of the area's cultural or chronological data. Additionally, the current "treatise"
on Florida archaeology, Milanich's Archaeology of Precolumbian Florida (1994) only briefly touches upon the
archaeology of the Indian River region. Dickel points out that there has been little thorough analysis of the data
for the region and that, as a result, knowledge of the remit n is notably lacking (199' 11)
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M f"1
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
oMa Approval No. 4024-MI8
Section number _,H_. Page 3 Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District
A number of studies have been conducted by archaeologists over the last several years on Orchid Island specifically,
ar in Indian River County, which are applicable to the understanding of the sites cultural resources The most recent
extensive study of Indian River County's archaeology is Dickel (1992), however, the first comprehensive study of
the Indian River's regional importance in Florida archaeology was done by Rouse in the early 1950s (1950; 1981)
and his work remains the foundation for later work in the area.
A number of other smaller archaeological studies have been conducted on Orchid Island in recent years which are
relevant to the history of the property. Wing (1978) has studied the dietary subsistence remains of the prehistoric
and Spanish populations which were found at the McL,arty Site, IR -26, located near the north end of Orchid Island
and has identified in detail the various animals used for food. Sigler -Lavelle, Russo and Westphal (1982) and
Russo (1985) have studied the Zaremba Site, located along the high dune adjacent to the ocean beach within the
Zaremba tract of what is now the Sea Oaks development. The Zaremba Site is a small, shallow oyster shell midden
with other faunal remains and ceramics and has been identified as being from the Malabar II period (A.D, 800-
1304).
Both Richard's and Dickel's recent field studies at the Snipes or South Hole Midden Site, IR -828, a large oyster shell
midden at the northern intersection of Jungle Trail and State Road A]A (Richards 1990; Dickel 1992), indicate that
it was a significant prehistoric settlement site. Also, an archaeological survey by Janus Research (1993) discovered
no evidence of prehiscoric occupation on the Disney Vero Beach Resort development project area, though evidence
of modern (20th century) structures were identified. Stanbridge (1995) compiled a history of the use of Jungle Trail
and its development by pioneers and early residents since the late nineteenth century and Lewis and Stanbridge
(1995) have conducted an assessment of nine archaeological sites located along the Jungle Trail. Kanaski (1997)
has conducted archaeological fieldwork at U.S. Fish and Wildlife properties (the Surman and Kennedy tracts) along
Jungle 'frail to assess the potential impact of public -use facilities slated for construction. Finally, Eck, Webster,
and I:ewis have conducted more intensive archaeological testing and historical research on the Cairns (199),
Kennedy (1998), and Surman (1998) tracts, also located along the Jungle Trail.
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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
0M9 Ap Mvat No. 1024-WI8
Section number _L Page _1_ Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District
Major Bibliographical References
Armstrong, Douglas R.
1996 French Castaways at Old Cape Canaveral. Douglas R. Armstrong, Palm Beach.
Ben se, Judith and Barbara E. Matt ick.
1994 archaeological Resources in the Upper St. ,lohns River Valley, Florida. Bureau of Historic Preservation,
Division of Historical Resources, Department of State, Florida.
Bartram, William
1928 Travels of William Bartram. Edited by Mark Van Doren. Originally published in Philadelphia, 1791, as
Travels Through North and South Carolina, Georgia, Tast & West Florida. Dover Publications.
Brown, Charles F,
—A 1915 Drainage ofIrrigated Lands. Fartners' Bulletin No, 371. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington.
Clarkson, C.D.
1936 Tax Survey, Indian River County. Vero Beach, FL.
Cooke, C. Wythe and. Stuart Mossum
1929 Geology of Florida. In Florida State Geological Survey, T wet:tieth Annual Report 1927-1928. Edited by
Ali_v Herman Gunter. The State Geological Survey, Tallahassee.
�� --
Cooke, Richard G.. Lynette Norr and Dolores R. Pilw;rno
1996 Native Americans and the Panamaniass Landscape. In Case Studies in Fnvironmcnial Archaeology.
Interdisciplinaty Contributions to Archaeology Series. Edited by Elizabeth J. Reitz, Lee A. Newsom, and
Sylvia J. Scudder. Plenum Press, New York.
Davis, Richard. A,, Jr,
1997 Geology of the Florida Coast. In The Geology of Floeida. Edited by Anthony F. Randazzo and Dmiglas S
Jones. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.
Deagan, Kathleen A.
1989 The Search for La Navidad, Columbus's 1492 Settlement. In 1�'inst l,-ncvunters: Spanish Explorations in the
Caribbean and the United States, 1492-1370. Edited by Jerald T. Milanich and Susan Milbraith. University
of Florida Press., Gaincsvilic.
a
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€a -W1
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
OMS Approval Na 1024-W18
Section number _.L_ Page 2 Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District
Dickel, David N.
1992 An Archaeological Survey of Indian River County, Florida. A.H.C. Technical Report #55. Archaeological
and Historical Conservancy, Inc., Miami,
Dikinson, Johnathan.
