The Historic Mining Community of Summitville During the Great Depression: A Historical Archaeological Approach.

Thirty-Three historic structures in various stages of decay are all that remain of the gold mining community of Summitville. Summitville, which is nestled in the mountains of southern Colorado, was once known as one of the most productive gold mines in all of the state. This community was organized into a Company Town in 1934. There have been no prior archaeological investigations at this site, and, therefore, little is known about how far the company went to control the residents and their everyday lives. Based on the results from survey, readings, and interviews it can be shown that Summitville had a different social dynamic when it came to the company versus employees. What emerges from this research is a picture of a company town that seemed to occupy a more central location somewhere between complete paternalistic control and something that is more akin to benign paternalism. Background research, ethnographic interviews, in addition to comparative research into regional and national company town comparisons aided in the archaeological interpretations of what was a unique version of a Company Town.

坐落于科罗拉多州南部山区的萨米特维尔（Summitville）曾是该州产能最为出众的金矿之一，如今仅存33处处于不同衰败阶段的历史建筑，作为这座金矿社区仅余的遗迹。该社区于1934年被规划为公司镇（Company Town）。该遗址此前从未开展过考古调查，因此学界对该矿业公司在多大程度上管控居民及其日常生活的细节知之甚少。基于实地勘测、数据读取与访谈的成果，可证实萨米特维尔在资方与雇员的社会关系上呈现出独特的动态格局。本研究揭示出该公司镇的管控图景：其模式介于彻底的父权式管控与近乎温和家长制之间的中间地带。背景调研、民族志访谈，结合针对区域及全国范围内公司镇的比较研究，为解读这一独特的公司镇形态提供了考古学层面的阐释支撑。