Excavating Beekman

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Excavating Beekman  
January 18, 2008 
by Courtney Scott 

A case study in preserving New York's buried past

Beekman Street North, between Pearl Street and Water StreetConstruction is occurring all over New York City, and in Manhattan it is common to see both new projects and utility workers upgrading the urban infrastructure. In one recent case, what started out as a routine project by the city's Department of Design and Construction (DDC) in Lower Manhattan soon became anything but. The Wall Street Water Mains Project, a long-term utility upgrade project, yielded several important discoveries in the South Street Seaport historic district, making it clear that archaeology remains widespread beneath the city's streets.



The intersection of Beekman and Water Streets (Chrysalis Archaeological Consultants)
Excavations for utility upgrades began in the summer of 2006 but came to a halt in August when two sections of an early nineteenth-century wooden water main were uncovered on Beekman Street between Pearl and Front Streets. DDC consulted with the Landmarks Preservation Commission as to how they should proceed.

Following this, DDC called in Chrysalis Archaeological Consultants to oversee the rest of the excavation. Archaeologist Alyssa Loorya worked in close cooperation with Judlau Contracting, Inc., the construction company performing the excavation work.

The Judlau crew was curious to know how archaeology is conducted in the city. (For example, they had often wondered who to contact if they come across interesting finds as there is no official guideline provided to construction workers at the outset of a job). During this project the crew was introduced to archaeology and were quick to learn how to identify potential sites as they were digging. It turned out that they were "an exceptional crew to work with...very interested in the history of the area and the artifacts they were finding." Loorya dubbed them "an archaeological dream team."

The construction site included all of Beekman Street between Pearl and Front Streets. Because of the nature of the utility replacement construction occurred in phases. Several archaeological deposits were uncovered throughout the area. For the ease of discussion the site is subdivided into five distinct areas (click on each title for the full report on the discoveries!).


After several months, the construction project was completed--on schedule and with the discovery of several thousand artifacts. Currently the Landmarks Preservation Commission and DDC are in talks about developing a public display of the artifacts. With the co-operation of the Judlau crew and DDC, the archaeology project was a success. And despite some preconceived notions it did not interfere with or hinder the construction project. For all involved, it was a learning experience. Above all, it was one more example that you never know what you will find in New York City. Even here, centuries-old archaeology remains buried beneath the streets.

Courtney Scott, an intern at ARCHAEOLOGY, is a senior at Brooklyn College perusing a degree in anthropology and archaeology. He is currently participating in excavations and plans on attending graduate school in archaeology.


© 2008 by the Archaeological Institute of America
www.archaeology.org/online/features/beekman/

http://www.archaeology.org/online/features/beekman/

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The intersection of Beekman and Water Streets (Chrysalis Archaeological Consultants)

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Excavating Beekman  January 18, 2008 
by Courtney Scott 

Area 1. Wooden Water Mains (Beekman Street South between Water and Pearl Streets)

It was the discovery of the two sections of wooden water pipe that led to the archaeological monitoring of this phase of the Wall Street Water Mains Project. Found four feet beneath the surface the wooden pipe was evidence of the city's earliest water system.

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, obtaining fresh drinking water was always a concern New York City. By the last quarter of the eighteenth century, the freshwater ponds had become polluted by local industry and the water from the shallow wells residents used was brackish. In 1789, the Manhattan (Water) Company was chartered by the New York State Assembly to address the problem by establishing a fee-based citywide water system.



The wooden water main at the beginning of archaeological monitoring (Chrysalis Archaeological Consultants)
The Company promised to provide "clean and wholesome" water to residents in the community, and their plan included digging a 25-foot-wide well at the corner of Reade and Center Streets. Water from the well would be distributed to customers via a system of hollowed-out yellow pine logs. The Manhattan Company chose wooden pipes over cast-iron to save money. They also used an antiquated pumping system powered, in part, by horses.

As a matter of policy, the Manhattan Company only provided enough water service to maintain its franchise. Efforts to develop and expand the water system were exceptionally slow, but the company had laid enough pipes to begin water delivery by 1801, the same year that the Chambers Street reservoir was completed.

Ultimately, the Manhattan Company's water venture failed as the system proved unreliable. Some customers endured days or weeks without the running water for which they were paying. Additionally, the wooden water pipes were prone to leaks and disturbance at the joints from tree roots. The system was insufficient to meet the demands of a growing population and complaints were frequent, among them objections to the water quality. Though the initial proposal called for bringing fresh water from the Bronx, "some wells have been dug in the filthiest corners of the town; a small quantity of water has been conveyed in wretched wooden pipes, now almost worn out, for family use; and in a manner scarcely, if at all, preferable to the former method of supplying water by the carts" (New York Evening Post, January 26, 1808). Some even blamed the frequency of stomach ailments in Manhattan on the poor water quality. One of the few benefits of the system was the relatively easy access to water in the event of fire. The pipes, laid at a relatively shallow depth, were provided with a means to quickly connect fire hoses if necessary.

http://www.archaeology.org/online/features/beekman/area1.html

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The wooden water main at the beginning of archaeological monitoring (Chrysalis Archaeological Consultants)

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The opening of the wooden pipe showing the iron joining ring or collar, left, and the wooden water pipe, right (Chrysalis Archaeological Consultants)

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Excavation in the area of the exposed wooden water pipe continued with caution. The construction crew dug the area surrounding the entire length of the log before attempting to remove it.

