Bob Blasing | US Bureau of Reclamation (original) (raw)
Papers by Bob Blasing
Plains Anthropologist, 1988
AbstractExcellent studies of Indian trails in the Northwestern Plains are available. Patterns of ... more AbstractExcellent studies of Indian trails in the Northwestern Plains are available. Patterns of trail location and use of cairns that these studies report, however, are not generalizeable to the r...
Abstract : A cultural resource survey and testing program of the shoreline of wilson Lake, Kansas... more Abstract : A cultural resource survey and testing program of the shoreline of wilson Lake, Kansas, was performed in June and July, 1985. The survey located 58 historic components including petroglyphs, building foundations, check dams, bridges, an abandoned cemetery, and several sets of abandoned farm implements. (Author)
The Kansas Anthropologist, 2018
The Last Chance Store was built in 1857 to trade with Santa Fe Trail travelers and Kaw Indians, w... more The Last Chance Store was built in 1857 to trade with Santa Fe Trail travelers and Kaw Indians, who lived just south of Council Grove. Apparently it served in that capacity for only brief periods between 1857 and 1859. In the early 1860s the building became a temporary residence for three families at different times. It also served as a barracks and headquarters for a cavalry unit, temporarily stationed in Council Grove during the Civil War: The building was used as a grocery store in the latter half of the 1870s, a corn crib, the permanent residence of the William Tolbert family for 50 years, and then a historic site. During its 160-year lifetime the structure remained relatively intact and unchanged. The last private owners from 1955 until 2015 were dedicated to preserving the site and its history. Once in state ownership, an archeological investigation was undertaken by the 2016 Kansas Archeology Training Program field school. The large number of artifacts found during the project represent very nearly the entire span of its historic occupation.
The Last Chance Store in Council Grove, Kansas was constructed by the Westport firm of Northrup &... more The Last Chance Store in Council Grove, Kansas was constructed by the Westport firm of Northrup & Chick in the spring of 1857. It was built to trade with travelers on the Santa Fe Trail and with the Kaw Indians. Construction of the Last Chance Store was completed in 1857 and the building has remained relatively intact and unchanged for nearly 160 years. Over this time the building has been occupied fairly continuously by a series of more than 15 businesses or families. The building had several advantages which were conducive to preserving artifacts from its various inhabitants. First, the building possessed a cellar under its south half with a clay floor that was periodically prone to flooding and then cracking when it dried out. This allowed objects to fall into the cracks and be preserved. Second, the main floor had a crawl space beneath a little over half its north side. The crawl space had no access doors or windows, and it appears that except for a few very short intervals this subfloor area has remained isolated. Third, the owners of the site since 1955 have been dedicated to preserving the site and its history. Therefore, a large number of artifacts were found at the site, which represents the entire span of its historic occupation. Archeological excavation at the site was the focus of the Kansas Archeological Training Program (KATP), in June 2016.
Wagon Tracks, 2017
For more than a century the Padilla Monument, has supposedly marked the site where Father Juan de... more For more than a century the Padilla Monument, has supposedly marked the site where Father Juan de Padilla was killed in 1542. However, it is instead most likely an ancient Indian guide, or landmark, erected along a prehistoric Indian trail which passed through the area.
CRM, Vol. 23, No. 1, 2000
The area around Medicine Creek Reservoir is covered by a deep mantel of windblown or water redepo... more The area around Medicine Creek Reservoir is covered by a deep mantel of windblown or water redeposited loess, which has enhanced the burial and preservation of archeological sites. Where bedrock is exposed, it is the Cretaceous Niobrara Formation, which includes a major source of raw material for prehistoric stone tools. This material is usually called Niobrara, Smoky Hill or Republican River Jasper. Prior to Reservoir construction, several archeological sites were identified by the early explorations by William Duncan Strong, A.T Hill and Waldo Wedel and in August 1946, planning for the Reservoir was begun by the Bureau of Reclamation. In 1947, a Nebraska State Historical Society crew led by A.T. Hill began excavations, and in September, October, and early November, a River Basin Surveys crew led by Marvin Kivett continued the work. Archeological research has continued sporadically at the Reservoir, since that time.
Plains Anthropologist, 1999
Construction of the Fullerton Canal in central Nebraska affected several archaeological sites. Th... more Construction of the Fullerton Canal in central Nebraska affected several archaeological sites.