1975 Jonathan Dickinson sJournal, Hod's Protecting Providence. Ed. by Andrews, E.W. and Charles Andrews.
Yale University Press, New Haven.
Dovell, J. E. Dr., Ada Coasts Williams, Ruby Leach Carson, lanthe Bond Hebei, and Charles E. Bennett,
1962 The Last Coast offlorida, A History 3 Vols. The Southern Publishing Company, Delray Beach, Florida.
Dunkle
1964 Text for Atlas Of Florida Tallahassee, Florida.
Eck, Christopher, Karen Webster and Scott P. Lewis
1998 Archaeological Resource Assessment Survey of the Cairns Tract, Orchid Island, Indian River County,
Florida. Jungle Trail ISTEA Enhancement Project. Group Enterprises, Inc., Plantation.
Eck, Christopher, Karen Webster and Scott P. Lewis
1998 Archaeological Resource Assessment Survey ofthe Kennedy East and West Tracts, Pelican Island National
Wildlife Refuge, Orchrd Island, Indian River County, Florida, Jungle Trail ISTEA Enhancement Project.
Group Enterprises, Inc., Plantation.
Eck, Christopher, Karen Webster and Scott P. Lewis
1998 Archaeological Resource Assessment Survey of the Surman Tract, Pelican Island Motional Wildlife Refuge,
Orchid Island Indian River County, Florida, Jungle Trail ISTEA Enhancement Project, Group Enterprises,
Inc., Plantation.
Ewen, Charles R.
1989 Anhaica: Discovery of Hernando de .Soto's 15394540 Winter Camp. In First Encounters: Spanish
Explorations in the Caribbean and the United States, 1492.1570. Edited by Jciald T. Millanicn and Susan
Milbraith. University of Florida Press, Gainesville.
Fortier, Samuel
1910 Irrigation of Orchards. Fanners' Bulletin No. 404. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington.
1917 Practical Infornecetion fir.- Beginners in Irrigranuin. Farmers' Bulletin No. 864, U.S. Dc;partment o€'
Agriculture, Washington.
NP8 Form 10-9004 OMB Apprnvet Na. 102$-WI8
(a -Bl
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number J— Page -I— Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District
Hamilton, Marion
1989 Personal communication.
Higgs, Charles D.
1942 Special Contact with the Ars (Indian River) Country. Florida Historical Quarterly. (VOLUME, PAGE?)
Higgs, Charles D.
1981 The Derrotero of Alvaro Mexia, 1605, In Irving Rouse's A Survey ofindian River Archaeology, Florida,
as Appendix A. First published as Yale Publications in Anthropology Number 44 by the Yale University
Press, New Haven, 1951. Reprinted by the AMS Press, Inc., New York.
Indian River County Historical Society,
1995 Photographs: Jungle Trail Vero Beach, Florida.
Ives, J. C. Lieut.
1856 Military Map of the Peninsula of Florida. War Department of the United States. April.
Janus Research
1993 A Cultural Resource Assessment Survey of the Florida Beach Resort Project Site, Indian River County,
Florida. Janus Research, Orlando.
Johnson, Dudley.
1965 The Railroads of Florida 1865-1900. Ph.D. diss. Florida State University.
Johnston, C.T. and J.D. Stannard
002 How to Isurt`d Sinali irrigation Ditches. Farmers' Bulletin No. 158. U.S, Department of Agriculture,
Washington.
Jones, Elliott
1990 Explore: An Environmental Resources 0tide for hulian River County, Florida. Indian River County School
Distrim. Vera Bench.
Kana5ki, Richard S.
1997 Archaeological Survey of Proposed Public Use Facilities, Pelican Island Nal+ona, Wildlife Refuge, Indian
River County, Florida. United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Savannah,
•
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NPS Forth 7 0 -90D -a
tai
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation 'Sheet
0M,g Appmvill W. f024 -MIS
Section number —L Page -A__. Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District
Larsen, Clark Spencer, Robert L. Kelly, Christopher B. Ruff, Margaret J. Schoeninger, and Vale L. Hutchinson
1996 Biobehavioral Adaptations in the Western Great Basin. In Case Studies in Environmental Archaeology.
Interdisciplinary Contributions to Archaeology Series. Edited by Elizabeth J. Reitz, Lee A. Newsom, and
Sylvia J. Scudder, Plenutn Press, New York,
Lewis, Scott P. and Ruth Stanbridge
1995 Tier 1 Archaeological Resource Assessment Jungle Trail from US AIA to the Winter beach Bridgehead,
Indian River County, Florida. Florida DOT Jungle Trail Enhancement Project. Group Enterprises, Inc.,
Coral Springs, Florida.
Lockwood, Charlotte
1975 l;lorida`s Historic Iridian River County. MediaTronics, Inc., Vero Beach, Florida.
Lyon, Eugene
1967 "More Light on the Indians of the Ays Coast." Unpublished research paper.
