Conclusions - Garth, 1947 Archeological Report
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Except for the grist mill the ruins all exhibit various levels of packing that have some relationship to the chronology and history of the site. In every case on the old mound surface (formed when the ruins first became heaps of fallen adobe rubble) there was packing and a decomposition of bones of livestock. Again, the ground level during mission times was discernible by exceptional packing in many instances. The grounds during the eleven-year mission period saw a pitch of activity by Indians, missionaries, and immigrants that it has not .seen since. The ground, especially in the area around the buildings, was tramped to an exceptional hardness. These packed levels are our chief means of dating finds. In many cases they offer interesting possibilities in interpreting the history of the site. In the mission house ruin, particularly, each major period of occupation seems to be represented by a packed level or floor. We have been able to place little dependence on flood deposited strata to date finds, etc. The soil of the valley, called Walla Walla fine sandy loam, is very uniform in color and texture. From the color of the soil it is almost impossible to tell when one flood deposited layer begins and where another ends. A thorough excavation of the three acres comprising the mission site should be profitable in locating small out-buildings, corrals, fences, paths and the like. One of our chief problems will be to identify structures built by the Oregon Volunteers. The seven-month period of occupancy of the site by the Volunteers is the one hiatus in an otherwise fairly complete history of the site. Should the more than 1000 manuscripts pertaining to the Cayuse wars and lost or misplaced after 1900 be recovered, it would do much to throw light on the situation. (24) |
Did You Know?
Great Basin Wild Rye Grass is part of the natural landscape at Whitman Mission. The name Waiilatpu, meaning place of rye grass, was used by the people to name the mission site.