Richard T. Foley Site
Encyclopedia
The Richard T. Foley Site is an archaeological site
in Jackson Township
, Greene County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
, in the southwestern corner of the state. Located along Job Creek, the site was known since the late 1960s to local artifact collectors as a valuable collection location. Significant artifacts were discovered by landowner Richard T. Foley in 1971, when he began to plow part of the site to expand his garden
. Having found bits of flint, bone, and pottery, Foley contacted local archaeologists, who soon began a three-year excavation of the property. A larger investigation was carried out by archaeologists from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History
in 1982; they discovered that the area previously excavated was only the periphery of a larger campsite. Later in 1982, work led by James T. Herbstritt discovered a village site
elsewhere on the property.
A large number of artifacts found in the midden
at the Foley Site are animal-related, including bones of birds and a wide range of animals, as well as shells of box turtle
s. Also present are metal and clay objects such as beads and combs, but perhaps the most significant discovery at the site was that of European-produced objects made of brass
and glass
. The presence of these objects enabled archaeologists to determine that the village site was occupied during the Historic Monongahela
period. Like the Foley Site, many Monongahela villages are located in river bottoms
.
In 1984, the Foley Site was added to the National Register of Historic Places
because of its information-yielding potential.
Archaeological site
An archaeological site is a place in which evidence of past activity is preserved , and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology and represents a part of the archaeological record.Beyond this, the definition and geographical extent of a 'site' can vary widely,...
in Jackson Township
Jackson Township, Greene County, Pennsylvania
Jackson Township is a township in Greene County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 516 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and 0.03% is water....
, Greene County
Greene County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 40,672 people, 15,060 households, and 10,587 families residing in the county. The population density was 71 people per square mile . There were 16,678 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in the southwestern corner of the state. Located along Job Creek, the site was known since the late 1960s to local artifact collectors as a valuable collection location. Significant artifacts were discovered by landowner Richard T. Foley in 1971, when he began to plow part of the site to expand his garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
. Having found bits of flint, bone, and pottery, Foley contacted local archaeologists, who soon began a three-year excavation of the property. A larger investigation was carried out by archaeologists from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Carnegie Museum of Natural History, located at 4400 Forbes Avenue in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, was founded by the Pittsburgh-based industrialist Andrew Carnegie in 1896...
in 1982; they discovered that the area previously excavated was only the periphery of a larger campsite. Later in 1982, work led by James T. Herbstritt discovered a village site
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
elsewhere on the property.
A large number of artifacts found in the midden
Midden
A midden, is an old dump for domestic waste which may consist of animal bone, human excrement, botanical material, vermin, shells, sherds, lithics , and other artifacts and ecofacts associated with past human occupation...
at the Foley Site are animal-related, including bones of birds and a wide range of animals, as well as shells of box turtle
Box turtle
The box turtle , or box tortoise is a genus of turtle native to North America . The 12 taxa which are distinguished in the genus are distributed over four species. It is largely characterized by having a domed shell, which is hinged at the bottom, allowing the animal to close its shell tightly to...
s. Also present are metal and clay objects such as beads and combs, but perhaps the most significant discovery at the site was that of European-produced objects made of brass
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
and glass
Glass
Glass is an amorphous solid material. Glasses are typically brittle and optically transparent.The most familiar type of glass, used for centuries in windows and drinking vessels, is soda-lime glass, composed of about 75% silica plus Na2O, CaO, and several minor additives...
. The presence of these objects enabled archaeologists to determine that the village site was occupied during the Historic Monongahela
Monongahela tribe
The Monongahela culture were a Native American cultural manifestation of Late Woodland peoples in present-day western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio and West Virginia from AD 1050 to 1635...
period. Like the Foley Site, many Monongahela villages are located in river bottoms
Upland and lowland (freshwater ecology)
In studies of the ecology of freshwater rivers, habitats are classified as upland and lowland.-Definitions:Upland habitats are cold, clear, rocky, fast flowing rivers in mountainous areas; lowland habitats are warm, slow flowing rivers found in relatively flat lowland areas, with water that is...
.
In 1984, the Foley Site was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
because of its information-yielding potential.
See also
- List of Native American archaeological sites on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania
Further reading
- Hennen, James and Dorothy Hennen. The Foley Site 36Gr52 Greene County, Pennsylvania.
- Herbstritt, James T. Field Work at the R.T. Foley Site 1982.
- Jones, Frank. "The Archaeological Fields of Southwestern Pennsylvania". Horn Papers 2: 743-754. ScottdaleScottdale, PennsylvaniaScottdale is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh. Scottdale is the home of the Southmoreland Scotties. Early in the 20th century, Scottdale was the center of the Frick coke interests...
: Herald, 1945.