The Harroun Site (University of Texas Site No. 41UR10), in the extreme
northeastern corner of Upshur County, Texas, is one of several sites
excavated in the Ferrell’s Bridge Reservoir area as a part of the
Inter-Agency Archeological Salvage Project. The site, which consisted of
four small mounds on the south floodplain of Cypress Creek, was located
and recorded by E. Mott Davis and Bernard Golden in October, 1957. It
promised to produce valuable archeological data, and since it was
scheduled to be completely submerged by Ferrell’s Bridge Reservoir in
the summer of 1959, immediate steps were taken to provide for salvage
excavations prior to its inundation.
In December, 1957, a National Park Service field party excavated the
smallest of the four mounds, Mound A. A single extended burial
containing two pottery vessels and an arrow point, was found in a
shallow grave beneath the mound. It appeared that Mound A had been
erected for the purpose of covering the burial. While Mound A was being
excavated, the entire site was mapped, several trenches and test pits
were dug in the floodplain of Cypress Creek near Mound A, and some of
the trees and bushes were cleared from the other three mounds.
In September, 1958, under terms of a co-operative agreement between The
University of Texas and the National Park Service, a crew of the Texas
Archeological Salvage Project returned to Harroun to complete the
investigation of the site. Because of time limitations it was apparent
that all three of the remaining mounds (B, C, and D) could not be
entirely excavated. Therefore, it was decided to concentrate on Mound C
since it appeared superficially to be the least disturbed of the three.
After excavation of Mound C was well under way, a portion of the crew
was moved to Mound B and it was also opened. Both mounds were found to
contain burned remains of house structures.
[Illustration: Fig. 1
HARROUN SITE
41 UR 10
PLAN OF SITE
solid lines mark measured locations
dashed lines mark approximate locations]
LOW MARSHY AREA
FENCE
MOUND C
BORROW PIT
LAKE
high water drainage channel
MOUND B
CYPRESS CREEK
MOUND A
MOUND D
Investigation of Mound D was begun late in September a few days before
the termination of the dig. Time did not permit complete excavation of
Mound D that season, but it was tested sufficiently to reveal that
it—like Mounds B and C—contained the burned remains of at least one
house.
During the 1958 season, in addition to the work at Mounds B, C, and D,
several trenches and test pits were dug in the floodplain near the
mounds in a fruitless search for additional occupational features.
A final trip was made to the site in February, 1959, by L. F. Duffield,
W. A. Davis, and E. Mott Davis of the Texas Archeological Salvage
Project. They spent three days exposing and recording the portion of the
house at Mound D which had been left unexcavated the previous fall.
As a result of the investigations at the Harroun Site in 1957, 1958, and
1959, all four of the mounds were completely excavated except for
certain marginal portions and several check blocks. In addition, the
area surrounding the mounds was tested sufficiently to show that there
was no general area of occupation near the mounds. The excavation of the
Harroun Site was supervised by the senior author. The junior author
served as an assistant archeologist during both the 1957 and 1958
seasons.
The artifacts recovered indicate affiliation with the Fulton Aspect of
the Caddoan Area (Suhm _et al._, 1954: 151-161). The Fulton Aspect is
the later of two aspects that have been recognized in the Caddoan Area
as belonging to the agricultural, ceramic Mississippi culture pattern of
the Southeastern United States.
To the Corps of Engineers, whose personnel at Ferrell’s Bridge extended
many courtesies and co-operated with the archeological field parties in
every possible way, we express our sincere gratitude. Special
acknowledgment is due Dr. E. Mott Davis and Dr. J. F. Epstein, staff
archeologists of The University of Texas, who visited the site while the
dig was in progress, and who not only aided the progress of the
excavations by flexing their muscles over shovels and wheelbarrows, but
also offered much valuable advice toward solving the technical problems
encountered in the field. Their prowess with their guitars contributed
greatly to the conviviality of the field camp in the evenings.
A word of thanks and appreciation is due the shovel hands who worked at
the Harroun Site in 1957, 1958, and 1959. All extended themselves beyond
normal expectation in order to accomplish a maximum amount of work in
the limited time available. They are John B. Johnson, Robert L.
Brockman, Thomas V. Loveday, W. Brent Hempkins, Floyd W. Sharrock,
Andrue Moore, A. C. Harvey, and W. C. Jones. We wish also to thank Mr.
Sam Whiteside of Tyler, Texas, a frequent visitor to the site who spent
many hours on the dig as a volunteer shovel hand.
Especially to be commended are the assistant archeologists, John Allen
Graham, L. F. Duffield, W. A. Davis, and LeRoy Johnson, Jr., all of whom
carried out their duties in exemplary fashion despite the continuous
pressure under which they were working.