A Cultural Resources Survey for Improvements at the Yuma Territorial Prison State Park, Yuma County, Arizona

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) proposes to improve a parking lot at the Yuma Territorial Prison State Park. The prison is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The construction will involve resurfacing the existing blacktop, placing gravel over a dirt parking area, widening a road to add parking spaces, and removing a 1949 sidewalk near the picnic area.

Under their on-call contract with ADOT, Kimley-Hom & Associates, Inc., requested Archaeological Consulting Services, Ltd. (ACS) to conduct a Class Ill cultural resources survey of the project area to provide an inventory and assessment of cultural resources that might be impacted by the proposed improvements. Additionally, ACS conducted archival research to document the foundation of a historic prison wall known to be located beneath the parking area blacktop.

The fieldwork was performed on October 31 and November I, 2000 by Karolyn J. Jackman, working under noncollection permit #2000-21BL issued by the Arizona State Museum (ASM). Three surface artifact scatters were identified on the hillside between the parking area and the sidewalk.