These sites include a National Historic Landmark and some Native American burials. Both are directly
associated with the Pawnee Tribe, now located in Oklahoma. Consultation began with the National
Historic Landmark, and four associated burials. It has now expanded to include other human remains
and interpretive signs for town sites and religious sites associated with the Pawnee Tribe. Despite many
unexpected complications, this case study shows the many benefits possible from consultation for both
the federal agency and the Indian tribes. These include the possibility of using archaeological materials
for interpreting tribal history and using resultant publicity to educate the public about respect for
unmarked burials.
Nebraska History, Vol 75, No 1, 1994
Because the Indians of eastern Nebraska built earthlodge settlements and planted crops of corn, b... more Because the Indians of eastern Nebraska built earthlodge settlements and planted crops of corn, beans and squash, they are often pictured as living in small towns, much like the Euroamericans. Actually those groups had developed a system of seasonal travel carefully planned to put them at the right place to make best use of a resource when it was available and most useful.
Plains Anthropologist, 1988
Two trails are reported here. One ran along the crest of the Flint Hills from Oklahoma to Nebrask... more Two trails are reported here. One ran along the crest of the Flint Hills from Oklahoma to Nebraska. The other led from Pawnee villages in central Nebraska to the Great Bend of the Arkansas River. Both of these trails, and others in the Central Plains followed the divides between stream systems in order to obtain the easiest route of travel. The trails have great potential to illuminate the archaeology of the region. Associated sites include villages, campsites, cairns, quarries, burials, petroglyphs, and sacred animal lodges.
This volume reports cultural resource survey and testing along the shoreline of Wilson Lake, Kans... more This volume reports cultural resource survey and testing along the shoreline of Wilson Lake, Kansas, performed in June and July, 1985. The survey documented 95 sites. There are 58 historic components including petroglyphs, building foundations, check dams, bridges, an abandoned cemetery, and several sets of abandoned farm implements. None of these sites were deemed to be of National Register significance.
There were 49 prehistoric components found. These include petroglyphs, caves, rock shelters, cairns, campsites, and burial mounds. Diagnostic materials were scarce. The sites for which cultural affiliation could be determined were all of either Early Ceramic (Woodland) or Middle Ceramic (Smoky Hill Phase) age. One cave and two campsites were tested; none contained any significant deposits. Two petroglyph sites were considered of National Register significance. An important feature of the cultural landscape at Wilson Lake is an Indian trail that ran from the Pawnee villages in central Nebraska to the Great Bend of the Arkansas River. Many Sites at the Lake may be affiliated with that Trail.
During several periods from 1984 to 1986, a pedestrian survey of the upper Deep Creek Drainage, i... more During several periods from 1984 to 1986, a pedestrian survey of the upper Deep Creek Drainage, in Riley, Geary and Wabaunsee Counties of Kansas, was performed. The project area is in the northern Flint Hills, a few miles south of Manhattan on a tributary to the Kansas River. Because this drainage is a natural unit, small enough to be covered by the limited funding available yet rich in both historic and prehistoric sites, it was particularly well suited to a study of prehistoric human ecology. The survey covered portions of forty-eight sections with a land area equivalent of nearly thirty-seven sections. Two hundred and twenty-nine sites, twenty-one of which contained historic components, were recorded. Two hundred and twenty-one isolated finds were also recorded, and evidence for an "Indian trail" from the early historic period was located. Most of the sites found were directly related to prehistoric quarrying and/or to the trail. Most of the sites were confined to the surface, and very few of the lithics were diagnostic. Therefore, good temporal control for prehistoric sites in this area was difficult.
Four archeological sites on the Fort Riley Military Reservation were selected for test excavation... more Four archeological sites on the Fort Riley Military Reservation were selected for test excavations to evaluate their significance for potential data recovery. These sites are located around the northern periphery of Fort Riley on Timber and Wildcat Creeks. Sites 14RY51 and 141Y52 along Timber Creek proved to have so little left following years of cultivation and erosion that no further work or need for preservation seems warranted. No diagnostic materials were recovered and no suggestion of subsurface features was observed. Site 14RY314 was properly located, and testing revealed the remains of a Smoky Hill Phase house probably dating from A.D. 900 to 1300 with attendant features and rubbish. Sub-surface preservation was good and the potential for recovering datable samples and ecological information looks promising. Site 14RY411 contains three separate surface concentrations--one appears to mark the location of a Smoky Hill Phase house, while all three produced cultural material typical of Early Ceramic (around A.D. 500) campsites for the exploitation of seasonal resources. Both Sites 14RY314 and 14RY411 possess significance suitable for their inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places and the Register of Historic Kansas Places.
