On the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri, late 19th and early 20th
century houseplaces are the most common type of site recorded.  Until a
thematic overview can be developed (we hope to borrow from Arkansas), all
such sites are protected and avoided or evaluated for NRHP eligibility.
 Until the last few years, however, most such sites evaluated were found to
be not eligible.  Most of these evaluations were by prehistoric
archaeologists.  In one case a consultant said the site had been bulldozed
and no cultural deposits were left, but examination by FS archaeologists
revealed that the bulldozed pile was the chimney fall and one of the
consultants' shovel tests had turned up over 70 artifacts (they hit the
midden square on but did not know what it was).  I would guess that a large
percentage of these sites can provide useful information with the overall
percentage being similar to that of any other site type.  The few excavations
which have been conducted have turned up many patterns similar to those seen
in pre-Civil War houseplaces, with some interesting differences.  Without a
doubt they are valuable sites worth protecting and investigating.  A recent
report detailing excavations at a turn of the century site is "Determination
of Eligibility and Effect, Herrygers Site, 23WE693, Wayne County, Missouri"
by Cynthia R. Price (1993), which is on file with the Mark Twain National
Forest Supervisor's Office in Rolla, MO.
 
James Wettstaed
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