The History and Archaeology of Nine Historic Sites on the Fort McDowell Indian Reservation: An Overview

The Fort McDowell Indian Reservation is rich in historic and prehistoric archaeological resources. Systematic surface searches have located and recorded over 100 archaeological sites within the 40 square mile reservation. Such sites show that many groups have used the area, including the prehistoric Hohokam, the Yavapai, Anglo-Americans, and Mexican-Americans. Prior to 1984, however, only four sites at Fort McDowell had been excavated or tested. Two of the sites were prehistoric, consisting of Hohokam habitation sites, and two were historic, consisting of a beer bottle sidewalk at the old military fort and a 1900s trash scatter with a 1950s adobe-making facility. In 1984, plans by the Fort McDowell Mohave-Apache Indian Community to develop Phase I of an irrigation betterment project afforded an opportunity to undertake the most detailed study, to date, of archaeological remains on the reservation. Because federal funds would be necessary to carry out the project, federal law required that sites potentially important enough to be added to the National Register of Historic Places be identified, and that plans be made to lessen the damage to them from the proposed construction. To lessen the damage archaeological and historical information about the sites had to be collected. Knowledgeable informants who knew the history of these sites also had to be contacted. The project area contained 20 historically important sites, 11 of which could be avoided by construction. The Indian Community contracted with Archaeological Research Services, Inc. (ARS) to collect information at the nine sites which could not be avoided by the project. Please note that page 4 of this report is missing.