1983 The Enterprise of Florida: Pedro Menendez deAvil& and the Spanish Conquest of 1565-1568. Originally
published under the title The Adelantamiento of Florida: 1555-1568, in 1974. The University Presses of
Florida, Gainesville.
1999 Correspondence. Lyon to R. Stanbridge. 4.30,99, Vero Beach, Florida.
Marsh, G. Alex and Leni L, Bane
1995 Life Along the Mangrovp. Shore: A Guide to Common Estuarine Plants and Animals of Southern Florida.
Florida Classics Library, Hobe Sound, Florida.
McGoun, William E.
1993 Prehistoric Peoples of South Florida. The University of Alabama Press, Tuscaloosa.
McMichael, Alan E.
1977 A Model for Barrier Island Settlement Pattern. In The Florida Anthropologist 30 (4):179-195.
Michael, Joe
1990 Personal Cosnnaunicatiofi.
Milanich, Jerald T.
1994 Archaeology of Precolurnbian Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.
1995 Florida Indians and the Invasion from Europe. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.
II
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4010 l8a1
United States Department of the Interior
National Park. Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
OMB ,AppmvW No. 1024-00 t 8
Section number 1 Page .- Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District
Newman, Anna Pearl Leonard.
1953 Stories of Early Life Along The Beautiful Indian River.
Purdy, Barbara
1996 Now to Do Archaeology the Right Way. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.
Ramser, C. E.
1920 Terracing Farm Lands. Farmers' Bulletin No. 997. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington.
Richards, Stone L.
1990 Cultural Resources Assessment Survey Snipes Development Project Indian River County, Florida. Storm
L. Richards & Associates, Inc., Sanford, Florida.
1996 Sea Oaks River [villas Phase 111 Archaeological Pedestrian Survey. Storm L. Richards & Associates, Inc.
Sanford, FL.
Roach, Otto.
1987 Personal communication.
Rouse, Irving
1950 Miscellaneous Sites in the Indian River Area. Yale Peabody Museum, New Haven.
1981 A Survey of Indian River Archaeology, Florida. First published as Yale Publications in Anthropology
Number 44 by the Yale University Press, New Haven, 1951. Reprinted AMS Press, Inc., New York.
Russo, Michael
1985 Zarenrba: A Shorl-Terra Use Molabar Il Sire. Miscellaneous Reports Series 1t25. Tallahassee: Flcr''da State
Museum, Department of Anthropology.
1988 A Comment on Temporal Patterns in Marine Shellfish Use in Florida and Georgia. In Southeastern
Archaeology 7(t):61-68.
Russo, Michael and Dana Ste. Claire
1992 Tomoka Stone: Archaic Period Coastal Settlement in East Florida. In The rlvrida Anthropolog;isi
45(4):336-346.
5t. Lucie County Records.
1917 Minutes of Commission Meeting,. Bridge District.
C-1
40
40
NP$ Farm 10-800-a
4 1")
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
oMip Appfoval No, 1024-000
Section number 1 Page —fi .. Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District
Sauer, Carl Ortwin
1971 Sixteenth Century North America: The Land and the People as Seen by the Europeans. University of
California Press, Berkeley.
Scott, 'Phomas M.
1997 Miocene to Holocene History of Florida. In The Geology of Florida. Edited by Anthony F. Randa73o and
Douglas S. ]ones. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.
Sellards, E.H.
1916 Human Remains and Associated Fossils from the Pleistocene of Florida. In Florida State Geological
Survey, Eighth Annual Report. The State Geological Survey, Tallahassee.
1917 Review of the Evidence on which the Human Remains Found at Vero, Florida, Are Referred to the
Pleistocene. In Florida State Geological Survey, Ninth Annual Report. The State Geological Survey,
Tallahassee.
Short, Carolyn.
1981 Citrus Roots: The Pioneers of the Indian River Life.
Siebert, Wilbur.
1929 Loyalists in East Florida. 2 Vols. Deland, Florida.
Sigler -Lavelle, Brenda, Michael Russo and Myra Westphal
1992 Report of Archaeological Investigations within the ,Zaremba Communities Tract, 1i'abasso Beach, Indian
River County, Florida. Miscellaneous Protect Report Series No. 17, Florida State Museum, Gainesville.
Simons, Erika H.
1986 A Guide for Identifying Otoliths from Archaeological Sites. In Southeastern Archaeology 5(2):138-145.
Smith, Hale G.
1949 Two Archaeological Sites in Brevard County, Florida. Anthropology, Vol. 1 # 1.
1956 The European and the Indian: European -Indian Contacts in Georgia and Florida. Florida Anthropological
Souif:ty Publications No. 4.
e-1
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�7 N PS Form OMO-a
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
OttB Appmvaf No. 1424-0010
Section number —L Page --7-- Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District
Stanbridge, Ruth.
1989 Preliminary Information on the Historical Jungle Trail. Indian River County Historical Society. Vero
Beach, Florida.
1995 Historical Narrative Historic and ScenicJunl le Trail. Ruth Stanbridge Consultant -Historic Research, Vero
Beach, FL.