Journal of Man 13(1):1 30, 1981
Contact and influence between two areas like the Plains and Southwest can take many forms. It cou... more Contact and influence between two areas like the Plains and Southwest can take many forms. It could be migration of an entire population, or by movement of a single individual carrying certain cultural traits. It could be by trade, diffusion brought about by simple contact and awareness of how another group does things, or by warfare such as conquest or raiding. A major effect might also be seen through movement of an individual who transmitted one of the decimating diseases introduced by the Europeans. To identify where and to what extent any of these factors are operating is very difficult with the present state of knowledge. To quote Wedel (1950:100) "the area is vast, the time span long, and the available information still far too sketchy and uneven." With this in mind, the direction of this paper will not be to evaluate the exact nature of contact, but instead to show what evidence is available, and what general trends and changes over time can be identified.
Book Reviews by Bob Blasing
Kansas History, Vol 29, No 4, 2006
This is a review of the 2006 book Kansas Archaeology, edited by Robert J. Hoard and William E. Ba... more This is a review of the 2006 book Kansas Archaeology, edited by Robert J. Hoard and William E. Banks.
Thesis Chapters by Bob Blasing
In the following paper, an attempt is made to form a model to explain the location of late prehis... more In the following paper, an attempt is made to form a model to explain the location of late prehistoric sites in the Flint Hills area of the Central Plains. To achieve this, early journals and historic records describing the Native American groups known to have inhabited the area were examined. These were then used to reconstruct known travel routes and occupation sites used by these groups, and to describe the annual seasonal round they followed to gather resources. Archeological reports from the area were then reviewed to find any sites or data that might shed additional light on this pattern. Source areas of raw materials, known to have been important to native peoples, were also located, using ecological references. Finally, cultural factors such as tradition or religious beliefs, which can also significantly affect site location, were examined. These factors vary in importance and are often interdependent. By comparing the geographic locations of occupation sites, travel routes, and raw material source areas to cultural biases, and the seasonal round of native peoples, a model to explain the location of many late prehistoric archeological sites in the area was obtained.
Plains Anthropologist, 1988
AbstractExcellent studies of Indian trails in the Northwestern Plains are available. Patterns of ... more AbstractExcellent studies of Indian trails in the Northwestern Plains are available. Patterns of trail location and use of cairns that these studies report, however, are not generalizeable to the r...
Abstract : A cultural resource survey and testing program of the shoreline of wilson Lake, Kansas... more Abstract : A cultural resource survey and testing program of the shoreline of wilson Lake, Kansas, was performed in June and July, 1985. The survey located 58 historic components including petroglyphs, building foundations, check dams, bridges, an abandoned cemetery, and several sets of abandoned farm implements. (Author)
The Kansas Anthropologist, 2018
The Last Chance Store was built in 1857 to trade with Santa Fe Trail travelers and Kaw Indians, w... more The Last Chance Store was built in 1857 to trade with Santa Fe Trail travelers and Kaw Indians, who lived just south of Council Grove. Apparently it served in that capacity for only brief periods between 1857 and 1859. In the early 1860s the building became a temporary residence for three families at different times. It also served as a barracks and headquarters for a cavalry unit, temporarily stationed in Council Grove during the Civil War: The building was used as a grocery store in the latter half of the 1870s, a corn crib, the permanent residence of the William Tolbert family for 50 years, and then a historic site. During its 160-year lifetime the structure remained relatively intact and unchanged. The last private owners from 1955 until 2015 were dedicated to preserving the site and its history. Once in state ownership, an archeological investigation was undertaken by the 2016 Kansas Archeology Training Program field school. The large number of artifacts found during the project represent very nearly the entire span of its historic occupation.
