Archaeological Testing Site 41WH85 Wharton County, Texas

Archaeological site 41WH85 was located by the author during a routine archaeological survey of FM 442 in June of 1986. A small area about 100 ft. in diameter was located north of FM 442, west of the San Bernard River, and east of a private gravel driveway (Fig. 1), and contained a quantity of small oyster shell fragments and very scattered flint flakes. Surface visibility was quite limited by waist-high native prairie grasses. It was noted that all shell fragments were found along an eroded surface between the gravel driveway and the San Bernard River. Once right-of-way limits were defined and the property was purchased by the state, testing was undertaken to determine if there were any subsurface deposits at the site