This thesis describes investigations of archaeological materials recovered from Site ORBE2, an early-twentieth century historic site in Corvallis, OR. The archaeological materials were found only after construction workers had excavated trenches underneath the still-standing structure on the site in order to install a new foundation. Over 1500 artifacts were recovered from back-dirt piles which had been left surrounding the structure from the construction worker's excavations. The analysis of the artifacts contributes to the field of archaeology in four specific ways: 1) it performs an archaeological analysis on an early-twentieth century Euro-American site, an era upon which few previous investigations have been done. 2) it develops a history of the site, 3) it combines the results of the history and the analysis of the archaeological data from functional and chronological perspectives, determining possible past life-style information on these residents, and 4) it exhibits the utility of performing an archaeological analysis on a site where the archaeological materials were recovered from an urban renewal/construction zone, and has provenience limited to a lot or site association. / Graduation date: 1997

The Battle of Big Bend was the last significant battle of the Rogue River Indian Wars. The battle occurred 27-28 May 1856 in the Oregon Territory. The location of the battle was along the Rogue River at a place known as the Big Bend, approximately eight miles up river from the modern town of Agness, in Curry County, Oregon. The battle was fought between one reinforced Army company; Company "C", 1st Dragoons, and a large group of Indians from many different bands. Captain Andrew Jackson Smith was the commanding officer of Company "C" during the battle, and Chief John, a member of the Dakubetede Indian band, lead all the warriors. After the first few hours of fighting, the soldiers had suffered so many casualties that they could not break out of their surrounded position without abandoning their dead and wounded. But on the other hand, the soldiers had established their defensive position on a ridge line which provided them a strong tactical advantage which the Indians could not overcome in spite of their early battle success. After thirty hours of combat, Company "G", 1st Infantry, under the command of Captain Christopher C. Augur, came to the aid of the surrounded soldiers. When Company "G" entered the fight, the Indian warriors elected to quit fighting, and under moderate pressure moved off the field of battle into the surrounding mountains. The purpose of this research was to definitively identify the location of the defensive position used by Company "C", and perform data recovery for the Forest Service using archaeological field methods. The field strategy relied heavily on metal detectors to locate battle related artifacts over the battle area. Using data collected during fieldwork, and correlating it to primary reference sources and materials, the battle position of Company "C" was located for the United States Forest Service. / Graduation date: 1998

This research focuses on events surrounding the activities of Battery Freeman, a coastal defense facility constructed within the earthworks of "old" Fort Stevens near Astoria, OR, in 1900 and destroyed in 1939. Archival data are used in conjunction with nearly 5,000 artifacts that were recovered from archaeological excavations in 1989 by the Oregon State University Field School, to reconstruct the history of the facility. Archival information provided a detailed representation of the spatial setting of Battery Freeman with respect to the original earthworks of Old Fort Stevens. In addition, this information detailed the timing and progress of and materials used in the construction of the battery. Spatial, temporal, and typological analyses were conducted on the artifacts. The great majority of the artifacts are associated with Battery Freeman architecture. Many of these artifacts were homogenously distributed throughout a "fill unit" reflecting the leveling and bulldozing of the site. However, several primary features were preserved, including a remnant of the east bulkhead wall of the pre-1900 structure and an incinerator feature apparently used in the battery. The spatial context of artifacts associated with these features could be interpreted with greater confidence. / Graduation date: 1994

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 1993. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 256-275). Also available via Internet as PDF file through Southern Oregon Digital Archives: http://soda.sou.edu. Search First Nations/Tribal Collection.

This thesis describes the archaeological site content and integrity of the Copeland site (35BE90) in Corvallis, Oregon. The Copeland site is owned by the Benton County Historical Society and is the future home of the Benton County Historical Museum. In 2001, an Oregon State University archaeological field school was conducted to test for the presence of the residential houses and commercial businesses that once occupied the Copeland site. The archaeological excavation revealed the presence of both the residential and commercial usage that occurred at the Copeland site. Excavation also revealed that while the integrity of the site has been disturbed by commercial activities the integrity has not been completely destroyed. Finally, recommendations are made concerning further archaeological exploration of the site. / Graduation date: 2006

Site ORYA3, the Smith House, is located in Dayton, Oregon. The archaeological project originated because owners of this structure, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, applied for a demolition permit. The 1859 home, first occupied by two early Oregon pioneers, Andrew and Sarah Smith, was considered architecturally significant, an unique example of a territorial period home. In the years since 1859, the original building construction has not been significantly modified, nor have the grounds been looted or substantially altered. Dr. David Brauner and the Oregon State University Anthropology Department began an archaeological project at this location in anticipation of the destruction, the first time in Oregon that archaeologists have excavated the interior of a standing house. The longevity of occupation, site taphonomy, and episodes of floor repair over the years created a mixed context. The research direction for this thesis matches a statistical and descriptive analysis of a sample of the material culture with information gathered from published and unpublished archival data from the Smith house. The thesis examines cultural material found on this site and provides a basis for comparison with other similar archaeological sites. Dayton history is discussed, to provide a broad context within which to interpret the archaeological data. Occupancy background on the various residents is provided. This thesis provides a general analysis of the 10,609 artifacts and their associated provenience. This thesis is a cautionary tale for historic archaeologists working on domestic sites. Examination of material by room points out how little can really be said based only on artifact presence. On this site, oral and written histories often proved to be better sources of information than the artifacts on many subjects. / Graduation date: 1998 / Best scan available for figures. Original has a moray pattern.

