Latewood Ring Width Reveals CE 1734 Felling Dates for Walker House Timbers in Tupelo, Mississippi, USA

Abstract

Dendroarchaeology is under-represented in the Gulf Coastal Plain region of the United States (US), and at present, only three published studies have precision dated a collection of 18th–19th-century structures. In this study, we examined the tree-ring data from pine, poplar, and oak timbers used in the Walker House in Tupelo, Mississippi. The Walker House was constructed ca. the mid-1800s with timbers that appeared to be recycled from previous structures. In total, we examined 30 samples (16 pines, 8 oaks, and 6 poplars) from the attic and crawlspace. We cross-dated latewood ring growth from the attic pine samples to the period 1541–1734 (r = 0.52, t = 8.43, p < 0.0001) using a 514-year longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) latewood reference chronology from southern Mississippi. The crawlspace oak samples produced a 57-year chronology that we dated against a white oak (Quercus alba L.) reference chronology from northeast Alabama to the period 1765–1822 (r = 0.36, t = 2.83, p < 0.01). We were unable to cross-date the six poplar samples due to a lack of poplar reference chronologies in the region. Our findings have two important implications: (1) the pine material dated to 1734 represents the oldest dendroarchaeology-confirmed dating match for construction materials in the southeastern US, and (2) cross-dating latewood growth for southeastern US pine species produced statistically significant results, whereas total ring width failed to produce significant dating results.

The Longleaf Tree-Ring Network: Reviewing and expanding the utility ofPinus palustrisMill. Dendrochronological data

“…While most of the longleaf pine chronologies available on the ITRDB are multi-centennial in length, few extend prior to 1750, which is necessary (e.g., having enough overlap between the historical timbers and the reference chronology) in most cases to visually and statistically crossdate structures or (Herrmann et al, 2016;Malis et al, 2022). (c) A researcher uses a Pressler© GmbH dendroarchaeology bit (Gestern, Germany) attached to a variable-speed hand drill to collect a 12-mm diameter core from a longleaf pine timber near Tupelo, Mississippi (Patterson et al, 2021). (d) An undated longleaf pine structure on a private ranch near Zolfo Springs, Hardee County, Florida, which is near the southern range limit of the species.…”

“…However, despite the extensive use of longleaf pine in construction, the species remains underrepresented in dendroarchaeology studies. At present, only seven peer-reviewed studies have dated historical structures containing longleaf pine timbers that include six dwellings and one crib dam (Van De Gevel et al, 2009;Grissino-Mayer et al, 2010;Garland et al, 2012;Harley et al, 2017aHarley et al, , 2018Leland et al, 2021;Patterson et al, 2021). This collection excludes unpublished theses, dissertations, and gray literature, such as technical reports from commercial dendroarchaeology performed by the Oxford Tree-Ring Laboratory.…”

“…Between these datasets are large spatial data gaps; many historical structures that may be identified for future study will be hundreds of kilometers away from the nearest available reference chronology (Figure 3, ITRDB chronologies, e.g., Garland et al, (Herrmann et al, 2016;Malis et al, 2022). (c) A researcher uses a Pressler© GmbH dendroarchaeology bit (Gestern, Germany) attached to a variable-speed hand drill to collect a 12-mm diameter core from a longleaf pine timber near Tupelo, Mississippi (Patterson et al, 2021). (d) An undated longleaf pine structure on a private ranch near Zolfo Springs, Hardee County, Florida, which is near the southern range limit of the species.…”

“…Several important themes emerge from the published literature. First, all but one study (Leland et al, 2021) used reference chronologies that are not publicly available, such as those from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida (Harley et al, 2018), Lake Louise, Georgia (Grissino-Mayer et al, 2010; Garland et al, 2012), DeSoto National Forest, Mississippi (Harley et al, 2017a; Patterson et al, 2021), and Hope Mills, North Carolina (Van De Gevel et al, 2009). Second, dendroarchaeological dating of historical longleaf pine timbers has relied on a relatively small number of long reference chronologies that are not yet publicly available.…”

“…1855 − 1935) on current grounds of the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS (Herrmann et al, 2016; Malis et al, 2022). (c) A researcher uses a Pressler© GmbH dendroarchaeology bit (Gestern, Germany) attached to a variable-speed hand drill to collect a 12-mm diameter core from a longleaf pine timber near Tupelo, Mississippi (Patterson et al, 2021). (d) An undated longleaf pine structure on a private ranch near Zolfo Springs, Hardee County, Florida, which is near the southern range limit of the species.…”