Depot Archaeology
In the area immediately north of the Raton train depot are several backhoe trenches and other pits that have been carefully hand-excavated. Although there has been no mention in any of the local news media, these disturbances are undoubtedly the result of archaeological investigations in preparation for the “multi-modal transportation center” that has been in the planning stage for several years. The trenches and excavations have exposed intact historic foundations, artifacts, buried decorative features, and building rubble.
Archaeological excavations north of the Raton train depot.
Carefully excavated foundation. Notice the intact walls and rubble fill.
A wooden subsurface structure, partially excavated. Perhaps a privy.
An east-west trending brick alignment exposed by excavation.
A single row of bricks placed on edge indicate this is likely a decorative feature rather than a structure.
Past episodes of fill, historic ground level surfaces, and exposed artifacts and features are visible in the backhoe trench sides.
Artifacts found in the backhoe debris include this leather shoe with a nailed sole.
A crockery fragment exhibits a partial maker’s mark. This stoneware jar originally contained P. & J. Arnold writing ink.
Bone fragments from large mammals can be seen in the backhoe piles.
2017 Update
A new sign at the Multi-Modal Center with info on the archaeological project and the depot’s past.