Archeological Survey of the FM 723 Expansion Project from Avenue D to FM 1093, Fort Bend County, Texas

• Main Authors: Darnell, Bruce A, Sitters, Julian A, Bentley, Heath, Terra, Amma
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: SFA ScholarWorks 2017
• Subjects: Texas; Archaeology; Fort Bend County; American Material Culture; American Studies; Anthropology; Archaeological Anthropology; Environmental Studies; History; History of Art; Architecture; and Archaeology; Other American Studies; Other Arts and Humanities; Other History of Art; United States History; Austin; Archeological Survey
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/ita/vol2017/iss1/202; https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4345&context=ita

In June 2015, AmaTerra Environmental, Inc. began an intensive archeological survey for the Farm-toMarket (FM) 723 expansion project, north of the City of Rosenberg, Fort Bend County, Texas (CSJ# 0188-09-040). Work was delayed due to a lack of right-of-entry (ROE) into portions of the project area. After ROE was granted, archaeological survey was completed in late August of 2017. The total project length is approximately 9.3 miles, or about 228.11 acres, of which 97.9 acres are proposed new Rightof-Way (ROW). AmaTerra conducted the archeological survey under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 7293. Archeological investigations consisted of a pedestrian survey, the manual excavation of 199 shovel tests, and the mechanical excavation of eight backhoe trenches throughout the Area of Potential Effect (APE). Field archeologists observed numerous landscape modifications, including, but not limited to, transportation, agricultural, and residential activities. A prehistoric archeological site, 41FB352, and a historic period archeological sites, 41FB353, were recorded during field investigations; neither is recommended as eligible to the National Register. However, Site 41FB352 within the APE is situated in close proximity to a historic family cemetery, the Briscoe Family Cemetery and it is possible that unmarked graves may be present within the APE at this location. As backhoe scraping was not permitted on this property during the survey, it remains unknown whether graves are present in the APE. Based on the results of field investigations, no additional archeological investigations are warranted for any portion of the APE accessed during this survey. However, a number of properties within the APE were not surveyed due to a lack of right-of-entry. AmaTerra recommends that survey be conducted in these parcels, as well as further investigations for unmarked graves in the portion of the Briscoe Family Cemetery parcel that overlaps the APE.No artifacts were collected during this survey and project records will be curated at the Texas Archaeological Research Laboratory in Austin.