Strait, Earl D.
1918 Clearing Land. Fanners" Builetin No. 371. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington.
Tebeau, Charlton W.
1973 A History of Florida. University of Miami Press, Coral Gables, Florida.
Thomas, James Milton
1994 General Biological Assessment Cairns Property, Vero Beach, Indian River County. Biosphere Consulting,
Inc., Winter Garden, Florida.
United States Department of Agriculture.
1943 Aerial Photographs (CYX-3C-116, ...).
United States Department of Commerce.
1900 Bureau of the Census, Twelfilt Census of the United States, 1900: Population.
United States Department of the Interior.
1903 General land Office, Field Notes ofthe Survey of the Pelican Island in Indian River, Florida, in Section 9,
Township 31 South, Range 39 Fast. MafOrs 17.
United States Department of the Interior.
1979 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Agreement for the Purchase oflands, LA -Florida, Pelican Island NWR,
Surman Tract.
1.1nited States Department of the Interior.
1990 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Warranty Deed LA -Florida, Pelican Island NWR, Kennedy et at.
Van Landingham, Kyle B.
1976 Pictorial History of 5t. Lucie County, 1565-1910. Ft. Pierce, Florida.
Weller, Robert M. and fl.most A Richards, Jr.
1996 Shipwrecks Near Wabasso Beach. RN RADA Publications, West Palm Beach.
40
40
i
NPS Faun 10.900-a
0-86j
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
orua aatMat Hv. W24-aore
Section number _L Page —8— Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District
Wettstein, Carol A., Chris V. Noble, and James. D. Slabaugh
1987 Sail Survey of Indian River County, Washington: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation
Service.
White, William A.
1970 The Geomorphology of the Jrforida Peninsula, Geological Bulletin No. 51. Florida Department of Natural
Resources, Bureau of Geology, Tallahassee.
Wing, Elizabeth S.
1978 Subsistence at the McLarty Site, Indian River County. In I lorida Anthropologist 31(1):3-7.
Woodward -Clyde Consultants
1994 Physical Features of the Indian River Lagoon. Prepared for the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary
Program. Woodward -Clyde Consultants, Tallahassee.
Works Progress Administration.
1944 Spanish Land Grants in Florida. 5 Vols. Tallahassee, Florida.
Figures
The Indian River Lagoon in Florida
Archaeological Shell Midden Sites Within
The India. River Narrows Cultural Resource District
II
40
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United States Department of the Interior Adapted for the
National Park Service PROPOSAL
of Properties in Florida for
NATIONAL REGISTER of HISTORIC PLACES Nomination to the National Register
REGISTRATION FORM of historic Places
I._Name-of Property
historic name South Hole Midden
other names Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District FMSF Number 8IR828
2. Location
street & number NIA �� not for publication
city or town Orchid LJ vicinity
state FLORIDA code FL county Indian River code zip code n1a
3. Owner Awareness Statement
As the owner, or official representative of the owner, of the property identified above, 1 am aware of this proposal for its
nomination for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. I have been advised of the procedures for review of the
proposal by the State Historic Preservation Office and the Florida National Register Review Board, and for the formal
nomination of the property at the discretion of the State Historic Preservation Officer, I understand that I will be notified of
the date and place of the public meeting at which the proposal will be considered by the Florida National Register Review
Board, and that I will be given an opportunity to submit written comments and to appear in person in support of or
opposition to the nomination of the property. At this time 1 ^ support _ oppose _ reserve opinion on this proposal.
�8 i� y�Ji`�av+c �a cl - ai -00
Signature of property owner or representative Date
4. Legal Description of Property {according to county property appraiser's office)
Attach continuation sheet if necessary
40
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Solh-I- lie Mid en
Name of property
�Inrlian River County, Flod&_
County and State
5. classification
Ownersh;p of Property Category of Property Number of Resources within Property
❑ private
❑ building(s)
K] public -local
❑ district
KI public -State
❑ site
public -Federal
❑ structure
GJ object
Name of related multiple property listing
Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource Distract
Contributing Noncontributing
building(s)
1 0 sites
structures
objects
l 0 total
Number of contributing resources previously
listed in the. National Register
6. Function or use
Historic Fwsctions Current Functions
Domestic° village/ camp site Conservationfpreservation site located within _
Public land purchase known locally as
Korang repurchase -
7. Deseri tion
Architectural Classification Exterior Materials
foundation n/a
Narrauvc D s,=ptlon
(Ik:scrihe the historic and current conftm of the prulxny on one or more continuation shmis)
CI
410
i
NWS Fprm 10.98D-4 RMB Approval No 1024.0018
� I8-Esl
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number -I— rage I South Hole Midden
SUMMARY
The South Hole Midden Site (8.18828) is the best preserved habitation/midden site of its size within the proposed
Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District, and holds great potential for interpretation and research. All of
the known site west of US At and a 50 foot preservation easement to the east of US Al currently is held by the
public.
