Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) surveys in the Upper Robert H. Treman State Park, New York.
This thesis provides a report on the methodology, results, and interpretation of Ground Penetrating Radar surveys conducted in the Upper Park area of the Robert H. Treman State Park, NY. The study aimed to locate buried remains of a carding and fulling mill in operation between the early 19th and 20th centuries, during which time the area was the site of a hamlet- Enfield Falls. However, between 1920-1930, structures within the hamlet were progressively demolished, and the area was converted into a state park. GPR data were processed to produce subsurface images of the study area. Three features of interest were identified, and their nature was ground-truthed by opening test excavation units. Excavations revealed that the features in question were a retaining wall, a key sediment layer, and a burnt surface. The wall was constructed by Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Company 1265 between 1933 and 1935. However, on July 12, 1935, it was buried under a layer of sediments when flood waters inundated the park. Since the retaining wall was situated in a soil stratum underlying the burnt surface, we inferred that the wall was relatively older. Despite not discovering remnants of the mill, this study has uncovered new evidence of CCC activity in the Upper Park area, which provides fresh insights into the transformation of Enfield Falls from a rural community into a state park.