Reference: Escondido Ballpark Cultural Resources Survey (Affinis Job No. 2394)

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1 847 Jamacha Road, El Cajon, California tel: (619) fax: (619) October 13, 2010 Ms. Kim Baranek HELIX Environmental Planning 7578 El Cajon Boulevard, Suite 200 La Mesa, California Reference: Escondido Ballpark Cultural Resources Survey (Affinis Job No. 2394) Ms. Baranek: Affinis was contracted to conduct a cultural resources survey for the proposed Escondido Ballpark project in the City of Escondido. No cultural resources have been identified within or adjacent to the project area. Therefore, the project is expected to have no effect on known cultural resources; however, there is a potential for unknown buried resources in some areas, due to alluvial soils. This report summarizes the methods and results of the cultural resources survey. Project Location The proposed ballpark project is located in the City of Escondido, in northern San Diego County (Figure 1). The project area is east of Interstate 15 and south of W. Washington Avenue. The proposed ballpark is west of N. Quince Street, north of Norlak Avenue and the Escondido Creek channel, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. Dedicated parking areas would be developed along the west side of N. Spruce Street, as shown in Figure 3. The survey area, including the ballpark and associated parking areas, is shown in Figure 4. The project is in an unsectioned portion of Township 12 South, Range 2 West, on the USGS 7.5 Escondido quadrangle (Figure 2). Project Description The proposed project involves construction and operation of an approximately 9,000- seat triple-a (AAA), minor league baseball (MiLB) stadium (ballpark) on approximately 14.5 acres of land in the western portion of the City of Escondido (City) north of Norlak Avenue and south of W. Washington Avenue, on either side of N. Spruce Street (APN: , , , , , and ). The project also would include an associated surface parking lot to be located on approximately 10.3 acres of land on one parcel owned by the City on the south side of W. Washington Avenue (APN: ). 1

2 A number of infrastructure improvements would be made as part of the ballpark project, including street and utility realignments. The proposed ballpark would require the relocation of the southern segment of N. Spruce Street, as shown in Figure 3. Specifically, the southern 650-foot long segment of N. Spruce Street would be vacated and rerouted around the ballpark, north of its intersection with Norlak Avenue. In addition to rerouting the travel lanes around the ballpark, existing utilities beneath the road would be relocated. The proposed ballpark would require the demolition of some existing structures, including the City Public Works Administrative offices, a private business, a North County Transit Development (NCTD) bus storage facility, asphalt/concrete hardscape, and street-side landscaping. Environmental Setting Physical Environment The project area is in flat terrain along two fingers of Escondido Creek, at the base of ridge systems to the north and the south (Figure 2). Geologically, portions of the study area are mapped as Older (Pleistocene, younger than 500,000 years) alluvial river deposits; the remainder of the study area is mapped as Younger (Holocene, not active) alluvial flood plain deposit (Tan and Kennedy 1999). Soils mapped for the study area are: Ramona sandy loam, 2 to 5 percent slopes; Placentia sandy loam, 2 to 9 percent slopes; and Visalia sandy loam, 2 to 5 percent slopes (Bowman 1973). Native vegetation generally supported by these soil types includes annual grasses and forbs, chamise, buckwheat, live oak, and scrub oak (Bowman 1973). These vegetation types, along with the flat terrain and the presence of water, would have been a draw to the area for Native populations. Escondido Creek is now channelized in proximity to the project. This channelization is relatively recent, and there is a potential for buried archaeological deposits, due to some level of alluvial deposition. Cultural Environment The earliest accepted archaeological manifestation of Native Americans in the San Diego area is the San Dieguito complex, dating to approximately 10,000 years ago (Warren 1967). The San Dieguito complex was originally defined by Rogers (1939), and Warren published a clear synthesis of the complex in The traditional view of San Diego prehistory has the San Dieguito complex followed by the La Jolla complex at least 7,000 years ago, possibly as long as 9,000 years ago (Rogers 1966). The La Jolla complex is part of the Encinitas tradition and equates with Wallace's (1955) Millingstone Horizon, also known as Early Archaic or Milling Archaic. The Late Prehistoric period is represented by the Cuyamaca complex in the southern portion of San Diego County and the San Luis Rey complex in the northern portion of the county. The Cuyamaca complex is the archaeological manifestation of the Yuman forebears of the Kumeyaay people. The San Luis Rey complex represents the Shoshonean predecessors of the ethnohistoric Luiseño. The name Luiseño derives from Mission San Luis Rey de Francia and has been used to refer to the Indians associated with that mission, while the Kumeyaay people are also known as Ipai, Tipai, or Diegueño (named for Mission 2

