Figure 2.
June 6, 1937. Sunday
We boys went over to see the Trowbridge collection which included some very interesting Spiral Mound relics. We hunted in nearby fields after viewing Trowbridge's excavations.
June 7, 1937 Monday
We went to work at 8:00 A.M. and extended the trenches both north and south. Professors Wrench and Berry left us tonight. The usual run of implements including a celt blade and worked antler points were found.
June 8, 1937 Tuesday
We went to work at 8:00 A.M. Further work was done on various sections. Gus spent most of his time on #85 and #85-W1, level 9" to 18". The base line trench is now 30 ft. long and 10 ft. wide. Most of the material seems to be centered near Square #100. Several test pits were dug in a slight rise just across the fence in the potato patch. The tests showed up very well. The material was mixed to a depth of 36". Rain began at 2:00 P.M. and lasted all afternoon.
June 9, 1937. Wednesday
Went to work at 8:00 A.M. on the trench. Due to the rain the work was very disagreeable. Gus finished Squares #85 and #85-W1 and uncovered two pits very close to each other. Gus then worked on Square #45 and on the south. Two pits showed up very plainly in these squares. Dr. Wedel uncovered a possible restorable pot with embossed nodes and coarse cord markings. Approximately ten pits have been uncovered up to this date.
June 10, 1937 Thursday
8:00 A.M. saw us in the field today. Ken and Hugh spent this day in mapping. Gus and I worked in the trenches. I worked on Square #85-W7 and on west. Gus worked from Square #30 to Square #5.
June 11, 1937. Friday
Ken and Hugh are still surveying. I worked on trenches most of the day. Gus and Dr. Wedel laid out a 20 ft. by 60 ft. space in the potato patch prior to excavation. We had worked in the afternoon on filling in trench squares #140 and #145 west to the fence. I dug a small pit in square #140, these extreme point west of the excavation.
June 12, 1937 Saturday
Ken is still surveying. Gus and I excavated pits all morning. Gus excavated Pits #8, #10 and #11. I excavated Pits #7 and #9. My Pit #7 yielded one restorable pot of large proportions, bone, antlers and points. Pit #9 yielded very little except animal bones.
Figure 3. Shows excavated pits along the baseline trench. The other two are from the Kansas City Star.
June 13, 1937. Sunday
Ken, Hugh and I went swimming at the "Pla-Mor" most of the day.
June 14, 1937. Monday
Went to work at 8:00 A.M. Ken and Hugh worked on pits in the base line trench. Gus and I spent most of the day in the potato patch. Hugh's pit, #12, turned out to be a different type in that it belled out near the bottom. This pit reached a depth of 5' 3" from the surface. Many interesting artifacts were excavated from this cache pit. Some of these were two cup shaped objects, one of pottery and one of stone. These objects were considered problematical. One well-worked hammerstone and one-half portion of a fragmented pot were found. Much bone and wood ashes were also extracted; one-third of a three quarter, polished, grooved axe, typical of this region came from this pit. Ken later worked out Pit #13, finding the usual run of material.
June 15, 1937. Tuesday
Gus and I spent all day in the potato patch. The usual run of material was accompanied by a small copper celt and one small hematite (celt?). I excavated a bone awl at a depth of 15" and one possible restorable pot t a depth of 7".
June 16, 1937. Wednesday
We all four worked in the potato patch today. One portion of an unfired bowl approximately 1 1/2" tall at a depth of 16" was found. I excavated a portion of a beaming tool at a depth of 12" located in square #100-E9. I also excavated a large ceremonial knife blade 10 1/2" long and 3" wide fashioned from brown chert. Pit #17 was excavated, yielding the usual run of materials. Today several pumice stones were found and one cluster of clam shells were excavated in this area. We are throwing dirt directly behind us as we advance, piling our dirt near the center to leave the walls exposed for photographing. Directly under the village level at a depth of 18" hard yellow subsoil is found. The excavations to the east seem to resemble those to the west.
June 17, 1937. Thursday
Pit #18 was excavated today in the 20 ft. strip east of the base line in Square #95-E8. Usual run of material plus a few worked bone artifacts were uncovered. Dr. Wedel and I dug Pit #19 in the road bed. (Usual run of material)
June 18, 1937. Friday
The trenches ran deeper today as we worked west, the material now reaching a depth of 27". Ken dug Pit #20 today.
June 19, 1937. Saturday
Went to work at 7:00 A.M. this morning. Work was done on Pit #21. A large grooved axe from the road bed was donated to us by the construction crew. Pit #22 was worked out today by Ken. Usual run of material. I worked out Pit #23. In the evening Hugh, Ken & I went to theatre to see Calloway & orchestra - very good.
June 20, 1937. Sunday
Spent most of the day around camp. In afternoon we went over Shippee's for a visit.
June 21, 1937. Monday
Pit #25 was excavated by Gus today. The rest of us worked on squares in the potato patch.
June 22, 1937. Tuesday
I worked on Square #100-E2 and started Pit #26.
June 23, 1937. Wednesday
Dr. Wedel and Gus went to Doniphan, Kansas, to look things over. Mr. A.T. Hill, from Nebraska, arrived shortly after they left. We boys worked on the last squares of the potato patch. I worked out Pit #26.
June 24, 1937. Thursday
We all worked on alternate squares in E1 today. Mr. Shippee worked with us. Several pits were uncovered, with the usual run of material excavated plus additional bone artifacts. We wend to Shippee's for a grand supper. ( I ate too much.)
June 15, 1937. Friday
The undug squares in E1 were dug. [fig. 5] Dr. Wedel took some air pictures and the ride made him sick. I was somewhat sick with him (from last night).
Figure 5.
June 26, 1937. Saturday
Saturday morning we worked. Saturday afternoon we all went to the race track (Dr. Wedel's treat). Saturday night we went to a picnic given by the Shippee's. We later went to a barbershop in the city. At 8:30 P.M. we went to a swell show at Fifth and Walnut Streets (Burlesque).
June 27, 1937. Sunday
Entertained visitors most of the day. I washed clothes in the afternoon.
June 28, 1937. Monday
Filled in all day. Finished our work at 5:30 P.M.
June 29, 1937. Tuesday
Cataloged specimens all morning until 1:30 P.M. At 2:00 P.M. I went to the city to get a paper. Packed all the rest of the afternoon.
June 30, 1937. Wednesday
Dr. Wedel returned key to owner. Left Renner site at 9:30 A.M. Ate breakfast in Parkville, MO. Arrived at Doniphan at 1:30 P.M. Set up camp all afternoon.