Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 10/20/1993
NRHP Listing Date 12/23/1993
NRHP Reference Number 93001443
The archaeological GW Jeep Site, which straddles the boundary between Highland County in Virginia and Pocahontas County in West Virginia, is noteworthy for its integrity and location. Its dense lithic multi-component material and subsurface features reflect a large prehistoric upland base camp. But the site’s geographic location in a low mountain gap at a high elevation (over 4,000 feet) is like a transient camp in the archaeological model. The site may be an intermediate form or may represent the mixing of different activities at different times. The extended time range of occupation, 5,000 to 1,000 BCE, and a pattern of variable densities and clustered raw materials on the site suggest the latter interpretation. The site’s integrity and important location to commerce and transportation has the potential to answer questions about the prehistory of the area and region. Several varieties of non-local chert are present, providing an opportunity for the study of raw material movements through trade. The hearth or earth oven feature archaeologists recorded contained charcoal, providing a possibility of radiocarbon dating.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: June 4, 2021
