Heritage, Volume 11, Number 2, Spring 1993 Page: 14
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With scientific archaeological excavations it is possible to determine the size of the structure and how they
were used. There is still enough left of the sugar mill and main house to identify these structures. The only
building excavated thus far to the extent that it can be identified is structure A, a storage building. Ruins of
structures H and J were partially destoyed when a canal and levee were built in 1926 by the Army Corps of
Engineers and enlarged in 1946 by Dow Chemical Company.in depth. The wall foundations are three
bricks wide, and the floor is two bricks thick
with brick layers at right angles to each other.
No fireplaces, which were common in
mid-19th century residential and kitchen
structures, were located, nor domestic artifacts
that would indicate a home or kitchen.
The substantial load bearing walls, solid
supportive foundation, and the double thick
brick floors would be expected in a building
used for storage of perishable obj ects of heavy
weight and for protection against rodents.
Artifacts that one would expect in a storage
area were found, including a heavy weight
metal chain and two locks. (One is a brass
Yale lock with patent dates of 1877 and 1878
that is in excellent condition.) There were
also hanging scales and gears. Objects were
found that were probably leaning against or
hanging on the exterior wall when the structure
collapsed in the 1900 storm. Found
were a wagon wheel hub, a grass cutting
mower blade, a wrench, an ax head, a heavy
chain, and other metal objects. When the
structure was built has not been established.
Previously used bricks in the foundations
and artifacts located under the floor raise
questions of structural alteration after the
original construction. It is possible that this
is a second structure built on top of an earlier
building.
Prehistoric Indian artifacts (a point andceramic sherds) were found under the brick
floor of structure A and in a disturbed area
within the structure. A prehistoric site
across the lake from the plantation site
was excavated in the 1950s. During five
Saturdays in October and November, volUncovering the
past, the past not
recorded in the
historical records,
is what scientific
archaeology is all
about, and it is
happening in
Brazoria County
today.
unteers from the Brazosport Archaeological
Society, the Houston Archaeological
Society, and students from UH-CL, opened
14 excavation units within the area of
structure B.
The small area uncovered revealed the
substantial foundation and load bearing
north wall of the structure; a brick exterior
pavement abutting the east side of the
structure similar to structure A; an exterior
east wall still bearing the exterior plaster
with whitewash; an interior wall support,
non-load bearing; and dirt interior walls.UH-CL student, Janell Baker, explains to a visitor what has been found in the excavations of structure A,
a storage building. The road behind Baker was put down in 1946 and removed during February 1993. In
this area of the road, structure D was discovered. It is a 20 by 40 foot structure with two internal fireplaces.14 HERITAGE * SPRING 1993
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Texas Historical Foundation. Heritage, Volume 11, Number 2, Spring 1993, periodical, Spring 1993; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth46808/m1/14/: accessed May 2, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas Historical Foundation.