The Last Chance Store in Council Grove, Kansas was constructed by the Westport firm of Northrup &... more The Last Chance Store in Council Grove, Kansas was constructed by the Westport firm of Northrup & Chick in the spring of 1857. It was built to trade with travelers on the Santa Fe Trail and with the Kaw Indians. Construction of the Last Chance Store was completed in 1857 and the building has remained relatively intact and unchanged for nearly 160 years. Over this time the building has been occupied fairly continuously by a series of more than 15 businesses or families. The building had several advantages which were conducive to preserving artifacts from its various inhabitants. First, the building possessed a cellar under its south half with a clay floor that was periodically prone to flooding and then cracking when it dried out. This allowed objects to fall into the cracks and be preserved. Second, the main floor had a crawl space beneath a little over half its north side. The crawl space had no access doors or windows, and it appears that except for a few very short intervals this subfloor area has remained isolated. Third, the owners of the site since 1955 have been dedicated to preserving the site and its history. Therefore, a large number of artifacts were found at the site, which represents the entire span of its historic occupation. Archeological excavation at the site was the focus of the Kansas Archeological Training Program (KATP), in June 2016.
Wagon Tracks, 2017
For more than a century the Padilla Monument, has supposedly marked the site where Father Juan de... more For more than a century the Padilla Monument, has supposedly marked the site where Father Juan de Padilla was killed in 1542. However, it is instead most likely an ancient Indian guide, or landmark, erected along a prehistoric Indian trail which passed through the area.
CRM, Vol. 23, No. 1, 2000
The area around Medicine Creek Reservoir is covered by a deep mantel of windblown or water redepo... more The area around Medicine Creek Reservoir is covered by a deep mantel of windblown or water redeposited loess, which has enhanced the burial and preservation of archeological sites. Where bedrock is exposed, it is the Cretaceous Niobrara Formation, which includes a major source of raw material for prehistoric stone tools. This material is usually called Niobrara, Smoky Hill or Republican River Jasper. Prior to Reservoir construction, several archeological sites were identified by the early explorations by William Duncan Strong, A.T Hill and Waldo Wedel and in August 1946, planning for the Reservoir was begun by the Bureau of Reclamation. In 1947, a Nebraska State Historical Society crew led by A.T. Hill began excavations, and in September, October, and early November, a River Basin Surveys crew led by Marvin Kivett continued the work. Archeological research has continued sporadically at the Reservoir, since that time.
Plains Anthropologist, 1999
Construction of the Fullerton Canal in central Nebraska affected several archaeological sites. Th... more Construction of the Fullerton Canal in central Nebraska affected several archaeological sites.
These sites include a National Historic Landmark and some Native American burials. Both are directly
associated with the Pawnee Tribe, now located in Oklahoma. Consultation began with the National
Historic Landmark, and four associated burials. It has now expanded to include other human remains
and interpretive signs for town sites and religious sites associated with the Pawnee Tribe. Despite many
unexpected complications, this case study shows the many benefits possible from consultation for both
the federal agency and the Indian tribes. These include the possibility of using archaeological materials
for interpreting tribal history and using resultant publicity to educate the public about respect for
unmarked burials.
Nebraska History, Vol 75, No 1, 1994
Because the Indians of eastern Nebraska built earthlodge settlements and planted crops of corn, b... more Because the Indians of eastern Nebraska built earthlodge settlements and planted crops of corn, beans and squash, they are often pictured as living in small towns, much like the Euroamericans. Actually those groups had developed a system of seasonal travel carefully planned to put them at the right place to make best use of a resource when it was available and most useful.
Plains Anthropologist, 1988
Two trails are reported here. One ran along the crest of the Flint Hills from Oklahoma to Nebrask... more Two trails are reported here. One ran along the crest of the Flint Hills from Oklahoma to Nebraska. The other led from Pawnee villages in central Nebraska to the Great Bend of the Arkansas River. Both of these trails, and others in the Central Plains followed the divides between stream systems in order to obtain the easiest route of travel. The trails have great potential to illuminate the archaeology of the region. Associated sites include villages, campsites, cairns, quarries, burials, petroglyphs, and sacred animal lodges.
This volume reports cultural resource survey and testing along the shoreline of Wilson Lake, Kans... more This volume reports cultural resource survey and testing along the shoreline of Wilson Lake, Kansas, performed in June and July, 1985. The survey documented 95 sites. There are 58 historic components including petroglyphs, building foundations, check dams, bridges, an abandoned cemetery, and several sets of abandoned farm implements. None of these sites were deemed to be of National Register significance.