The South Hole midden is a major habitation site, likely to have been a repeated use small village. Since very little
testing has been undertaken, little is known of its chronology or the variety of material remains it may possess.
However, it appears that the midden will prove to be a prime source of data relevant to the research questions
outlined in Section F of the Multiple Property Listing cover forst (Mickel, 1992:152).
ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING
The South Hole midden is located on Orchid Island, a barrier island that makes up the easternmost portion of the
Atlantic Coastal Ridge (ACR) physiographic province. It is separated from Florida's peninsular mainland by the
Indian River Lagoon to the west, and is further bounded by St. Lucie Inlet to the south, Sebastian Inlet to the north,
and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.
The ACR is a series of relict sandy beach ridges and bars which formed parallel to the Atlantic Ocean through
wave, wind and current action as the sea level has risen and fallen over time. The narrowness and close proximity
of the ACR, which comprises the mainland dune ridges and Orchid Island, to the Atlantic Ocean in Indian River
Cuunt ' has !cd g_ oIJa! is to cumtt5e tli}t thus rtrea !s u nc of thfc geologically 1uc t I.zcVW, oce nw shores to
:.c
formed along the state's Atlantic coast (White 1970:85).
The South l -Tole Midden site lies at the northern end of a secondary dmic, which slopes into the Indian R v er estuary
at South Hole, just to the north of Jungle Trail where the barrier island narrows dramatically to a thin peninsula,
the principal features of which are the primary dune and strand, The elevation of the site stands in marked contrast
to the surrounding estuary, back dune flats, and interdune trough. The nearest freshwater is unknown, but like=y
to be. a now defunct swale marsh in the grove flats southwest of the site (Dicke] 1992; 152).
PERIODS OF SITE OCCUPATION
The periods of ;site occupation can only be approximated because so little testing has been executed. However,
Richards (199U) reports that, based on ceramics recovered from the midden on the cast side of US AIA, it is
unlikely that it predates the Malabar Formative period.
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Zu IBM)
Form iQ 804 A
- }
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number ,Z Page . -
OMa nppmvei No- 1024-0010
South Hole Midden
The date of native abandonment also is difficult to specify. However, numerous historically recorded events
eventually may assist in this placement. Evidence may include artifacts and documents related to the many
shipwrecks that littered this stretch of the Atlantic coast, which began with the vessel carrying Pedro de Bustincury
in 1546 and continued through the Spanish treasure fleet disaster of 1715 (Lyon 1999). It is known, for instance,
that the survivors and the salvors of the 1715 fleet treated with the native population for provisions. The site of
their base camp, the Higgs site, is located on the primary dune between South Hole and the current Sebastian inlet
(Higgs 1942).
PHYSICAI.L DESCRIPTION
The South Hole Site is a large shell midden found on all sides of the intersection of US AIA and the Jungle Trail
within the west 2 of the southwest 114, and the southwest 1/4 of the northwest 114 of section 3 in T 31 S, R 39 E
(Map 1, 2), It extends from the estuary edge north and west of Jungle Trail, cast across US AIA, and ends within
the trough between the primary and secondary dunes west of Scaview Drive within the currently platted Seaview
Development. The overall dimensions of the site are about 245 meters east to west, and about 300 meters north to
south (Dicke] 1992:151).
The site is perched on an elevated secondary dune, and it stands in marked contrast to the surrounding estuary, back
dune flats, and interdime trough. Its elevation ranges from about 10 feet above MSL on the densest part of the
midden ezt of US Al A to 5 feet above MSL south of Jungle Trail. The elevation decreases further to the north
as it approaches South Hole, and to the south and west as it levels into the citrus groves.
The vegetation covering the site to the south of the Jungle Trail and on both sides of US AIA is a mature coastal
hammock. This includes cabbage palm (Sabal palnretio), saw palmetto (Serelloa repens), red bay (Persea
horbrmi:r", live, oak (Q11errus Virainiarrri), gumbo 1. mbii a ] 11i,1'r' 7 y7p gtil{ °i -J, !ns# stau„lut fig {;amicus aures), and
papaya, wild coffee, and hog plum. To the north of Jungle Trail in the low South Hole estuary margin vegetation
may be secondary since clearing and cutting scars were recorded in 1992.
Cultural deposits were evidenced by large areas and exposures of oyster shell, small bar Venus clans, Mercenaria
Quahog, some Busvcon including one with a square hole cut on a whorl, and various unidentified, unmodified
cofuinnella. Despite aburidwit middeii, no ceramics could be tbund on su'14CC, in disturbed or vandalized
exposures, or in at least 10 small shovel tests placed west or US A 1 A. f-lowever. Pichard% (1990) repo -os that
ceramics from tests east of US Al A indicate that it is very unlikely to predate Malabar Normative periods (Dicke!
1992:151).
