Finding Aid, Smith's Fork Site (23CL223) 2009-2010

This collection is referred to as “Smith’s Fork Site (23CL223) 2009–2010.” This name is consistent throughout the finding aid, the file folders, and the box label. The extent of this collection is one and three quarters (1.75) linear inches. The documents from this project were USACE- Kansas City District Smith’s Fork Site (23CL223) 2009-2010 2009-2011 Gina Powell, Principal Investigator 3 received by the VCP in plastic storage containers with the associated artifacts. The documents were removed from these containers and placed into an acid-free box.

There were several types of documents in this collection, including paper, oversized, and electronic materials. Specially, the collection contained field, analysis, report, and electronic records, including University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) excavation forms, a “Rite in the Rain” field notebook, handwritten and electronic artifact catalogs, an oversized grid map, digital photographs of the fieldwork and artifacts, electronic maps of Smithville and the Smith’s Fork Site, and a Master’s thesis by Douglas Shaver (2011). The excavation forms were originally housed in two binders, while an artifact catalog was contained within a bound spiral notebook. The majority of these records fell between the years 2009 and 2010, when the most fieldwork was conducted at the Smith’s Fork Site. Some records were from 2011, after the fieldwork was completed, but these are associated with Shaver’s 2011 Master’s thesis.

All of the materials received were in good condition, apart from some staining and smudging on the UMKC excavation forms, “Rite in the Rain” field notebook, the oversized grid map, and the handwritten artifact catalog. The excavation forms and handwritten artifact catalog were removed from their original housing to reduce contact with any remaining field contaminates. The field notes within the “Rite in the Rain” field notebook were left intact to due to the notebook’s secure binding. The oversized map had acidic tape removed from around its edges. A sticky residue was left, which was covered by mending tissue. The map was also flattened because it had been rolled up prior to arriving at the VCP.

Of particular note was the presence of electronic materials within this collection. The electronic materials were received on two CDs. The majority of the files from the CDs were organized into a new series, titled Electronic Records, rather than ordered into the Field or Analysis Record Series, to preserve the integrity of these unique documents. The Electronic Records Series files were organized first by their original folder grouping and then by date. Dates were determined using original file folder names, photographic dates listed within the original file folders, or the photographic materials’ contents. If no date information could be gleaned from the file’s information or contents, then a file’s folder name was used when applicable. The files were originally saved in JPEG and BMP formats, so copies of the files were saved in a new format to conform to VCP standards. The photograph files were saved as TIFF files, and map files were saved as PDFs.

One CD was labeled “Smith’s Fork, 23CL223, Site Photos, Lab Photos, Maps, Catalogs” and included two folders “Lab photos 2010” and “Maps,” and several Excel® spreadsheets. The “Lab photos 2010” folder had 52 digital photographs of artifacts. The “Maps” folder had 52 site maps created using Geographic Information Systems software. The Excel® spreadsheets on this CD included an artifact catalog from the 2009 to 2010 fieldwork, an artifact catalog based on a 1976 survey of the Smith’s Fork Site, and a catalog of the auger tests from 2009. These catalogs were printed on acid-free paper and placed in the Analysis Records. The second CD was labeled as “Smith’s Fork, 23CL222, Site Photos.” The label “23CL222” was a mistake, as the Smith’s Fork Site only has one site number associated with it, 23CL223. The two file folders were labeled “Site Photos April 2010” and “Site Photos May 2010.” Both folders contained more than just site photographs. “Site Photos April 2010” had digital photographs of fieldwork and artifacts. This folder also had a zip file with three grid maps. Dates could be attributed to a majority of these photographs. The date, however, could not be determined for four of the photographs. Based on a comparison with some of the artifact photographs and the similarity between the two sets, the undated photographs could possibly USACE- Kansas City District Smith’s Fork Site (23CL223) 2009-2010 2009-2011 Gina Powell, Principal Investigator 4 date to August 2010. “Site Photos May 2010” had digital photographs of field work and artifacts, and individual files of the same maps found in the “Site Photos April 2010” folder. It was determined that the grid maps were originally associated with the “Site Photos May 2010” due to their original file names. This organization was maintained within the record series.

No final report was associated with this investigation. However, information from this investigation was covered in Douglas Shaver’s Master’s thesis (2011). Specifically, he documented the previous archaeological investigations, the 2009 and 2010 investigations, and geospatial analysis of the site