Intensive Archaeological Survey of the Sublett Farm and Santa Elena Canyon Overlook Burn Blocks, Big Bend National Park, Brewster County, Texas

The Center for Big Bend Studies of Sul Ross State University conducted an intensive archaeological survey and site reassessment in July 2005 and August 2006 of the Sublett Farm and Santa Elena Canyon Overlook Burn Blocks in Big Bend National Park, Brewster County, Texas. The project was conducted prior to and following a prescribed burn to satisfy federal requirements relative to Executive Order 11593 of 1971 and Sections 106 and 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. A total of 10 sites were evaluated during the project, three new sites and seven that had been previously recorded. Five of the sites contain only prehistoric components, three sites contain only historic components, and two sites contain both. Features documented consisted of fire cracked rock concentrations, hearths, old agricultural fields, and historic structural remains. Due to a low fuel load across most of the project area, the prescribed burn was not expected to adversely affect any of the sites. However, recommendations called for the area within the Sublett Farm National Register District to be re-evaluated following the burn. No artifacts were collected during this investigation.