First Almshouse Midden, Feature 91, Bag 1255 (Level 1)

Excavated 5/6/1999.

Features 91 and 92 were located in close proximity to one another. Both were found at ca. 17 inches below the current asphalt pathway grade. They were separated by an area of sandy fill, discovered upon excavation to be a large, redeposited pit for an iron fence post. To better document the features, archaeological supervisors superimposed test units over the horizontal limits of the features. The test unit for Feature 91 measured 50 x 56 inches in plan, and the test unit for Feature 92 measured 3x3 feet in plan. Both pits were amorphous in shape when first identified and changed shape as they got deeper. Feature 91 was the larger and deeper of the two features. Archaeologists excavated the pit to ca. 4 feet below the current asphalt pathway grade, but could not reach the bottom. As the pit became deeper, the dimensions increased so that when the excavations ceased, the pit encompassed most of the test unit’s south end (the area covered by the fence post pit above). Archaeologists excavated Feature 92 to a depth of ca. 2 feet below the current asphalt pathway grade. At the base of the excavation, the feature included only the northwest end of the test unit.

It appears that Features 91 and 92 are the same pit but separated by the iron fence post pit disturbance.

City Hall Park

Manhattan, City Hall Park, South of Chambers Street and East of Broadway between City Hall and Tweed Court House

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