Archeological Investigations at Boston Village, Boston Township, Summit County, Ohio, Part II: Inventory and Evaluation of the Grounds Surrounding the Boston General Store, 1993

• Main Author: Richner, Jeffrey J.
• Format: Dataset
• Language: unknown
• Published: the Digital Archaeological Record
• Subjects: Historic; Euroamerican; Architectural Survey; Collections Research; Site Evaluation / Testing; Historic Background Research; Boston General Store; Boston Lot 51; Boston Lot 52; Boston Lot 53; Boston Lot 54; Boston Lot 55; Boston Lot 56; Boston Lot 58; Boston Lot 61; Boston Lot 63; Domestic Structures; Historic structure; Cistern; Warehouse; General Store; Grist Mill; Saw Mill; Hotel; Ceramic; Chipped Stone; Fauna; Glass; Building Materials; Metal; Shell; Archeological Survey
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.6067:XCV8MC8ZQ6_meta$v=1360172115961

This report summarizes the results of a three-week archeological survey and testing program within a National Park Service-owned parcel of land in Boston Village, Summit County, Ohio. This small, historic community straddles the Cuyahoga River and the Ohio and Erie Canal between the cities of Cleveland and Akron. The archeological project is part of the ongoing planning for restoration of an early 1830s historic structure, the Boston General Store, and development of visitor services related to the restoration program. Shovel testing and limited test excavations were combined to inventory and evaluate the grounds adjacent to the Store. The small parcel is bounded on the north by Boston Mills Road, on the east by the canal, and on the south and west by the Cuyahoga River. Historically, this area was divided into nine small Boston Village Lots. Historical research has revealed that at least seven structures, in addition to the Store and an attached warehouse, stood on these lots in the mid-nineteenth century. Only the Store remains today. The archeological work is integrated with historical background research in this report to provide an overview of the tangible resources remaining from the construction and use of the seven former structures. In addition, limited excavation at the Store has provided new information on architectural features related to that building. A very large artifact assemblage was recovered through the limited field procedures in 1993, indicating that several specific areas of the site were very intensively used in the nineteenth century. In most instances, it was possible to directly link the archeological scatters and features recorded in the survey area to structures documented in the historical record. The methods and rationale for determining those connections form an important part of the report. Significant archeological deposits were recorded on six of the nine lots that were investigated. The report discusses those deposits and relates them to the history of Boston Village and the existing National Register Nomination for the community.