Downtown Blocks Testing

Purpose

Desert Archaeology conducted testing to determine if subsurface cultural resources were present on two blocks located within the original townsite in downtown Tucson, in advance of possible development of parcels being used as parking lots.

Actions

• Historical document review to identify archaeologically sensitive properties

• Trenching within existing parking lots on Blocks 174 and 175

• Evaluation of encountered cultural resources for National Register of Historic Places eligibility

Results

• Desert Archaeology located 10 features on Block 174 and 86 features on Block 175, dating between the 1870s and 1940s, and containing artifacts discarded by residents.

• Multiple large trash-filled pits located on Block 175 contained artifacts dating from the 1870s to the 1910s, spanning the crucial period prior to and after the arrival of the railroad in 1880. These ceramics, beverage and medicine bottles, buttons, and other items can provide new insights into changing purchasing patterns for the pre-1880 period, which is not well represented in the archaeological features excavated to date in Tucson.

• Backyard trash features contained animal bone and food and beverage containers alongside other datable artifacts that will allow linkages to specific documented households. This makes it possible to understand differences in diet among households of different ethnicities and income, as well as changes through time.

• Because of the high likelihood of multiple additional features being present on the blocks, Desert Archaeology recommended that data recovery be conducted prior to any future development.