ARCHEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AT THE 

 CORALVILLE RESERVOIR, lOWA^ 



By Warren W. Caldwell 



INTRODUCTION 



During the winter of 1949, a preliminary reconnaissance of the 

 south-central portion of the Iowa River valley was carried out by the 

 River Basin Surveys, Smithsonian Institution, in an effort to deter- 

 mine the archeological potential of the area to be submerged by the 

 waters of the then projected Coralville Reservoir. Temporal con- 

 siderations prevented an intensive investigation of the region; how- 

 ever, the recovered data (Wlieeler, 1949) made it obvious that further, 

 more thoroughgoing work, was desirable. 



In the autumn of 1956, with the dam nearing completion, a more 

 adequate survey became a matter of urgency. Although the Coral- 

 ville Reservoir lies outside the Missouri Basin, the Missouri Basin 

 Project of the River Basin Surveys was able to undertake the in- 

 vestigations. Funds to carry on the field activities and laboratory 

 research were transferred to the Smithsonian Institution from the 

 appropriation for Archeological Salvage Work Outside the Missouri 

 Basin. For reasons of administrative convenience and economy, the 

 Smithsonian Institution administered the work through its Missouri 

 Basin Project office in Lincoln, Nebr. The research and administra- 

 tive supervision was by regular Missouri Basin Project staff members. 



This report is based upon a 6-week field study carried out during 

 September and October of 1956. An excavation crew, varying from 

 6 to 10 men, served faithfully in a difficult field situation. In par- 

 ticular, thanks should be extended to Lee G. Madison of the Missouri 

 Basin Project, River Basin Surveys, who officiated as a competent 

 and perceptive field assistant. The following crew members are also 

 deserving of special mention: Richard Adams, Donald Looney, 

 Joseph Miltner, and Raymond Buchmeyer, of Solon, Iowa; Elmer 

 Gardner and Peter Kuipers, of Platte, S. Dak.; Tyler Bastian and 

 Norman Barka, of Beloit College; and Richard Jensen and Carl 



1 Revised manuscript submitted September 1957. 



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