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The current project is yet another cooperative research endeavor between the National Park Service, Midwest Region, and the University of Missouri-Columbia to add significant new information to the cultural resources data base of Ozark National Scenic Riverways in the Jacks Fork and Current River drainages of the southeastern Missouri Ozarks. This report is a contribution to the overall research goal initiated for the region a decade ago dealing with understanding and explaining man's changing use of the southeastern Ozark Highland and Ozark Border throughout the past prehistoric and historic human experience there.

This document reports the findings of surface and subsurface investigations in a small side hollow of the Current River near Big Spring in Carter County, Missouri. The purpose of the investigations was to locate and test any prehistoric or historic sites in the anticipated direct impact zone of relocating and widening of Peavine Road in Ozark National Scenic Riverways. The research was conducted in 1989 and 1990 and involved personnel of both the National Park Service and the University of Missouri. The entire route of the road improvements was surveyed by pedestrian reconnaissance and four prehistoric sites were located as a result of these investigations. All four sites are in a small side valley in the area where Peavine descends to the valley and crosses it to the lowest Current River terrace.

The four sites discovered are the Gnat Alley Woods Site, 23CT351; the Quartzite Site, 23CT352,; the Peavine Road Site, 23CT353; and the Cherty Branch Site, 23CT354. Sites 23CT351, 23CT353, and 23CT354 occur within the anticipated direct impact zones of the proposed road construction. Site 23CT352 lies up the small side valley outside the direct impact zone.

Shovel testing was performed on 23CT353 and two test units were excavated in 23CT354. Major test excavations were conducted on site 23CT351. An intensive surface collection was obtained from 23CT352 in the area where it was eroding into a small intermittent stream. Results of the investigations indicate that the small side hollow was intensively occupied from Early Archaic times, at least 9,000 years ago through the Late Archaic substage circa 1,000 B.C. The testing of 23CT351 and 23CT33 revealed significant components of Middle Archaic occupation, a cultural period as yet not well defined in previously investigated sites in Ozark Scenic Riverways.

Due to the sensitive nature of this subject this report is available to professional archeologists only. If you order this manuscript we may contact you for verification of your profession.