Gatch Site
Encyclopedia
The Gatch Site is an archaeological site
located near Milford
, Ohio
, United States
. One of the largest archaeological sites in Clermont County
, it is believed to have been a Native American
village site during the Middle Woodland period
.
from the site over the years. Annual plowing
increased the number of known artifacts by bringing them to visibility on the surface of the fields. An archaeological survey has observed that the southern and northwestern parts of the farm have yielded the highest concentration of artifacts, including firepits, campsites, and burials
.
with a goal of preserving portions of the river valley from erosion
. The core of the organization's project was the "Bottoms" area, located on the northern side of the river west of the interchange
of Interstate 275 and U.S. Route 50
. This area was once intended for development
by a company that purchased the land in the late 1980s; however, after the Milford city government declined permission for the proposal, the company sold it in 2002, and it has since come into the ownership of the city. Located within the Bottoms is the site of the Gatch family farm; in proposing its conservation program, the Valley View Foundation highlighted the significance of the Gatch Site as a leading part of the area's history.
recognized the prehistoric significance of the Gatch Site by adding it to the National Register of Historic Places
. It is one of nine archaeological sites in Clermont County that is listed on the National Register. Among the other eight is the Clarke Farm Site
, which like the Gatch Site has produced artifacts from the Woodland period.
Archaeological site
An archaeological site is a place in which evidence of past activity is preserved , and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology and represents a part of the archaeological record.Beyond this, the definition and geographical extent of a 'site' can vary widely,...
located near Milford
Milford, Ohio
Milford is a city in Clermont and Hamilton counties in the U.S. state of Ohio, along the Little Miami River in the southwestern part of the state. It is a part of Greater Cincinnati. Milford, an abbreviated form of mill ford, was so named because it was the first safe ford across the Little Miami...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. One of the largest archaeological sites in Clermont County
Clermont County, Ohio
Clermont County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States, just east of Cincinnati. As of 2010, the population was 197,363. Its county seat is Batavia...
, it is believed to have been a Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
village site during the Middle Woodland period
Woodland period
The Woodland period of North American pre-Columbian cultures was from roughly 1000 BCE to 1000 CE in the eastern part of North America. The term "Woodland Period" was introduced in the 1930s as a generic header for prehistoric sites falling between the Archaic hunter-gatherers and the...
.
Site
The boundaries of the Gatch Site encompass approximately 75 acres (30.4 ha) of land on what was once the farm of John N. Gatch. It has long been known to locals as a productive source of Native American relics; consequently, area residents have collected large numbers of artifactsArtifact (archaeology)
An artifact or artefact is "something made or given shape by man, such as a tool or a work of art, esp an object of archaeological interest"...
from the site over the years. Annual plowing
Plough
The plough or plow is a tool used in farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed or planting. It has been a basic instrument for most of recorded history, and represents one of the major advances in agriculture...
increased the number of known artifacts by bringing them to visibility on the surface of the fields. An archaeological survey has observed that the southern and northwestern parts of the farm have yielded the highest concentration of artifacts, including firepits, campsites, and burials
Grave (burial)
A grave is a location where a dead body is buried. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as graveyards or cemeteries....
.
Preservation
During the mid 2000s, a nonprofit organization, the Valley View Foundation, began a program to purchase property along the East Fork of the Little Miami RiverLittle Miami River
The Little Miami River is a Class I tributary of the Ohio River that flows through five counties in southwestern Ohio in the United States. The Little Miami joins the Ohio River east of Cincinnati. It forms parts of the borders between Hamilton and Clermont counties and between Hamilton and Warren...
with a goal of preserving portions of the river valley from erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
. The core of the organization's project was the "Bottoms" area, located on the northern side of the river west of the interchange
Interchange (road)
In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
of Interstate 275 and U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50 is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching just over from Ocean City, Maryland on the Atlantic Ocean to West Sacramento, California. Until 1972, when it was replaced by Interstate Highways west of the Sacramento area, it extended to San Francisco, near...
. This area was once intended for development
Urban planning
Urban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....
by a company that purchased the land in the late 1980s; however, after the Milford city government declined permission for the proposal, the company sold it in 2002, and it has since come into the ownership of the city. Located within the Bottoms is the site of the Gatch family farm; in proposing its conservation program, the Valley View Foundation highlighted the significance of the Gatch Site as a leading part of the area's history.
Recognition
In 1974, the National Park ServiceNational Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
recognized the prehistoric significance of the Gatch Site by adding it to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. It is one of nine archaeological sites in Clermont County that is listed on the National Register. Among the other eight is the Clarke Farm Site
Clarke Farm Site
The Clarke Farm Site is an ancient archaeological site in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. Located near Point Pleasant in Clermont County, it is a heavily stratified site, with nearly 8,000 years of occupation. Excavations at the site have yielded a large number of artifacts,...
, which like the Gatch Site has produced artifacts from the Woodland period.