A copper and asbestos head gasket, most likely used in the 1910s, is shown here. The gasket was found eroding out of a hillside at a Fort McCoy historic site that was occupied from circa 1856 to 1912. (Photo by Colorado State University Center for the Environmental Management of Military Lands.)

Fort McCoy has been the host of dozens of archaeological investigators and field technicians over a span of more than 50 years.

These efforts have resulted in the identification of hundreds of archaeological sites, which range in age from 50 to 10,000 years old. Most of these sites have been investigated multiple times to determine how much historical significance they have or what these sites can tell us about previous inhabitants of the area. Sites that have been determined to meet specific criteria regarding historical significance are recommended by investigators to be eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places, a status that affords them additional protection in the eyes of federal law.

The Fort McCoy Archaeology Laboratory has been revisiting sites that have been determined eligible for the National Register for two decades to monitor the condition of their physical locations and assess any natural or human effects that might necessitate a reconsideration of the eligibility of the site.

A National Register-eligible site located within the cantonment area was visited in summer 2019 for a routine inspection. It was noted that the high volume of rainfall had prompted higher output from a natural spring, and this led to artifacts eroding out of a hillside between the spring and a nearby stream. The historic site was occupied from circa 1856-1912 and was the site of the first town meeting held in Lafayette Township. Two artifacts included among those eroding out of the hillside were head gaskets for use in early automobiles.

A few advertisements from the 1910s and 1920s demonstrated that the head gaskets had almost certainly been manufactured by the Victor Manufacturing and Gasket Co. This company began operations in Chicago in 1909 and continued growing and producing for decades. The Victor Manufacturing and Gasket Co. was acquired in 1966 by the Dana Corp., which began as the Spicer Manufacturing Co. in 1904 in Toledo, Ohio. In 1993, Dana acquired the Reinz Co., which began in Berlin, Germany, in 1920, and subsequently formed the Victor Reinz brand, which continues to produce gaskets and other products today.

Early automobile gaskets like the one recovered from the site monitoring visit were very frequently manufactured with asbestos. Asbestos was used in many products during the first half of the 20th century. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was commonly used in manufacturing because it is an excellent insulator for both electricity and heat. It is no longer in use in many countries because small dust particles from asbestos products can cause serious damage to lungs and even cause cancer. Furthermore, many museums and other artifact curation facilities are reluctant to accept artifacts with asbestos because of health concerns for researchers and curators.

This example demonstrates how, in rare cases, artifacts can actually be potentially hazardous to a person’s health. This is one of several reasons why Fort McCoy Archaeology Laboratory staff members and collaborators ask visitors to the installation not to pick up things that they see on the ground, no matter how interesting they may appear to be. Remember, if you didn’t drop it, don’t pick it up.

All archaeological work conducted at Fort McCoy was coordinated by the Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch.

Visitors and employees are reminded they should not collect artifacts on Fort McCoy or other government lands and leave the digging to the professionals. Any person who excavates, removes, damages, or otherwise alters or defaces any historic or prehistoric site, artifact, or object of antiquity on Fort McCoy is in violation of federal law.