What is This Report About?

This report describes test pit investigations at the Hamden Middle School, Rochford Field, and Mill Rock Park. Test pits are holes dug in the ground to see what is below the surface. The test pits dug by Haley & Aldrich were 5 to 12 feet long and 2½ to 9½ feet deep. The test pits were done to identify the types of fill dumped in the area and how deep the fill is in certain places. In some places, the general source of the fill could be determined because of the items found in it. The report includes pictures of the test pits, a map showing where they were, and descriptions of what was found in them.

When and Where Were the Test Pits Dug?

In August 2001, 6 test pits were dug. They were all on the Middle School property. In August 2002, more test pits were dug to learn more about the fill. In 2002, 8 more test pits were dug at the Middle School, 5 were dug at Rochford Park, and 1 was dug at Mill Rock Park. The test pits were in scattered locations to see if the fill was different in different areas.

What Did the Study Find?

Most of the pits at the Middle School and Rochford Field had earthen (dirt) soils on the surface of the ground with fill materials beneath. More than half of these test pits had fill containing items like scrap batteries, battery caps, scrap metal gun parts, shotgun shells, broken wooden boxes, and wood chips. They also had small particles of slag. Slag is metal waste left over smelting, welding, or heating processes. Some of the shotgun shell casings and other gun parts had the name “Winchester” on them. These items were like a “fingerprint”, clearly indicating that the fill was from industrial manufacturing sources. It was therefore categorized as Industrial Waste Fill. In the other test pits, the Industrial Waste Fill was mixed with soil, ash, cinders, rusted metal cans, glass bottles and other items of household waste (Domestic Refuse Fill). Those mixed text pits were categorized as Miscellaneous Fill.

The test pit at Mill Rock Park had a different type of fill than the Middle School and Rochford Field. The fill at Mill Rock Park had bottles, brick, and glass, and was categorized as Domestic Refuse Fill. The study’s results suggest that the fill at the Mill Rock Park came from a different source than the fill at the Middle School and Rochford Field. The Middle School and Rochford Field had similar fill, so it may have come from the same source.