Cultural Resource Inventory for the Vivaldi Wind Farm in Montana
Project Name: Vivaldi Wind Farm
Location: Montana
Rural and/or Urban: Rural
Client:Ecology and Environment, Inc.
Dates: September 14 – 22, 2009
CRA Project Manager: Colin R. Ferriman
Project Description: In 2009 Ecology and Environment, Inc. contracted CRA to perform a Class III cultural resource inventory for a proposed find farm. This was undertaken in compliance with the requirements of the Montana Facility Siting Act. The cultural resource inventory included a data and literature review utilizing the Montana SHPO Cultural Resources Annotated Bibliography, a review of historic General Land Office plat maps, and a pedestrian survey of 1,400 acres within the area of potential effect (APE). Pedestrian survey included the identification and evaluation of all cultural resources within the APE. Sites were evaluated for eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).
The results of the Class III cultural resource inventory identified and evaluated of 11 new archaeological sites and 18 new isolated finds. The archaeological sites includes two historic rock cairn sites (24ST0388, 24ST0390), two historic dumps (24ST0389, 24SW0744), one historic electrical transmission line (24SW0743), five abandoned homesteads including foundations and one log cabin (24SW0740, 24SW0741, 24SW0742, 24SW0745, 24SW0746), and one multi-component site including historic debris and a small prehistoric lithic scatter. Each site dated to the early twentieth century and each was evaluated as not eligible for inclusion to the NRHP.
The isolated finds consisted of 14 historic isolates and 4 prehistoric isolates. The prehistoric isolates included one Late Archaic corner-notched projectile point and obsidian likely originating from Yellowstone National Park located approximately 40 miles to the southwest.
