SYSTEMWIDE ARCHEOLOGY INVENTORY PROGRAM

Archeological survey of Corbin, Weakley, and Nicholson Hollows at Shenandoah National Park, conducted over three years through a cooperative agreement with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, was completed in 1997. Home to at least 460 persons prior to removal, these communities had been studied in the l930's and served to imprint the image of hillfolk as living in an earlier era and lacking access to modem technology and amenities. Archeological survey afforded the opportunity to reexamine this portrayal, as well as examine the depth of historic settlement, evaluate the extent of native American activity, and serve as a starting place to understand the nature of cultural resources throughout the park. Seventy-seven sites were located within the 2500 acre project area.

Survey revealed that contrary to the l930's studies, the population actively participated in the consumer culture of the time, they made choices regarding their subsistence and economic lives - choices and decisions that changed over time and were tempered and shaped, but not determined by, the natural environment. Corbin Hollow, adjacent to the Skyland Resort, was the last settled and dependent on tourist income that disappeared with the Great Depression. As the most accessible and least affluent community, it served to characterize the region for decades. Investigation of the material record there indicate the popular descriptions were overblown; lessons that have been integrated into the park's new interpretive programs and literature. Examination of historic records indicated farmers produced significant surpluses, providing the cash necessary to purchase the diverse consumer goods evidenced in the archeological record.

The survey also served to characterize the historic resources across the entire park. Sites were located on flat land adjacent to water sources; attributes that make them attractive for development actions and overuse by the public. Natural actions such as tree falls and fire have the potential for eradicating the vernacular log architecture. Results of the survey were integrated into the everyday resource management operations through the park s GIS system. In addition to the layers for natural resources, the study combined site location information, integration of 1937 landuse maps, USGS Quadrangle maps, and aerial photography to create a powerful tool for analysis of settlement patterns, community development, and their relations to natural features.

The park will continue to support and expand the project in FY98, focusing on the potential effects of fire and fire management activities. Through this process, the needs of both natural and cultural resources may be proactively managed.