Locus 7 Site
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Overview of the site
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Location | North of Fayette City, Pennsylvania |
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Coordinates | 40°6′23.88″N 79°50′12.9″W / 40.1066333°N 79.836917°WCoordinates: 40°6′23.88″N 79°50′12.9″W / 40.1066333°N 79.836917°W |
Area | 2.9 acres (1.2 ha) |
NRHP reference # | 80003495 |
Added to NRHP | March 20, 1980 |
The Locus 7 Site is an archaeological site in Washington Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located north of Fayette City, the site lies on a bluff over Downers Run about 2,000 feet (610 m) from the Monongahela River. It is believed to be the location of a former Monongahela village, but its date is uncertain; the village may have existed at any time between 900 and 1600. Its location on a bluff is unusual for Monongahela village sites, but this may have contributed to its preservation; most riverside Monongahela sites in the valley of the Monongahela River have been destroyed by development.
Small-scale archaeological investigation at the site has revealed a wide range of pottery at the site, along with a significant amount of mussel shells; it is believed that a more extensive excavation would yield evidence of small round houses and a . Such a large amount of potential findings has been theorized because of the limited disturbance that the site has seen: unlike most Monongahela sites in the region, it has been damaged only by surface cultivation by local farmers who used only horse-powered equipment.
Locus 7's archaeological significance was recognized in 1980 when it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
^ a: While the source for this statement gives the name as "Douners Run," the United States Geological Survey has recorded the stream's name as given in the text.
^ b: While the source for this statement states that the site lies west of the river, this is impossible, as the land west of the river is part of Washington County.