SHiP conducted a reconnaissance survey of the proposed route of the one-mile loop of the Scenic River Retreat trail in Munson Township, Geauga County, Ohio. The project area is located in the uplands of the Chagrin River watershed. The Munson Township Zoning Board had proposed a one-mile trail loop in the woods beyond Lake Zosia in the Scenic River Retreat. The proposed trail route wrapped around an ephemeral stream of the Chagrin River, covering a variety of soil associations and covering an approximately 10-meter change in elevation and relief.
Within Geauga County, there are fewer than 200 total recorded sites in the Ohio Archaeological Inventory, and a significant portion of these sites are historic. Relatively little information exists of the prehistoric archaeological record in Geauga County.
A total of 71 shovel test pits and bucket auger pits were excavated along the length of the proposed trail route. Only three of these test pits were positive with cultural materials. One shovel test pit contained a piece of clear window glass and aluminum foil, and a second contained a piece of clear bottle glass. A third shovel test pit (number 68 shown in the accompanying photos) yielded more than 50 pieces of clear, amber, and green bottle glass (likely mason jars and beverage bottles). In addition to bottle glass, the survey located several unidentifiable corroded iron fragments, plastic components from the Irwin Plastic Corporation, and an unidentifiable corroded belt driven motor that was 10 cm in diameter. Other cultural objects that were observed included a mason jar found in the bed of the ephemeral stream, a steel milk can with handles, a shotgun shell, and several plastic soda bottles.
Based on the historical evidence and the broad variety of non-diagnostic historical artifacts recovered, it was determined that there was minimal potential to yield new information about the past from this historical scatter.
