Shovel Ready: Archaeology and Roosevelt's New Deal for America

1. The First Stimulus Package: The WPA and the New Jersey Indian Site Survey

1 the first stimulus Package the wPA and the new Jersey indian site survey Gregory D. Lattanzi between 1936 and 1941, the indian site survey—a federal relief program operated by the works Progress Administration (wPA)—identified numerous sites and conducted archaeological investigations throughout the state of new Jersey (table 1.1). these excavations were conducted under the sponsorship of the new Jersey state museum with the Archaeological society of new Jersey acting in an advisory capacity and were directed by dr. dorothy cross.this massive project not only identified hundreds of sites but also excavated one of the most significant prehistoric settlements in the middle Atlantic region—the Abbott farm national historic landmark. today these older collections, housed at the new Jersey state museum, are being reexamined by numerous scholars, researchers, and students throughout the region . this chapter looks at the indian site survey program, then and now, and how it provided a more focused and comprehensive picture of new Jersey ’s prehistoric past. when one thinks of wPA projects one might immediately envision the empire state building in newyork or the many arts and writers projects that have left a lasting legacy across the nation.one of the projects that started on the heels of the empire state building and other great engineering feats was the new Jersey indian site survey (iss). Although the project had nothing to do with engineering bridges or roadways, it did contribute significantly to the residents of new Jersey and surrounding states by putting laborers to work. the iss was considered to be the second archaeologically devoted project in the state—and the largest as well. the first major project was the Alanson skinner and max schrabisch (1913) statewide archaeological survey . this survey was different from the iss in that it only accomplished the identification and limited excavation of prehistoric sites across the state.the iss would continue the great work carried out by the 1912 survey and would identify and professionally excavate more than a dozen sites throughout the 22 / lattanzi state,although mostly in central and southern new Jersey.from 1936 to 1941, the iss program was the mainstay of archaeological research and excavation in new Jersey, and the results of this “make work” federal project continue to leave a lasting impression on archaeologists today. established on April 8, 1935, the wPA provided each state with great authority over the implementation of its work relief projects.two new Jersey organizations were stimulated by the archaeological potential of the state and saw the need to direct work relief funds to the state. those two organizations were the Archaeological society of new Jersey (AsnJ) and the new Jersey state museum (nJsm), which together included a handful of very active and influential avocational archaeologists who guided the trajectory of archaeological research in the state. background the AsnJ and nJsm were the driving forces behind the organization and formulation of the iss. in order to understand how the iss played such a table 1.1. sites excavated by the wPA in new Jersey site County Dates of excavation Abbott farm mercer march 1, 1936, to february 15, 1941 bordentown Water Works mercer february 1 to may 13, 1937 faery hole rock shelter Warren november 17 to 19, 1936 Goose island Gloucester April 18 to July 11, 1938 havens ocean April 8 to may 3, 1940 indian head Camden march 7 to may 9, 1940 island farm middlesex July 21 to August 5, 1937 Koens-Crispin burlington november 29, 1937, to november 7, 1938 lenhardt-lahaway monmouth october 14, 1937, to february 25, 1938 red valley monmouth June 14, 1936, to october 13, 1937 riggins Cumberland January 18 to march 7, 1940 rosenkrans ferry sussex July 12, 1938, to october 26, 1938 salisbury Gloucester march 12, 1937, to march 21, 1938 stobbe mercer may 12, 1937, to october 17, 1937 Todd rock shelter sussex April 1 to may 1, 1940 Tuckerton shell mound ocean April 3, 1939 Note: Adapted from data in cross 1941 and nJsm site files. chapter 1 / 23 pivotal role in the archaeological investigations of the state, an examination of the background of these two organizations and how they joined forces is necessary. the nJsm had its beginnings with the centennial exhibition in chicago in 1876 at which many objects from new Jersey’s culture, industry , and agriculture were placed on display. All of those objects from the centennial were used...