Burger, Brad William, May 1982 - CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN MANATEE COUNTY, FLORIDA: THE PREHISTORIC RESOURCES BASE Abstract: The intention of this project was to assess and inventory the known prehistoric archaeological resources of Manatee County and to process the data to distinguish any inherent patterning. A report has been written to serve as a tool and resource document for the planning staff in assessing impacts of developments on cultural resources. The data were largely obtained from the Florida Master Site Files of the Florida Division of Archives, History, and Records Management, Tallahassee, and from files once maintained by the Florida Park Service. Through a process including a literature search, selected interviews, and fieldwork, the site files were corrected and updated. One hundred forty-seven sites were sufficiently documented to serve as the basis for the subsequent analysis and report. Thirty-seven variables were tabulated for each of the sites. The data were processed at the University of South Florida Computer Research Center. Initial program runs were completed to illustrate site distribution by quadrangle map, physiographic location, site type, and cultural occupation. The display of the data for each culture period present by township and range illustrated cultural changes in site distribution through time. Due to the present inability to satisfy the basic requirements upon which the legitimacy of statistical tests rest, tabulation of data was presented as illustrative of probable correlations, but no claims for statistical significance were made. Tabulation by soil associations, soil series, and soil management groups indicated a preference for well-drained soils. Tabulation of site distance to permanent freshwater data indicated that more than 90% of the sites were located within 800 meters of such a freshwater source. Review of pertinent historic preservation legislation formed the second component of the study. While Manatee County's comprehensive plan does not include a separate historic element, it does include provisions directly relating to the county's cultural heritage. Given that less than one-third of the 147 sites of the study were found to be in a relatively undisturbed condition, with over 56% being partly or completely destroyed, this report communicates a sense of urgency in addressing~ the preservation and wise utilization of these resources. .