The sandy matrix of the midden is very black organic stained, with an abrupt transition to coarse, tan sand with
sl ell !rash st sf Eitc subsoil. Middcit deposits iwjig d "Wiii 50 cm to .it} um dcup in icsls placed %vest of USS AIA,
Dickel (1992) points out that these tests were intended to investigate the margins of the midden, not the densest
portions, and that cultural horizons may occur below apparent subsoil that was deposited, for example, by storm
F1
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14PS Farm 10-900-0
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register ofHistoric Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number —L Page 3 -
OMBRppmalW 1024-0719
South Hole Midden
events. The marginal areas contained shell, but less black organic midden stain. Dickel (1992) also notes that
boundary determination along the estuary edge to the northwest can be problematic, where the midden shell grades
into natural shell deposits. Richards (1990) reported the depth of midden deposits to the east of US AIA ranging
from 75 cm. to 1 meter, which may reflect the non-marginal midden deposits to the west as well.
APPEARANCE OF THE SITE DURING THE PREHISTORIC OCCUPATION
Judging the appearance of the South bole Midden site during prehistoric occupation is a daunting task. The
shoreline of Orchid Island is subject to dynamic geomorphic changes. On the one hand. in addition to the normal
erosive action of wind, wave, and current, and the catastrophic action of many storm events, the sea level along the
Atlantic coast has been rising at a rate of approximately I cm. per 25 years for the last 3000 years, or about 1 meter
if we accept a basal date of 500 B.C. In addition, at various times inlets to the north of South Hole have naturally
formed and sealed in several locations, alternatively allowing and denying the outfall of Indian River water, fed
by terrestrial runoff, into the Atlantic Ocean. On the other hand, current water management canals and impermeable
urban ground surfaces effectively shuttle terrestrial water into the Indian River, the onslaught being somewhat offset
by the inlets, or outfalls, that have been fixed in place during the twentieth century.
When the inlet has been closed in the past it has linked the area of Orchid 'Island to the long narrow peninsula
extending down from Cape Canaveral and would have allowed the easy migration of terrestrial animal species to
populate the island. Terrestrial animal species inhabiting the island at various times include a variety of birds,
reptiles, w mphibians, and mammals that could have been exploited for food by prehistoric and historic human
pupu:auuats, Addii unally, about 2555 spxiub oli'fish and u number of crustaceans, mollusks, marine mammals, and
marine turtles exist off the Atlantic shore of the island and about 400 species of fish, 200 mollusks, and many other
animals exist in the Indian River lagoon (Jones 1990:10-11).
The site, nonetheless, very likely was a prominence, though relatively diminutive, as it lay protected in the lee of
the primary dune. it is also likely that the natural inlet at one time flowed nearby to the north in the vicinity of
News Cut. Similar middens adjacent to natural inlets also occur at Gilbert's Bar in Martin County and at .Jupiter
Inlet in Rilm Peach County, half: lo-crted to the south along the Indian Rivct. Wiwi: coastal hastttnock would have
been predominant on the higher elevations of the site. As elevation decreased, vegetation would trend into the
various species of spranna, junc'us, distichlis, and other salt tolerant ,grasses of the high marsh and, finally, into the
mangrove fringc of the Indian River estuary (Myers and Cwef 1990).
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NNS Paan 10900-2
Zu l8-861
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Flags
Continuation Sheet
Section number _L Page .4
PAST AND PRESENT IMPACTS
UAt9 Approval Nv. 1024-0019
South Hole Midden
While construction and maintenance of US AIA and ,Jungle Trail have created serious impacts to the site, large
areas remain in near pristine condition. Immediate stabilization is required along both roadcuts. Currently, the
south face of the madcut along Jungle Trail from the intersection of US AIA south 600 feet to the open field shows
eroded banks of up to 3 feet in height. Any further widening of the right of way will impact the site.
Evidence of vandalism was found north ofJungle Trail and east of US AIA. Shovel holes were found in this area
and appear to be related to gopher turtle and land crab harvesting by local residents. County police and Pelican
Island National Refuge staff were alerted to the practice. Public education and direct notification of violators may
help to curtail these activities.
PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS
'this site was surveyed and tested twice in the past five years. In 1990, Richards (1990) tested property to the east
of US AIA that contains part of the midden and the overall site. Dickel (1992) tested part of the site to the west
of US AIA as part of county -wide survey of archaeological resources.
Combined, Dickel(1992) and Richards (1990) excavated more than 1.5 small test pits along the periphery of the
dense midden area, and one within the densest portion east of the US AIA road cut. The midden deposit's depth
ranged from 5 cm to 75 cin in these test pits and produced a quantity of shell in sandy, black stained matrixes. The
shell was predominantly oyster, but small bar Venus clams, Mercenarra Quahog, and modified Busycon also were
found.
AD
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South Role Midden_
Name of property
iridian River Cotinty. Florida
County and 5late
S. Statement of Significance
Applicable National Register Criteria
Areas of Significance
❑ Agriculture
❑ Industry
❑ Architecture
❑ Maritime history
❑ A Property is associated with events that have made
$1 Archaeology
❑ Military
a significant contribution to the broad patterns of
❑ Community Planning
❑ Politicsl'Govt.
our history.
