Monitoring of Bluff Contouring: Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site

The purpose of the archeological work conducted at the Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site was to monitor the removal of excess fill material from the bluff south of Fort Union. Sometime after Fort Union was abandoned, a large gravel pit was dug west of the Fort. This pit removed a section of the bluff in front (south) of the Fort and part of the Fort’s southwest Bastion. After the establishment of Fort Union as a National Historic Site efforts were made to fill the eastern part of the pit. This was done to stabilize the area adjacent to the Fort to facilitate archeological excavation and reconstruction of the Fort. Luring archeological excavation and reconstruction excess fill continued to be dumped over the edge of the bluff.

The purpose of this project was to reestablish the contours of the bluff as they appear in sketches of the area done in the mid 1800s. A track mounted backhoe was used to remove excess fill from the side of the bluff.

This work is authorized as part of the compliance process under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 19136, as amended in 1984 and 1988, to facilitate planning and avoidance during fill removal activities.