Square nail and staple distribution at main site location At the main station site many of the nails appeared to have been randomly distributed by the bulldozing activity. However, the numbers support a probable log cabin structure and the concentration along or close to the assessed building perimeter support the building location, size and orientation. Six round nails were also found within the site area. These probably came from the occupation during the early homesteading period. Large-scale production of round wire nails began in the U.S. in the 1880s. About 1890 wire (round) nails became more popular than cut nails in the United States. In the Far West wire nails outnumbered cut nails by about 1900. (Sutton) At the second area building location on other side of Pecan grove there was also a concentration of square nails. The distribution and orientation supports the assessment that this building was of similar construction as the main area - 35 X 55 foot double log cabin. It sits with the dog-trot facing in an north-south axis. Because this building sits to the south of the larges stand of Pecan and Oak trees, this makes the dog trot face the prevailing winds coming from the southwest. Although, the only evidence found at this site is a single shotgun shell dating to the proper period of military occupation, the theory is that the Fort Chadbourne soldiers may have built this building during their six-month period of occupation in 1867. A large 7
inch) and every size in between. Since it appeared that large staples (usually used for fencing) were also used in these structures, those were also included in the pattern analysis.
Index to the proceedings of the regional archeological symposium including separate lists by subject, title, author, and volume along with subject categories, a map of regions, and Texas county abbreviations.
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