justin.johnston@bigpineconsultants.com 231-282-2192
Big Pine Consultants
  • Home
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • What We Do
  • Services
    • Project Management and Planning
    • Wetland/Stream Studies and Permitting
    • Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Sampling and Identification
    • Archaeology and Historic Properties
    • Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Species
    • Drone Services
    • GIS and Mapping Services
  • Careers
  • Employees
    • Login
    • GIS
    • Know Your Rights
    • Training
    • Forms
  • Projects
  • News
  • Contact
Big Pine Consultants
  • Home
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • What We Do
  • Services
    • Project Management and Planning
    • Wetland/Stream Studies and Permitting
    • Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Sampling and Identification
    • Archaeology and Historic Properties
    • Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Species
    • Drone Services
    • GIS and Mapping Services
  • Careers
  • Employees
    • Login
    • GIS
    • Know Your Rights
    • Training
    • Forms
  • Projects
  • News
  • Contact

Hermitage Readiness Center Phase I & II Archaeology

Home » Hermitage Readiness Center Phase I & II Archaeology
Phase I shovel test pit excavation for the Hermitage Readiness Center, HHSDR Architects & Engineers, Hermitage, Mercer County, PA
Phase I shovel test pit excavation for the Hermitage Readiness Center, HHSDR Architects & Engineers, Hermitage, Mercer County, PA

Introduction – Hermitage Readiness Center Phase I & II Archaeology

The Hermitage Readiness Center was proposed on a 20-acre site in Hermitage, PA. HHSDR Architects and Engineers (HHSDR) designed the center and prepared the project area for construction. As a condition of the permitting process, consultation with the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (PA-SHPO) was required under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA). The PA-SHPO sent a letter stating that a Phase I Archaeological Investigation was necessary for the PA Army National Guard facility (Hermitage Readiness Center facility for the PA Army National Guard). HHSDR turned to Big Pine Consultants LLC for help to navigate the PA-SHPO consultation process and complete the required Phase I & II Archaeology work.

Background – Hermitage Readiness Center Phase I & II Archaeology

Following PA-SHPO’s instruction, Big Pine Consultants initiated a Phase I Archaeological Investigation at the Hermitage Readiness Center site. In 2023, our dedicated team conducted over 400 shovel test pits. Consequently, we unearthed artifacts dating from the Civil War to the Industrial Revolution. These discoveries verified the site’s historical significance. Subsequently, we compiled an extensive Phase I report for PA-SHPO, prompting a Phase II evaluation request from PA-SHPO.

Big Pine completed the subsequent Phase II investigation that was aimed at refining the site’s boundaries, assessing its importance, and evaluating its integrity for further research and potential inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Although the site was historic, it was ultimately determined to have insufficient integrity due to past disturbances and was deemed not eligible for NRHP listing.

Impact

Big Pine Consultants adhered to an expedited schedule, securing PA-SHPO’s concurrence and enabling the procurement of federal funds as well as satisfying other construction-related requirements for the Hermitage Readiness Center. The findings from Big Pine Consultants not only facilitated the construction project but also provided PA-SHPO and the community with valuable historical insights into the Hermitage area.

Discover Our Expertise

To delve into the world of historic preservation and uncover more about Big Pine Consultants LLC’s role in archaeology, we invite you to visit our website Cultural Resources.

To learn more about Big Pine Consultants LLC and how we can help support your projects, visit our website at www.bigpineconsultants.com.

If you would like to reach out to us, please Contact Us today!

Artifacts recovered during Phase I and II investigations for the Hermitage Readiness Center.
Artifacts recovered during Phase I and II investigations for the Hermitage Readiness Center.
Intact glass bottle artifact recovered from the Hermitage Readiness Center site.
Intact glass bottle artifact recovered from the Hermitage Readiness Center site.
Test Unit excavation during Phase II activities on the Hermitage Readiness Center site.
Test Unit excavation during Phase II activities on the Hermitage Readiness Center site.
Trenching activities for the Phase II Archaeological Investigation for the Hermitage Readiness Center site.
Trenching activities for the Phase II Archaeological Investigation for the Hermitage Readiness Center site.

Big Pine Consultants

(231) 282-2192

1066 Towervue Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15227

About

  • What We Do
  • Who We Are
  • Services
  • Projects

Learn More

  • Employees
  • Careers
  • News
  • Contact

Newsletter

Big Pine Consultants © 2025 All Rights Reserved.

Search

Manage Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}