Ridgewood OKs 2nd archaeological survey at house site
Contractor finds artifacts during its first survey
RIDGEWOOD — The Village Council is expected to approve a second-phase $53,778 archaeological survey of the historic Zabriskie-Schedler property on Wednesday after a contractor reported finding items associated with the house during the first survey.
Village Manager Keith Kazmark announced during last Wednesday’s work session that he had received a letter from Richard Grubb and Associates advising that artifacts had been found at two locations around the house and in an area north of the house now designated for a multipurpose sports field.
The Dec. 6 letter from Grubb CEO Alice Domm identified two portions of the 7-acre site as having “the potential to yield archaeological resources that contribute to the historic property”:
● A 16,322-square foot area surrounding and including the circa-1825 frame farmhouse.
● A 15,000-square-foot area north of the house in an area previously identified as having “one or more outbuildings.”
The letter said the company dug a total of 95 shovel test pits. Of those, 22 test pits yielded “324 historic period artifacts and two pre-contact period artifacts.” Pre-contact artifacts are those predating Native American contact with Europeans.
The area north of the house yielded “a piece of Albany slipped stoneware” and “recovered architectural material that corresponds roughly with the mapdocumented location of one or more outbuildings.”
“No clear evidence of Revolutionary War period activity was identified,” the letter states. However, because the two areas would have to be disturbed as part of the proposed plan, the contractor recommended a Phase II investigation of the sites.
According to Domm, Phase II costs will include $6,000 for a work plan and coordination with the state Historic Preservation Office and $47,778 for the actual study.
“Financing would be available through a capital bond that has already been earmarked for the Schedler property,” Kazmark said. “Time is of the essence. If we wait and the ground freezes over, Grubb will not be able to go out and perform this study in a timely fashion and we’ll probably have to sit on this until spring.”
The council approved a new plan for the site in March but temporarily delayed work until consultant Peter Primavera reviewed documents and suggested an alternative in July to move the historic house to another site. The council decided to go with its previously approved plan, although the members are divided on the use of artificial turf.
The village bought the house in 2009 for $2.7 million, offset by a $1.57 million open space grant that requires the property to be developed for active recreation.