Geophysical Prospection And Archeological Investigations Of The Proposed Bridge Replacement, Entrance Road Realignment, And New Visitor Parking Lot Project At The Fort Larned National Historic Site, 14PA305, Pawnee County, Kansas

The National Park Service’s Midwest Archeological Center staff with Volunteer-
In-Parks participants conducted geophysical investigations of the underground electric line installation construction project at the Fort Larned National Historic Site (14PA305) in Pawnee County, Kansas. The geophysical investigations were conducted between July 13 and July 18, 2009. The investigations were requested by the FOLS resource manager at the Fort Larned National Historic Site. The project was located along the western side of the fort next to the row of Officers’ Quarters. The geophysical survey included a magnetic survey with dual fluxgate gradiometer and a resistance survey with a resistance meter and twin probe array. The geophysical survey was conducted in an attempt to identify any buried archeological remains associated with the fort in the vicinity of the construction project for the installation of the park’s underground electric line. The archeological monitoring of the underground electric line installation
occurred between November 17 and 19, 2009. The monitoring activities included the documentation of the installation line and new transformer locations with a global positioning system unit and the monitoring of excavations for the directional boring access pits. The geophysical survey identified numerous buried archeological remains associated with the remnants of the military activities at the site, as well as more recent 19th and 20th century farming and park activities at the site. The total area investigated by the geophysical survey in the FOLS geophysical project area was 16,161 m2 or 3.99 acres.