lancaster

Wyoming County

Site Name:

Falls Bridge Site (36 WO 56)

Borough, Township:

West Falls Borough, Exeter Township

Author:

Robert G. Kingsley, Ph.D. rkingsle@johnmilnerassociates.com

Representing:

John Milner Associates, Inc.

Date of Site:

Late Middle Archaic, Late Archaic, Terminal Archaic, Middle Woodland

Project Sponsor:

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, District 4-0

Brief Description: The Falls Bridge site was discovered during an archeological survey for a new bridge over the North Branch of the Susquehanna River at West Falls, Wyoming County. Located on a high bluff overlooking the river, the site is a stratified occupation ranging in age from the late Middle Archaic through the Terminal Archaic, with a Middle Woodland occupation as well. Radiocarbon dates from several features span 3620 BC - AD 220. The Late Archaic occupation was particularly dense, and appeared as a dark organic horizon in wall profiles at about one meter below surface.
The archeological investigations at Falls included an unusual soil density experiment conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The area of the stratified site was to be used as an access road to the river, and would be subjected to dump trucks and heavy equipment running over it for a lengthy span of time. Thus, the possibility that the site deposits and artifacts might be disturbed by soil compaction was a problem. In order to prevent such disturbance, PennDOT laid heavy geotextile matting and eighteen inches of fill material over the site. In conjunction, archeological excavations were conducted in two stages, both before and after the covering of the site and the use of heavy equipment. Also, PennDOT conducted before-and-after soil density testing using a nuclear density meter. The object of the density testing was to determine whether significant compaction of the site soils had occurred from the heavy equipment running over the site.

Importantly, the soil density testing results indicated no significant compaction of the site soil. Further, the archeological excavations conducted after the geotextile and fill were removed revealed no unusual breakage or damage to artifacts, including large Middle Woodland pottery sherds lying only about 50 centimeters below surface. Thus, the Falls Bridge excavations demonstrate that archeological sites may be successfully protected during construction activities through capping with geotextile matting and fill.
Another unusual aspect of the Falls Bridge investigations involves the new bridge itself. As a public education project, representatives of PennDOT District 4-0 wanted to produce a visual commemoration of the archeology at Falls Bridge, and of northeastern Pennsylvania in general. So, they asked John Milner Associates to design a some kind of visually-inspiring display that would be cast in concrete on the south wing wall of the new bridge. A large-scale display of eight representative projectile points and two pottery vessels was drawn up, and used to create a fibreglass mold (shown in photo at top of section). The artifacts were then cast in bas-relief in concrete on the side of the bridge wing wall. The display is about two meters tall, and never fails to attract the attention of any and all passersby. PennDOT District 4-0 is to be commended for their conception and sponsorship of the wing wall project.

Wyoming County
Site Name:	Falls Bridge Site (36 WO 56)
Borough, Township:	West Falls Borough, Exeter Township
Author:	Robert G. Kingsley, Ph.D. rkingsle@johnmilnerassociates.com
Representing:	John Milner Associates, Inc.
Date of Site:	Late Middle Archaic, Late Archaic, Terminal Archaic, Middle Woodland
Project Sponsor:	Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, District 4-0
Brief Description: The Falls Bridge site was discovered during an archeological survey for a new bridge over the North Branch of the Susquehanna River at West Falls, Wyoming County. Located on a high bluff overlooking the river, the site is a stratified occupation ranging in age from the late Middle Archaic through the Terminal Archaic, with a Middle Woodland occupation as well. Radiocarbon dates from several features span 3620 BC - AD 220. The Late Archaic occupation was particularly dense, and appeared as a dark organic horizon in wall profiles at about one meter below surface. The archeological investigations at Falls included an unusual soil density experiment conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The area of the stratified site was to be used as an access road to the river, and would be subjected to dump trucks and heavy equipment running over it for a lengthy span of time. Thus, the possibility that the site deposits and artifacts might be disturbed by soil compaction was a problem. In order to prevent such disturbance, PennDOT laid heavy geotextile matting and eighteen inches of fill material over the site. In conjunction, archeological excavations were conducted in two stages, both before and after the covering of the site and the use of heavy equipment. Also, PennDOT conducted before-and-after soil density testing using a nuclear density meter. The object of the density testing was to determine whether significant compaction of the site soils had occurred from the heavy equipment running over the site. Importantly, the soil density testing results indicated no significant compaction of the site soil. Further, the archeological excavations conducted after the geotextile and fill were removed revealed no unusual breakage or damage to artifacts, including large Middle Woodland pottery sherds lying only about 50 centimeters below surface. Thus, the Falls Bridge excavations demonstrate that archeological sites may be successfully protected during construction activities through capping with geotextile matting and fill. Another unusual aspect of the Falls Bridge investigations involves the new bridge itself. As a public education project, representatives of PennDOT District 4-0 wanted to produce a visual commemoration of the archeology at Falls Bridge, and of northeastern Pennsylvania in general. So, they asked John Milner Associates to design a some kind of visually-inspiring display that would be cast in concrete on the south wing wall of the new bridge. A large-scale display of eight representative projectile points and two pottery vessels was drawn up, and used to create a fibreglass mold (shown in photo at top of section). The artifacts were then cast in bas-relief in concrete on the side of the bridge wing wall. The display is about two meters tall, and never fails to attract the attention of any and all passersby. PennDOT District 4-0 is to be commended for their conception and sponsorship of the wing wall project.