11 Commerce
❑ Recreation
❑ R Property is associated with the lives of persons
❑ Education
❑ Social History
significant in our past.
❑ Early Settlement
❑ Transportation
❑ Healtli/Medicine
Other:
❑ C Property embodies the distinctive characteristics of
a type, period, or method of construction or
represents the work of a master, or possesses higli
artistic values, or represents a significant and
distinguishable entity whose components lack
individual distinction.
K D Property has yielded or is likely to yield
infonnation important in prehistory or history.
Criteria Considerations
Property is:
❑ A owned by a religious institution or used for
religious purposes.
❑ R removed from its original location.
❑ C a birthplace or grave.
❑ D a cemetery
❑ E a reconstructed building, object or structure.
❑ F a commemorative property.
C less than 50 years of age or achieved significance
within the last 50 years.
Narrative Staternent of Significance
(FxPloia the sijPufk:Ia)Ce of the praixrty nn onr an mole willo amnion sbeels)
9._A32jor Bibliogralihical References
Bibliography
Period(s) of Significance
500 BC -1513 AD
Significant Dates
nla
Significant Person.
lda
Cultural Affiliation
Malabar/St. Johns/Glades l
Malabar/St. Johns/Glades It
Architect/Builder
nfa
CA
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0MR ApPMVQP No, 1074-9018
NP8 Form 104X 4i1
(8.88)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number _L Page —L— South Hole Midden
SUMMARY
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SIGNTFICANCI
Extensive research was conducted on a tract of land adjacent to the South Hole Midden site known as the
Kennedy Tract, and arguments regarding its significance and ability to the address research questions outlined
in Section F.1 of the Multiple Property Listing cover map directly onto the midden site (Eck et al. 1998:22).
Because the tract was formerly partially estuarine -related in character, its location at the narrow end of Orchid
Island and proximity to the resources of both the Indian River and the Atlantic Ocean would have provided
excellent food procurement potential for prehistoric people. As Dickel (1992:65) notes, the margins of the
barrier island adjacent to the. Indian River are "well-documented as an important focus of the prehistoric and
protohistoric Ais economy, occupation, and population density." The mangrove ecosystem which flourished
along; the Indian River shore provided the requisite environment to support a vast number of interdependent
plant and animal species (Marsh and Bane 1995), which would then be used in turn used by the Indians and
later settlers. Additionally, the property would have also provided the drier upland area favored for habitation
that many low areas adjacent to the estuary would not (Eck ct al. 1998:22).
Because of the property's position on higher ground between both the Indian River estuary and the ocean, it
would have been a suitable habitation and food procurement and processing site. The estuary would have
provided a number of foods such as oyster, quahog, ribbed mussel (Geukensia detnissa), pear whelk (Busycon
spiratirm), crown conch (Melongena carona), pink shrimp (Penaeus dunrarttn+), stone crab (Menippe
mercenaria), blue crab (Cafdinectes sapidus), manatee (7richecus manatrrs), and numerous fish, waterfowl, and
reptiles (Eck et al. 1998:23).
The coastal hammock would have been a source of gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphenuus), snakes, frogs, wild
turkey (1LMeleagrw gallopavo), quail (Colinus virginianmv), deer (0 docoileuv virginiaituv), and other numerous
small animals and plants. The coastal strand and near shore area would have made accessible foods such as
coquina, Atlantic surf clam (Spisula salidissirna sindlis), fighting conch (Strombres alatuv), hawk -wing conch
(Strombus rainus), bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops iruncatus), loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), acrd
nuiuGrous fish. However, the strand and primary dune were rarely occupied except for spcciali=_ed food
processing areas because of their exposure. Dickel notes that it is the area of the secondary dunes to the estuary
edge, such as where the Kenned tract is located, that village, llabitatioi% and specialized activity sites
predominate (Dickel 1992:65.66). This is due to the inhospitable coverage afforded from enemies, wind and
water along the exposed primary dune and strand and partly because of the shifting and unstable nature of the
dunes themselves (Eck et al. 1998:23).
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NP8 Form 10-900-x
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number J— Page -2.
OMR Appmvg Na. 102" IS
South Hole Midden
Because the Kennedy tract sits amidst the low, secondary dune ("hurricane") ridges that slope to the estuary
edge in a transition from coastal hammock vegetation (with its adjacent archaeological site), it was considered
a high probability area for an archaeological deposits, This model loosely matches the common-sense model
formulated by McMichael (1977) for Georgia barrier islands, where the greatest number of sites tend to be in
the interior on higher, better drained uplands which are more suited for habitation (Eek et al. 1398:23).
