Ten cultural features, all of which appear to have an Oliver Phase cultural affiliation, were discovered during the excavations on the western portion of the Sugar Creek site (Figure 4.11). The subsurface anomalies identified consisted of four pits (Features 1, 3, 6, and 9), three midden areas, one large rock concentration, two possible structures with wide wall trenches, and the remains of a burned tree stump. Feature morphology is presented in Table 4.3. Summary artifact totals for each feature are in Appendix 1. (See Table 4.3: Jo 289 Feature Summary Table)

The pit features identified on this site were all relatively large in planview. The smallest pit was located in Unit A (Feature 1) and measured 108.0 cm by 110.0 cm (see Table 4.3). Feature 1 (Figure 4.12) was a basin-shaped pit extending approximately 36.0 cm below the base of the plowzone. The anomaly was identified by a darker soil with pieces of charcoal and a light density of pottery, lithics, and fire-cracked rock. The sides of the pit appeared to be turning upward, or vertical, where the plowzone truncates the feature, perhaps indicating that the original shape was more cylindrical.

Feature 3 (Figure 4.13) was first identified as a dark anomaly extending across Trench 1. To ascertain whether this anomaly was linear in shape, the backhoe excavated Unit H to the west. Feature 3 appears to be an irregularly shaped pit feature extending into the east wall of Trench 1. The cross section along the east wall of Trench 1 showed a wide, shallow feature extending below the base of the plowzone approximately 24.0 cm. The base of the pit was flat, and the sides were insloping. Feature 3 contained a moderate scattering of charcoal pieces and a high density of pottery, lithics, and fire-cracked rock.

Unit N was hand-excavated to expose the eastern portions of features 2 and 6 in plan view. Feature 6 (Figure 4.14) was a roughly circular pit feature with a flat base and insloping sides, extending below the base of the plowzone about 32.0 cm. In cross section (Figure 4.15), the feature contained an upper zone with a high density of burnt bone (see Appendix 3), possible ashy deposits, and a high density of prehistoric cultural material. (For a summary of cultural material, see Appendix 1.) The lower zone was not as dark but also contained prehistoric materials.

Feature 9 (figures 4.16 and 4.17) was a large basin-shaped pit feature extending 42.0 cm below the plowzone, with one insloping wall and one that appeared to be turning upward. The feature fill contained ashy soil and high densities of sherds, lithics, and bone (Appendix 3). (For a summary of cultural material, see Appendix 1.) Charcoal pieces larger than 1.0 cm and flecking were present, as well as evidence of in situ burning, in a discontiguous, thin lens along the base of the feature.

A cluster of large pieces of fire-cracked glacial cobbles was exposed in the base of an SVS unit at N189, E180 (Feature 8). This was the only such concentration of fire-cracked rock noted anywhere on the site. After mechanical stripping of the plowzone from this area, an extremely large concentration of fire-cracked rock was observed (Figure 4.18). The scatter of fire-cracked rock extended from the center of Unit C into the east unit wall and grew larger toward the east. A small amount of lithics and pottery was scattered among the fire-cracked rock concentrations (see Appendix 1). One hundred forty-one pounds of fire-cracked rock were discarded in the field, excluding the 110 pieces counted in the lab.

Remnants of two possible structures were identified. Features 2 (Figure 4.14) and 5 (Figure 4.16) are believed to represent wall trenches associated with domestic structures. These structure trenches are quite similar to the structure identified at the Cox's Woods site (Redmond and McCullough 1996), in which the wall trenches appeared to vary in both width and depth and became amorphous at the corners, unlike Mississippian-type wall trenches that are usually straight narrow segments with posts placed at fairly regular intervals.

Feature 2 was a linear anomaly oriented northeast to southwest that appeared to make a 90 degree turn toward the southwest in Unit N. The feature was irregular in plan and profile, with a depth ranging between 41.0 cm and 18.0 cm below the plowzone. At the base of Feature 2, five post molds were identified running roughly northeast to southwest. This feature contained a high density of bone (Appendix 3), pottery, lithics, and fire-cracked rock. (For a summary of cultural materials, see Appendix 1.)

Feature 5 (Figure 4.16) had more clearly defined soil boundaries than Feature 2, but a much lower density of cultural material. (For a summary of cultural materials, see Appendix 1.) In plan view, this feature was defined by a very dark brown sandy soil in the trench segments, surrounded by lighter, dark yellowish-brown soil. The two linear trenches measured approximately 52.0 cm across and formed an angle. The soil within the trenches contained a light density of artifacts and was slightly darker than the soil outside the trenches. Several post molds were identified at the base of the wall trenches but were scattered, not oriented along with the trenches. Trench 3 cut across Feature 5 at an oblique angle; the soil profile of the south wall is shown in Figure 4.19. As the profile demonstrates, two separate wall trenches (Trench A, east, and Trench B, west) extending to a depth of about 26.0 or 28.0 cm below the plowzone were identified. In profile, the soils within the trenches and outside the trench walls appear to be similar. However, a light density of prehistoric cultural material was recovered from the soil between the trenches. (Note the small concentration of fire-cracked rock.)

In the course of mechanically stripping the plowzone to expose Feature 5, a large quantity of artifacts was identified in the extreme northeast corner of Unit K, including several vessel sections, numerous potsherds, and a bone awl. These artifacts were in an area of darker soil, indicating a midden scatter. However, the depth of the deposits and the abrupt soil boundary at the base of the darker soil indicates that these items were contained within the plowzone. Because of the size of the pottery and the good condition of the bone awl, these items were probably "pulled up" into the plowzone during one of the last plowing episodes before the area was converted into a campground. Patches of intact midden may be located near Unit K, to the north and northeast.

Another midden area (labeled in the field as Feature 7) that appeared to be contained within the plowzone was located immediately southwest of Feature 3 in Unit H. A small portion of a dark soil lens with artifacts was identified underlying the gravel campground road. As with the midden near Unit K, this one revealed an abrupt soil boundary at the base consistent with the plowzone observed across the site. Neither of these two middens were exposed in plan and therefore not excavated.

A midden area that extended well below the base of the plowzone was excavated in Unit E. Figure 4.20 shows a broad subtle area of slightly darker soil containing a high density of prehistoric cultural material. An area of slightly lighter colored soils in the northeast corner of the unit also contained high densities of cultural material. After the plowzone was removed by mechanical stripping and hand excavation, the unit was excavated in 10.0 cm levels, with the soil passed through 1/4-inch screen, to a depth between 50.0 and 55.0 cm BS, at which point the yellowish-brown sand and gravel C horizon was encountered. Artifacts were recovered all the way down to the top of the gravel layer.

The size and depth of these midden deposits and the fact that they extend beyond the limits of the unit strongly suggest that this anomaly is something other than a pit feature or midden lens. Perhaps large anomalies such as this that extend at least 35.0 cm below the plowzone are the remains of pit house structures that have subsequently been filled with trash. Supporting this speculation are the more than 700 pieces of pottery that were recovered, many of which were large. (For Unit E, see Appendix 1.) Unfortunately, the coarseness of the gravelly sediments and the frozen conditions at the time of excavation rendered the precise identification of the midden lens in profile impossible. (In order to confidently identify this midden area as a structure, or features 2 and 5, excavations to open wider areas over the possible house structures would be necessary.)