The Town of Winthrop is proposing to construct a trail near the downtown along the northeast side of the Chewuch River. The trail will extend west from near the existing Susie Stevens Trail, passing under the Highway 20 bridge, then continuing along the bank of the river to the north end of town.
Pre-field research consisted of the review of known archaeological resources within a 1.0-mi (1.6-km) radius of the Project Area as inventoried on the Washington Information System for Architectural and Archaeological Records Data (WISAARD) at the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP) in Olympia, Washington. This search revealed seven previously recorded cultural resources within 1.0 mi (1.6 km) of the Project Area. The DAHP’s predictive model places the Project Area within an area of “very high” probability for encountering cultural resources.
The fieldwork was completed in a manner consistent with Washington State Senate Bill 5282 amending RCW 27.53.030, and included inspection techniques to identify both surface and subsurface archaeological resources. The pedestrian survey and subsurface investigations for the River Walk Trail Project resulted in no newly recorded archaeological resources during the pedestrian survey or subsurface investigations. Modern material was noted but not formally recorded. The presence of modern cultural disturbances, such as commercial buildings and parking areas, and proximity to the river affected shovel probe placement and the recovery of undisturbed material. The proposed undertaking will result in No Historic Properties Affected, and no further archaeological investigations are recommended prior to, or during, execution of this project.
Location: Okanogan County