The prehistory of Central Oregon is explored through the examination of six archaeological sites and two isolated finds from the Upper Deschutes River Basin. Inquiry focuses on the land use, mobility, technological organization, and raw material procurement of the aboriginal inhabitants of the area. Archaeological data presented here are augmented with ethnographic accounts to inform interpretations. Eight stone tool assemblages and three debitage assemblages are analyzed in order to characterize technological organization. Diagnostic projectile points recovered from the study sites indicate the area was seasonally utilized prior to the eruption of ancient Mt. Mazama (>6,845 BP), and continuing until the Historic period (c. 1850). While there is evidence of human occupation at the study sites dating to between >7,000-150 B.P., the range of activities and intensity of occupation varied. Source characterization analysis indicates that eight different Central Oregon obsidian sources are represented at the sites. Results of the lithic analysis are presented in light of past environmental and social phenomena including volcanic eruptions, climate change, and human population movements. Chapter One introduces the key questions that directed the inquiry and defines the theoretical perspective used. Chapter Two describes the modem and ancient environmental context of study area. Topics of discussion include physiography, fauna, vegetation, geology, and climate. Chapter Three introduces the aboriginal inhabitants of the Upper Deschutes River Basin and summarizes past archeological investigations in the area. Hunter-gatherer land use and lithic technology are discussed in Chapter Four. The methods used to collect and analyze the data used in this study are presented in Chapter Five. Chapter Six summarizes the results of the technological lithic analysis and geochemical sourcing. The final chapter, Discussion and Conclusions, interprets the results with respect to cultural chronology, site function and distribution, land use and mobility, lithic technology, and raw material procurement. / Graduation date: 2003

Excavations performed at the historic Smith House (ORYA3) located in Dayton, Yamhill County, Oregon, recovered a large collection of artifacts. Categories of artifacts previously analyzed include flat glass, nails, glass containers, ceramic hollowware and flatware, brick, bone, metal containers, illumination devices, currency, footwear, tobacco, and lead balls, shot, and cartridge casings. A category not analyzed was children's toys. This thesis addresses this category of artifact. The thesis discusses the historical context of the Smith House, and examines children, play and toys. The theoretical construct of symbolic anthropology is used to provide a model for the process of enculturation. Detailed analysis of glass and clay marbles and of ceramic doll and doll-related artifacts is performed. Proveniences and associations of these artifacts are undertaken. Appendices provide for a chronology of doll manufacturing and for a detailed description of artifacts. Conclusions drawn from the analysis of the toys at the Smith House suggest that a larger collection of toys and better provenience of collected materials are necessary in order to apply the symbolic approach to toys as tools of enculturation. Recommendations for future avenues of research are given. It is suggested that this analysis provides a basis for future comparison with other historical archaeological sites. / Graduation date: 2002

The archaeological resources contained in Corvallis Riverfront Commemorative Park (RCP) have a great potential to add to the historical record of the warehouse district of the original town of Marysville (Corvallis). The City of Corvallis' proposed Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) project and proposed changes to Riverfront Commemorative Park threaten to destroy archaeological resources within the research area. The purpose of this research was to assess the archaeological potential of the research area between VanBuren and Jefferson Avenues along the Willamette River. The assessment was based on an archaeological survey and historical documents. Historical records and maps were used to create a chronology of the developments which occurred within the research area. By knowing who occupied the riverfront and when, archaeologists can design a plan for the excavation of these resources. The archaeological survey was conducted to locate remains that may be related to structures that once occupied the riverfront. Maps of the City's proposed construction were used to determine the potential resources that will be impacted. The historical record indicated that there is a great potential for the research area to yield archaeological remains which can add to our knowledge about the formation of Marysville (Corvallis). These archaeological remains if properly excavated could be used for public interpretation and as a common theme within Riverfront Commemorative Park. An assessment of construction project maps for the CSO project and proposed changes to Riverfront Commemorative Park indicate that a majority of the archaeological resources contained within the research area will be destroyed. Based on these assessments it is recommended that the City of Corvallis conduct subsurface archaeological testing to recover as much information related to the settlement of the research area as possible. / Graduation date: 1998

This thesis was to develop a bone artifact typology for the Oregon coast. This typology was used to test the hypothesis that different geographical regions of the Oregon coast would have different artifact assemblages associated with them. These regions, identified by geologist from landform changes, have been defined as: region 1, from the Columbia River to Tillamook Head; region 2, from Tillamook Head to Heceta Head; region 3, from Heceta Head to Cape Arago; region 4, from Cape Arago to the California boarder. Three criteria were used to develop the bone artifact typology; (1) the artifact must be made from bone, antler, or tooth; (2) the use of the artifact as determined from previous experimental archaeology or ethnography; (3) where artifacts were used for a similar purpose, obvious differences in shape and/ or decoration were used. Fifteen sites on the Oregon coast, two to four sites from each region, were used to develop the typology and test the hypothesis. Some patterns were apparent in the distribution of the artifact assemblages from the Oregon coast sites and there appeared to be some tentative corralation with the geographic regions as stated above. Bilaterally barbed harpoons only appear in sites in region 1. Headscratchers only appear in sites in the southern half of the Oregon coast. Evidence suggested that the composite toggling harpoon was developed in the northern northwest coast and was introduced 3000 or more years ago in region 1, and spread slowly down the Oregon coast until it reached region 3 and 4 only 500 years ago. / Graduation date: 1991