There were 49 prehistoric components found. These include petroglyphs, caves, rock shelters, cairns, campsites, and burial mounds. Diagnostic materials were scarce. The sites for which cultural affiliation could be determined were all of either Early Ceramic (Woodland) or Middle Ceramic (Smoky Hill Phase) age. One cave and two campsites were tested; none contained any significant deposits. Two petroglyph sites were considered of National Register significance. An important feature of the cultural landscape at Wilson Lake is an Indian trail that ran from the Pawnee villages in central Nebraska to the Great Bend of the Arkansas River. Many Sites at the Lake may be affiliated with that Trail.
During several periods from 1984 to 1986, a pedestrian survey of the upper Deep Creek Drainage, i... more During several periods from 1984 to 1986, a pedestrian survey of the upper Deep Creek Drainage, in Riley, Geary and Wabaunsee Counties of Kansas, was performed. The project area is in the northern Flint Hills, a few miles south of Manhattan on a tributary to the Kansas River. Because this drainage is a natural unit, small enough to be covered by the limited funding available yet rich in both historic and prehistoric sites, it was particularly well suited to a study of prehistoric human ecology. The survey covered portions of forty-eight sections with a land area equivalent of nearly thirty-seven sections. Two hundred and twenty-nine sites, twenty-one of which contained historic components, were recorded. Two hundred and twenty-one isolated finds were also recorded, and evidence for an "Indian trail" from the early historic period was located. Most of the sites found were directly related to prehistoric quarrying and/or to the trail. Most of the sites were confined to the surface, and very few of the lithics were diagnostic. Therefore, good temporal control for prehistoric sites in this area was difficult.
Four archeological sites on the Fort Riley Military Reservation were selected for test excavation... more Four archeological sites on the Fort Riley Military Reservation were selected for test excavations to evaluate their significance for potential data recovery. These sites are located around the northern periphery of Fort Riley on Timber and Wildcat Creeks. Sites 14RY51 and 141Y52 along Timber Creek proved to have so little left following years of cultivation and erosion that no further work or need for preservation seems warranted. No diagnostic materials were recovered and no suggestion of subsurface features was observed. Site 14RY314 was properly located, and testing revealed the remains of a Smoky Hill Phase house probably dating from A.D. 900 to 1300 with attendant features and rubbish. Sub-surface preservation was good and the potential for recovering datable samples and ecological information looks promising. Site 14RY411 contains three separate surface concentrations--one appears to mark the location of a Smoky Hill Phase house, while all three produced cultural material typical of Early Ceramic (around A.D. 500) campsites for the exploitation of seasonal resources. Both Sites 14RY314 and 14RY411 possess significance suitable for their inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places and the Register of Historic Kansas Places.
Journal of Man 13(1):1 30, 1981
Contact and influence between two areas like the Plains and Southwest can take many forms. It cou... more Contact and influence between two areas like the Plains and Southwest can take many forms. It could be migration of an entire population, or by movement of a single individual carrying certain cultural traits. It could be by trade, diffusion brought about by simple contact and awareness of how another group does things, or by warfare such as conquest or raiding. A major effect might also be seen through movement of an individual who transmitted one of the decimating diseases introduced by the Europeans. To identify where and to what extent any of these factors are operating is very difficult with the present state of knowledge. To quote Wedel (1950:100) "the area is vast, the time span long, and the available information still far too sketchy and uneven." With this in mind, the direction of this paper will not be to evaluate the exact nature of contact, but instead to show what evidence is available, and what general trends and changes over time can be identified.
Kansas History, Vol 29, No 4, 2006
This is a review of the 2006 book Kansas Archaeology, edited by Robert J. Hoard and William E. Ba... more This is a review of the 2006 book Kansas Archaeology, edited by Robert J. Hoard and William E. Banks.
In the following paper, an attempt is made to form a model to explain the location of late prehis... more In the following paper, an attempt is made to form a model to explain the location of late prehistoric sites in the Flint Hills area of the Central Plains. To achieve this, early journals and historic records describing the Native American groups known to have inhabited the area were examined. These were then used to reconstruct known travel routes and occupation sites used by these groups, and to describe the annual seasonal round they followed to gather resources. Archeological reports from the area were then reviewed to find any sites or data that might shed additional light on this pattern. Source areas of raw materials, known to have been important to native peoples, were also located, using ecological references. Finally, cultural factors such as tradition or religious beliefs, which can also significantly affect site location, were examined. These factors vary in importance and are often interdependent. By comparing the geographic locations of occupation sites, travel routes, and raw material source areas to cultural biases, and the seasonal round of native peoples, a model to explain the location of many late prehistoric archeological sites in the area was obtained.