To: [log in to unmask]
Cc: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Test Excavations at Pony Express Station in Nevada, August 1995
 
Hope subscribers to HISTARCH will find the following brief field report
of University of Nevada and Bureau of Land Management test excavations
at Jacob's Well Pony Express Station of interest:
 
        Test Excavations at
Jacob's Well Pony Express Station were conducted from August 2-6 1995
by  the University of Nevada - Reno and the Bureau of Land Management
as a field school, under the direction of Dr. Donald Hardesty (Overall
Charge) and Mr. Richard Goddard (Field Charge).  Although the first
season was short, test excavations demonstrated that the site has
substantial intact deposits and information potential.
 
        The Jacob's
Well Station was originally developed  as an Overland Stage station in
mid-1861.  It was used by the Pony Express as a matter of convenience,
and it saw intensive used as a stage and freight stop during the White
Pine mining boom between 1868 and 1870.
 
        The 1995 excavations revealed
the presence of  at least two burned structures, a smithy, a corral,
and other associated features.  The traces of several historic trails
converge at this site.
 
        A future field school  is being planned.  In
addition to expanded investigations at the Jacob's Well site,  four
other way-stations will be investigated.  These include Pony Express,
stage,  telegraph, and other transportation and communication
enterprises in the eastern Great Basin.  All work this summer and in
future has been stimulated by the need to address management of the
designated Pony Express Historic Trail (Public Law  98-405) and
research interests relating to gender, ethnicity, resource consumption
and communication.
 
        Inquiries may be directed to Mark Henderson
([log in to unmask]), Mike Bunker
([log in to unmask]) or to Don Hardesty or Richard Goddard
at the Department of Anthropology, University of Nevada, Reno)
.