tr
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' --South Hole Nfidderl
Nemo of propmty
14. Gtogrraphic Date
Acreage of property
Ui'M References
IndiIII RiElprida
cowy end slats
1 _ 3
zone Easting Northing zone Easting Northing
2 4
zone Easting Northing zone Easting Northing
Verbal Boundary Description
Boundary Justification
IL Form Prepared By .,
nanwAitle Scott P. Lewis. Archaeoloeists and Karen Webster, Histonan
organization Group Enterprises, Inc. date July 1499
street & number _ 7744 Peters Road, Suite 311 telephone — 5611736-3377
city or town Plantation state Florida zip code 33324
Additional Documentation
Continuation Sheets
Maps
A USGS map
A Sketch rnap
Photographs
Additional items
P=e!ly Owner
name Indi€zn River County Bawd of County Commissioners
street & number 1$40 25'i Street telephone 561.567-8000 X258
city or town 'Vero l3raeh state Flarida tip 3246V
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C-1
4P
NPS Form 10-900-9
()
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
oMs Apppmve) No. 1074-00 18
f Section number —2— Page .I. South Hole Midden
Major Bibliographical References
Dickel, David N.
1992 An Archaeological Survey oflndian River County. Florida. A.H.C. Technical Report 455.
Archaeological and Historical Conservancy, Inc., Miami.
Eck, Christopher, Karen Webster and Scott P. Lewis
1998 Archaeological Resource Assessment Survey of the Kennedy East and Were Tracts, Pelican Island
National lf'ildlife Refuge, Orchid Island, Indian River County, Florida. Jungle Trail IS'1'EA
Enhancement Project. Group Enterprises, Inc., Plantation.
Higgs, Charles D.
1942 Special Contact with the Als (Indian River) Country. Florida Historical Quarterly 21 (1): 25-39.
Jones, Elliott
1994 Explore: An Environmental Resources Guide for Indian River County, Florida. Indian River County
School District, Vero Beach.
Lyon, Eugene
1999 Correspondence. Lyons to R. Stanbridge. 4.34.99. Vero Beach, Florida.
Marsh, G. Alex and Leni L. Bane
1995 Life Along the Mangrove Shore: A Guide to Common Estuarine Plants and Animals of Southern
Florida. Florida Classics Library, Hobe Sound, Florida.
McMichael, Alan E.
1977 A Model for Barrier Island Settlement Pattern. In The Florida Anthropologist 30 (4).179-195.
Myers, Ronald L., and John J. Ewel
1990 Ecosystems of Florida. University of Central Florida Press, Orlando, Florida.
_Richards, Storm L.
1'990 Cultural Resources Assessment Survey Snipes Development Project Indian River County, Florida.
Storm L. Richards & Associates, Inc., Sanford, Florida.
White, William A.
1970 "':;e Geijaiwphology irjtlle Malities I'rl+ nsula. Cicuiogicai Bulletin No. S 1, Florida Department of
Natural Resources, Bureau of Geology, Tallahassee.
11111110
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NPS Form 104?00-a oMn Appmval No. 1024 -Ml
cel
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number —14_ Wage _1_. South Hole Midden
VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCWTION
The boundary of that portion of the South Hole Midden site that lies on the secondary dune is conspicuous due the
abrupt 3-5 foot rise above the interdune trough to the east, and the low, level barrier island/back dune flats to the
south and southwest, and the estuary edge to the north and northwest. The toe of the secondary dune and midden
is accentuated on the south and west by a shallow drainage ditch that once bordered citrus groves in the flats. The
roadcuts of US A]A and Jungle Trail, and other surface exposures reveal the dense shell and black organic soil of
the midden.
BOUNDARY JUSTIFICATION
That portion of the boundary of the south Hole .Midden site that is coinsidant with the toe of the secondary dune
and contains the densest midden materials is well defined. However, it is more difficult to define shallower shell
and artifact scatter within the barrier islandlback dune fiats to the south and the interdune slough to the east and
northeast. These areas may represent what has been defined elsewhere as a shell field, or an extension of the
habitation area on the periphery of the main midden. The shell field in these areas appears to extend beyond the
publicly owned land, and it is clear that more testing is required to determine these boundaries. Similarly difficult
to define at present is the boundary line to the north and northwest as the midden shell field grades into natural
estuary shell deposits.
lip
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NPS Forth 10-9004 ome Approvd No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number --LL Page —L— South bole Midden
Photographic Log
1. South Hole Midden 8IR828
2, Indian River County
3. drank D. Rodriguez
4. 12.22.99
5.Scott P. Lewis Historic Preservation Services, Inc.
6. Camera facing north; midden to east and west of US AIA right of way; Jungle Trail enters at !eft apposite
parked vehicle.
7. Photo 899 -ODA, lof4.
Numbers 1-5 are the same for the following photographs
6. Camera facing south; intersection of US AIA and Jungle Trail.
7. Photo 899-8A, 2 of 4,
6. Camera facing east; roadcut at northwest toe of secondary dune and midden, estuary is to the left.
7. Photo 899-12A, 3 of 4.
6. Camera facing north; surface exposure showing shell and black organic soil of midden.
7. Photo 899-20A, 4 of 4.
4D
40
61
APM
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a y 1 Saudi Hole Midden
1 RIR 8
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.I.1 L]SGS Sebastian Squad
l 1 11149 ps. 1970
1 24000
01
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