Once it was fully exposed, the pipe was carefully lifted out by Judlau foreman Joe DeAngelis and his crew. A second log was found connected to the first. Both were part of a longer section of pipe composed of interlocking pieces. The two logs each measured approximately 14 feet in length with an average width of 9.5 inches and a hollowed-out core of 6 inches. One log had a conically shaped end that fit into the hollowed-out end of the other log and an iron collar that bound the two together.



Pearlware sherds (Chrysalis Archaeological Consultants)
From the area surrounding the water pipes, 226 objects were recovered including 155 pottery sherds. Among the pottery types were North American salt-glazed stoneware, decorated red wares, and transfer-printed pearlwares (1795-1840). The stoneware sherds represented typical storage vessels in a range of sizes and decoration. The red ware types included a black glazed teapot and local slipwares. Among the pearlwares were different forms of serving vessels including plates, cups, and bowls. Other remains included clam and oyster shells, glass liquor bottle fragments, animal bones, and pipe stems dating from 1700 to 1800. Among the liquor bottle pieces were both blown and two-piece molded forms dating from the eighteenth to the nineteenth centuries.

No intact stratigraphy was discovered in this area, making it difficult to associate these artifacts with the water mains or any other specific occurrence. Based upon the date range, it is possible that the artifacts were deposited before or during the installation of the main.

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Pearlware sherds (Chrysalis Archaeological Consultants)

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Area 2. Foundation (Beekman Street Southwest between Water and Pearl Streets)




After the removal of the wooden water pipes, excavation continued to accommodate electrical utilities. In one area, a large trench was excavated to a depth of ten feet below the surface. At approximately six feet down, cut granite stones in a regular pattern began to appear. Further excavation revealed these to be the remnants of a foundation wall.

Based on an analysis of historic maps and the size of the foundation wall's perimeter, Loorya concluded that this was once a storeroom belonging to 52 Queene Street (present-day Pearl Street). This address was occupied in the eighteenth century by Robert Crommelin (1717-1791), a well-respected merchant and member of the community. Following Crommelin's death his widow, Elizabeth, continued to reside in the house for at least a decade. She would own the property until 1821 when it was sold to the city to be razed for the opening of Beekman Street.

http://www.archaeology.org/online/features/beekman/area2.html

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Foundation remains uncovered (Chrysalis Archaeological Consultants)

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Finding a storage room associated with the house and place of business of a merchant was not unusual. Many houses of the period had subterranean storage areas. What was unexpected was that it survived intact several construction episodes over a 200-year period.

Excavation within the foundation revealed a substantial deposit in the northeast corner. A wide range of domestic materials, apparently deposited in a single episode, was uncovered. "This likely occurred either following the vacancy of the property around 1810 or its sale in 1820," says Loorya.

In all, 3,226 artifacts were recovered from within the foundation, including several types of pottery, glassware, bottles, and personal items. Ceramic wares, particularly plain undecorated creamwares (1762 to 1820) and early period pearlwares (1795 to 1820), were most common.

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Area 2 artifacts drying (Chrysalis Archaeological Consultants)

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In all, 3,226 artifacts were recovered from within the foundation, including several types of pottery, glassware, bottles, and personal items. Ceramic wares, particularly plain undecorated creamwares (1762 to 1820) and early period pearlwares (1795 to 1820), were most common.

Among the more unusual artifacts recovered is a creamware plate commemorating the death of George Washington. The image on the plate includes a tablet that reads "Sacred to the memory of Washington," Lady Liberty in the center carrying a shield with 15 stars representing the number of states at that time, and the bald eagle. The plate was made after 1799, following Washington's death in December of that year.

Other interesting finds were a bone syringe, with an intact cylinder and plunger but missing the needle, and a mother of pearl decorative inlay engraved with a floral pattern. The latter was likely a decorative element for a box or piece of furniture. After the discovery of these delicate items, Loorya recommended that they be conserved, and Gary McGowan, a professional conservator, was hired to stabilize them.

The assemblage also contained a large number of wine bottles and drinking vessels including wine glasses, goblets, and a ceramic tankard. Two coins from the context were too corroded to determine their date at present.

Though limited in quantity, the faunal remains were quite varied in the species and cuts they represented and were not a typical assemblage for a New York City home of the period. They suggested a diverse diet including leg of lamb, turkey, guinea fowl, and lobster, providing an indication of the household's wealth. There was little evidence of cow, a relative staple on local sites, and what cow bone there was had been prepped for button making.

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Washington plate (Chrysalis Archaeological Consultants)

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Bone syringe (Chrysalis Archaeological Consultants)