Yerba Buena Island
Caltrans contracted Silverado to demolish the existing two story Treasure Island Fire Station to create access for the construction of the new Bay Bridge approach to the island. The contract also required the installation of a temporary shoring system to allow for a careful excavation of the site.
Silverado worked closely with an archaeology team studying the remains of an Ohlone Indian seasonal camp that existed on the island before the westward expansion.
Excavation of hazardous soil within an archaeological area requires extreme caution and precision. Silverado worked on an hourly time and materials basis assisting with the archaeological team that was investigating the site. This teamwork approach yielded a cache of shell, bone, and artifacts, dating to 12,000 B.C. Archeologists also found artifacts from a family who had lived on the island between 1849 and 1868 and remains from the U.S. Army's Post and Depot. Among the many artifacts found were ironstone plates, ink and beverage bottles, metal and bone buttons, eyeglass lens, a whetstone, and an 1854 Canadian token.