3 San Diego de Alcala). Escondido is in a transitional area between the traditional territories of the Kumeyaay (or Diegueño) and the Luiseño peoples. Methods and Results Archaeological Resources Affinis obtained a records search for the project area and a one-mile radius from the South Coastal Information Center at San Diego State University in September Fifteen archaeological sites and one isolate have been recorded within one mile of the project area; no sites are recorded within one-half mile of the project (Confidential Attachment A). As summarized in Table 1, three of the previously recorded sites are historic period resources, and for three sites no information is available other than location. Of the other nine recorded sites, all contain bedrock milling features. No artifacts were noted at five of these sites, the other four all contain flaked stone artifacts (flakes and tools), and at least two include ground stone artifacts. The isolate consists of a flake and a mano. Table 1. Previously recorded resources within one mile of project Site Number Site Description Recorder, Year (CA-SDI-#) 151 No information Treganza, n.d. 152 No information Treganza, n.d. 153 No information Treganza, n.d Bedrock milling feature True, Pauma complex site; scattered True, 1962 chipping waste, two bedrock milling features 5004 Bedrock milling, flakes and tools, Johnson and Easland, 1977 roasting pit 5210 Habitation site with bedrock milling, flakes and tools, biface, Chace, 1977; 1979; James, Briggs, Campbell, 1991 ground stone; two loci. Historic component, possibly a mid-20 th century schoolhouse 5505 Bedrock milling features, flakes Flower, Ike, and Roth, 1978 and tools, ground stone, fireaffected rock; two loci 6726 Bedrock milling features, no Bickford, 1978 artifacts observed 7785 Bedrock milling features, no Laylander, 1980 artifacts observed 9829 Remnants of single bedrock Chace, 1983 milling feature, no artifacts observed 9830 Bedrock milling features, no artifacts observed Chace,

4 Site Number Site Description Recorder, Year (CA-SDI-#) 12,528 Historic trash scatter James, Briggs, Campbell, ,529 Historic trash dump James, Briggs, Campbell, ,532 Historic structure, a small trash James, Briggs, Campbell, 1991 scatter, and light flake scatter Primary Number Site Description Recorder, Year (P-37-#) Isolate flake and mano fragment James, Bark, Cooley, 1996 Malcolm Rogers noted for a few of the sites in the area that, although they were in an excellent situation for habitation, there was not evidence of intensive use of these sites. He suggested that the sites were not intensively used due to their location along the boundary between Luiseño and Kumeyaay territories. Assessment reports are available for several of the sites in the vicinity. CA-SDI-5210 Locus A, CA-SDI-6726, and CA-SDI-7785 have all been assessed as not significant, due to their general lack of cultural material other than bedrock milling features, as well as past disturbance of the sites (see Chace 1979; Laylander and Chace 1980). No archaeological surveys have been conducted in the immediate vicinity of the project area. Archaeological and Native American monitoring were conducted during the grading for construction of the Lowe s property, a short distance north of the ballpark project area. No archaeological material was found during this monitoring program. The proposed ballpark project area, including proposed parking, was surveyed for cultural resources on September 21, 2010 (see Figure 4). The survey was conducted by Andrew Giletti of Affinis and Native American monitors Gabe Kitchen of Red Tail Monitoring and Research (Kumeyaay) and Cami Mojado of Saving Sacred Sites (Luiseño). All exposed ground in the survey area was examined. As shown in Figure 4, the vast majority of the survey area is covered with buildings, hardscape, or landscape. The only open ground is in the City storage yard, but this area has fill soils and spoils piles that also limited ground visibility. No archaeological material was identified during the survey. As previously noted, there is some potential for subsurface cultural resources, due to some alluvial deposition from Escondido Creek. In addition, the ground surface is generally obscured by buildings, hardscape, storage of equipment, and spoils piles. Native American Cultural Resources The Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) was contacted for a Sacred Lands File search in September The Sacred Lands File search did not indicate the presence of Native American cultural resources within one-half mile of the proposed project site (APE). However, there are Native American cultural resources in close proximity to the APE. 4

