Dimond Knoll Project
During 2012, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) conducted data recovery at Dimond Knoll on Cypress Creek, in advance of construction associated with the State Highway (SH) 99 (Grand Parkway Segment E) Project. The Houston Archeological Society served as a participatory party in the Section 106 Consultation process and had been invited to participate in the screening of back dirt from the excavation. Owing to the active construction zone of the activity with the constant presence of heavy machinery, HAS screened off-site for this project. Material remains from this site span the Paleoindian, Archaic, Woodland, and Late Prehistoric periods. A large number of projectile points and other tools have been excavated.
The TxDOT/HAS screening project evolved into a tremendously successful public outreach effort that ran through 2013, with participants from not only HAS, but from the Brazosport and Fort Bend archeological societies, as well as anthropology/archeology students and professors from several local colleges including the University of Houston, St. Thomas University, Houston Community College and Lone Star College.
The project has generated outstanding word-of-mouth communication, encouraging the participation of many people who have wanted to be archeologists since childhood but have never had the opportunity.
HAS and TxDOT Section 106 Initial Consultation Dimond Knoll
DATA-RECOVERY INVESTIGATIONS AND PUBLIC OUTREACH AT THE DIMOND KNOLL SITE (41HR796)
TxDOT/HAS Dimond Knoll Screening Project Weekly Bulletins
The Dimond Knoll Project has also been the subject of articles in the Houston Chronicle. Check out these links.
Houston Chronicle - Cy-Fair Edition December 17th, 2013
Houston Chronicle - Heights Edition December 17th, 2013
Houston Chronicle - January 19th, 2014
TXDOT/HAS Dimond Knoll Screening Project (41HR496) wins the 2013 E. Mott Davis Award
Dr. J. Barrett March 2021 Presentation Handout
To learn more about the history behind our archeological society contact Publicity/Outreach: publicoutreach@txhas.org.