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White Cat Village

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2017

John L. Champe
John L. Champe*
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Anthropology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska
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Extract

White Cat Village, a newly-explored site of the Dismal River Aspect, is located on Prairie Dog Creek about 3 miles above the point where it joins the Republican River from the south. The greater part of the village is included within a 70-acre field just southwest of the center of Section 24, Township IN, Range 18W, some 6 miles southeast of Alma, Harlan County, Nebraska. The village occupies an area approximately 1000 feet long and 250 feet wide, lying along a 30-foot bluff which forms the north bank of Prairie Dog Creek at this point (Fig. 70, e). The terrace on which the site is located will be a few feet under the normal level of the Harlan County Reservoir, and nearly 20 feet below the maximum level.

A preliminary survey of the village was made in November, 1946, by Marvin F. Kivett and J. M. Shippee, for the Missouri River Basin Survey.

Type
Archaeological Researches in the Missouri Basin by the Smithsonian River Basin Surveys and Cooperating Agencies
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 14 , Issue 4Part1 , April 1949 , pp. 285 - 292
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 1949

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References

1 The name, White Cat Village, is used here for the first time, in lieu of the code numbers 25HN37 by which the site is identified. It would be pleasant to acknowledge the many courtesies extended to the Field School by the landowner, Robert D. Stephenson of Alma, by naming the village for him. His nephew and namesake, however, is the man who first brought the White Cat Village to the attention of the Laboratory of Anthropology party, in 1946, and another site already bears his name. The name selected lacks all known personal as well as anthropological connotations. Soon after work began at the site, the Field School was adopted by “Ma,” a white mother cat and her kittens. Two of these—known as the “Ologies, Arch. E. and Eth. N.“—were also white. The third kitten, a gray tabby, performed the unusual feat of getting in everyone’s hair by being constantly underfoot. He somehow acquired only the initials “. I.”

2 The Field Party included Mary Lou Callen, Mr. and Mrs. James H. Gunnerson, Sally Ann Johnson, Sally Herminghaus, James Howard, Gerard Mulraney, Walter Sehnert, and Dr. and Mrs. John L. Champe. Mrs. O. L. Splinter was a welcome addition to the party for some ten days. George Metcalf rendered invaluable service during a three day visit to the camp, and on many occasions in the laboratory. Dr. W. R. Wedel was able to spend one day in camp, and his counsel and assistance were much appreciated.

3 Dismal River ceramics and artifacts have been illustrated elsewhere (Hill and Metcalf, 1941; Champe, 1946; Metcalf, 1949); hence, the available space has been utilized for site pictures.

4 All faunal remains, except shell, were identified by Weldon D. Frankforter, Assistant Curator of Paleontology, University of Nebraska State Museum, whose assistance is gratefully acknowledged.

5 The original of this map is in the British Museum. I am indebted to the Ayer collection, Newberry Library, Chicago, for my copy.

6 The legend, in part, is as follows: “ … Levantado de orden de el Exmo Señor marques de casafuerte, virrey, governador, y capitan General de estos reynos, por Don Francisco Alvarez Barreiro Ingeniero principal de la provincia de los tejas, siquiendo las ordenes, qui para este effecto e fueron dadas por el Brigadier de los Reales exercitos Don Pedro de Rivera… . Reducido y delineado por Don Luis de Surville en 4 de Julio del aflo de 1770.“

7 Margry, 1888, Vol. 6, p. 433. After salutations had been exchanged between the French and the Padoucas: “ …. Ensuite, ils monterent tous nos Francois sur leurs chevaux, les uns sur un cheval, les autres en croupe; ils y monterent aussy les Sauvages, qui venoient avec nous… . “