Phase II Archeological Testing of Sites 12SP271, 12SP272, and 12SP291 at the Rockport Generating Plant

This report presents the results of Phase II investigations (prehistoric site testing) conducted at the Rockport Generating Plant, Spencer County. The plant is being built by Indiana & Michigan Electric Company, a subsidiary of American Electric Power Company, Inc. and will consist of two 1.3 million Kilowatt Coal burning
generating units. The investigations were designed to determine the significance of three prehistoric sites (12SP271, 12SP272, 12SP291) based upon National Register Criteria 36CFR60.6. The test excavations were conducted by Resource Analysts, Inc. (RAI) for American Electric Power (Figure 1). Indiana University, Glenn Black Lab conducted the Phase I investigations for Indiana & Michigan Electric Company. In 1973, Thomas Green did a preliminary survey of 2,400 acres. In the course of this survey, six previously recorded sites and 29 new ones were identified, including sites 12SP271 and 12SP272. In the summer of
1977, James Denbow did a survey of an additional, 1,155 acres. Denbow re-examined 19 sites previously identified by Green and discovered 31 previously unknown sites including 12SP291. The RAI investigations were conducted in the north 1/2 of section 36, R 6 W , T6 S (12SP271, 12SP272) and section 31, R 5 W, T6 S (12SP291). These three sites are located on low ridges along the 400 ft contour interval, which is defined as the second terrace of the Ohio River. The Early Archaic tradition appears to dominate the tool assemblages of these three sites. On June 25, 1984, RAI began the Phase II investigations at site 12SP291. The fieldwork for all three sites was completed on July 11, 1984. The field crew consisted of Dr. John T Dorwin (Principal Investigator), Robert G. McCullough (Field Director), with technical assistance from Scott Ogle, Bernie Hannon and Jeff Munsick.