CORRESPONDENCE - 75A SEXLINGER FARMHOUSE

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BOUNDARIES FOR ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES AND DISTRICTS A site, according to the National Register classification, is the location of a significant event, prehistoric or historic occupation or activity, or building or structure (whether standing, ruined, or vanished) where the location itself possesses historic, cultural, or archeological value. The most common types of resources classified as sites are archeological resources. Archeological districts generally include several sites and their settings, as well as other types of resources (such as structures and landscape features). For examples of districts that include buildings as well as archeological sites, see the proper- ties cited in the sections on districts in rural settings. 30 Defining boundaries for archeo- logical sites raises special issues because most or all of the eligible resources may be underground. For sites that have not been excavated, subsurface testing can provide data to identify and evaluate the resources and define the boundaries. In situa- tions where the site type is well known (because similar sites in the region have been excavated) and there is clear surface evidence of preserved resources, testing may not be necessary to determine significance or select boundaries. Consider natural topographic or cultural landscape features that indicate the limits of the resources. Legal or lot boundaries may be used for historic sites, both urban and rural, when such boundaries are know to be consistent with the historic boundaries. Note surface evidence of disturbance that may have disrupted or destroyed resources. When access is restricted or when a deeply buried site cannot be tested, select.the boundaries on the basis of predictions (based on topographic setting and site type). Describe the limitations of the data and support the predictions with a discussion, demonstrating the reliability of the predictions in the context of known local and regional site types. For all archeological properties, include a large -scale map (preferably 1 inch to 200 feet) to document the property boundaries, along with a USGS map locating the property. The large -scale map may be used in place of a verbal boundary description. It is difficult to provide a range of examples of boundaries from listed properties because locational informa- tion is routinely restricted to protect the resources from vandalism. Loca- tion and boundary information is recorded in the documentation but is not released to the public. The boundary descriptions that follow are drawn from documented sites, but most descriptions are altered and edited to omit critical locational information: direction, distance, and landmark information in the original GUIDELINES FOR SELECTING BOUNDARIES: ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES AND DISTRICTS (summarized from How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, p. 57) The selection of boundaries for archeological sites and districts depends primarily on the scale and horizontal extent of the significant features. A regional pattern or assemblage of remains, a location of repeated habitation, a location of a single habitation, or some other distribution of archeological evidence all imply different spatial scales. Although it is not always possible to determine the boundaries of a site conclusively, a knowledge of local cultural history and related features, such as a site type, can help predict the extent of a site. Consider the property's setting and physical characteristics along with the results of archeological survey to determine the most suitable approach. Obtain evidence through one or several of the following techniques: • Subsurface testing, including test excavations, core and auger borings, and observation of cut banks. • Surface observation of site features and materials that have been uncovered by plowing or other disturbance or that have remained on the surface since deposition. • Observation of topographic or other natural features that may or may not have been present during the period of significance. • Observation of land alterations subsequent to site formation that may have affected the integrity of the site. • Study of historic or ethnographic documents, such as maps and journals. If the techniques listed above cannot be applied, set the boundaries by conservatively estimating the extent and location of the significant features. Explain the basis for selecting the boundaries in the boundary justification. If a portion of a known site cannot be tested, the boundaries may be drawn along the legal property lines of the portion that is accessible, provided that portion by itself has sufficient significance to meet the National Register Criteria and the full extent of the site is unknown. Archeological districts may contain discontiguous elements under the following circumstances: • When one or several outlying sites has a direct relationship to the significance of the main portion of the district, through common cultural affiliation or as related elements of a pattern of land use, and When the intervening space does not have known significant resources. Geographically separate sites not forming a discontiguous district may be nominated together as individual properties within a multiple property submission.