Historical Archaeology at Locality 6 of the Fort Ellsworth Site (14EW26) Kanopolis Lake, Ellsworth County, Kansas

This report details archaeological investigations at Locality 6 of Fort Ellsworth (14EW26), a temporary military post established in 1864 and abandoned in 1867. The site is located along the Smoky Hill River within the present boundary of Kanopolis Lake in central Kansas. Locality 6 was tested in 1995, and as a result, the Fort Ellsworth site was determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. Data recovery investigations at Locality 6 in 1996 focused on the excavation of two dugout structures, both of which were found to contain evidence of walls constructed by setting logs vertically in a trench, a method known as poteaux en terre construction. One dugout contained the remains of a bakeoven, clearly indicating it was the post bakery. Archaeological data from the other dugout suggests that it served as a living quarters, probably for enlisted men or non-commissioned officers.Corps of Engineers Kansas City MO Kansas City District is the author of 'Historical Archaeology at Locality 6 of the Fort Ellsworth Site (14EW26) Kanopolis Lake, Ellsworth County, Kansas' with ISBN 9781423522751 and ISBN 1423522753.