5 Historic Resources Historic maps and aerial photographs were reviewed to assess the potential for historic archaeological resources, as well as historic structures. Historic maps included the 1948 USGS 7.5 Escondido quadrangle, Escondido quadrangle, and 1901 USGS 30 San Luis Rey quadrangle. Tax factor aerial photographs from 1928 were reviewed, as well as aerial photographs taken in 1947, 1953, and 1964 ( The 1901 topographic map and the 1928 aerial photographs show no buildings or structures within the project area. The railroad and much of the surrounding road grid are visible. On the 1942 topographic map, two buildings are visible in the southernmost portion of the project area, near Escondido Creek. Aerial photographs taken in 1947 and 1953 show a complex in this area, apparently a complex of agricultural buildings. By 1964, additional buildings/structures are visible to the north of the original complex; these are also visible on the current USGS map (Figure 2), from This area is now a City maintenance yard. A few of the extant buildings in the maintenance yard may be over 50 years old; however, none are architecturally or historically significant. Also present in the 1964 aerial photograph on the USGS map is a large building on the west side of North Quince Street. This building is the former Wickline Bedding Company office and factory. Wickline began manufacturing mattresses in 1949 to supply Strep s Warehouse, the furniture company owned by Vincent James Navarra that later became Jerome s Furniture. Wickline Bedding filed for bankruptcy and ceased operations in The building is not historically or architecturally significant. Although Wickline was in business in Escondido for many years, it did not make a substantial contribution to the history of the city. Therefore, the former Wickline building is not a significant historic resource. This building is within the study area, but it is outside the actual project footprint. Conclusions No archaeological resources have been identified within or adjacent to the project study area. No Native American cultural resources have been identified in proximity to the project. There are a few buildings that may be over 50 years old, but none are architecturally or historically significant. Therefore, the project is expected to have no effect on known cultural resources. However, there is a potential for unknown subsurface cultural resources, due to some alluvial deposition from Escondido Creek. Based on this, it is recommended that an archaeologist and Native American monitors representing both Kumeyaay and Luiseño tribes be present for initial ground-disturbing activities for the project (brushing, grubbing, and grading in the upper several feet). If cultural resources are discovered during construction monitoring, the monitors will have the authority to temporarily halt or redirect grading away from the area of the finds. Sufficient time and resources must be allowed for the archaeologist and the Native American monitor to assess the nature and significance of the finds, in consultation with 5

6 City staff. If significant resources are identified, appropriate mitigation measures must be developed and implemented. If you have any questions, please contact me at (619) extension 18 or Mary Robbins-Wade, RPA Director of Cultural Resources 6

7 References Bowman, Roy H Soil Survey, San Diego Area, California, Part I. United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD. Chace, Paul G An Archaeological Survey, Rock Springs West. Paul G. Chace & Associates, Escondido. Report on file at South Coastal Information Center, San Diego State University. HistoricAerials.com 2010 Historic aerial photographs. Electronic document, accessed September 1, Historic aerial photographs Laylander, Don, and Paul G Chace 1980 An Archaeological Assessment of the Concordia Development, City of Escondido. Paul G. Chace & Associates, Escondido. Report on file at South Coastal Information Center, San Diego State University. Rogers, Malcolm J Early Lithic Industries of the Lower Basin of the Colorado River and Adjacent Desert Areas. San Diego Museum of Man Papers No. 3. San Diego Museum of Man Ancient Hunters of the Far West. Union-Tribune Publishing Company, San Diego. Tan, Siang S., and Michael P. Kennedy 1999 Geologic Map of the Escondido 7.5 Quadrangle San Diego County, California: A Digital Database. Version 1.0. Digital database by Henry L. Hones and Kelly R. Ruppert. California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey. Wallace, William J A Suggested Chronology for Southern California Coastal Archaeology. Southwestern Journal of Anthropology 11: Warren, Claude N The San Dieguito Complex: A Review and Hypothesis. American Antiquity 32:

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