A cultural resources survey and historical documentary was undertaken at Grafton, North Dakota, to assist in planning for proposed flood control measures. During a spring 1982 revisit to the area, one Burlington Northern Railroad bridge was recoded as an architectural/historic cultural resource site. The documentary research conducted for, and the subsurface tests conducted at, the Plant View Homestead site are sufficient to determine that this site is not significant, nor is it eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places; the State Historic Preservation Office has concurred with this determination and no further work is recommended for this site. The Railroad Bridge site is considered to have the potential for significance, since it represents what may be the only remaining structures of its kind in the Red River Valley. Recommendations concerning the Railroad Bridge site include implementation of flood control measures in order to avoid the site completely.

One historic cultural resource site was located and recorded during field reconnaissance in the study area. This site, 32RY9, is comprised of the remnants of an abandoned railbed, which once was used by the Devils Lake and Chautaugua Railroad to transport patrons of the North Dakota Chautaugua to the Chautauga grounds on Creel Bay. A portion of the railbed is situated in Section 4, and it will be inundated if the proposed south holding pond is constructed. The tracks and ties used to construct the Devils Lake and Chautaugua Railroad were removed in 1917; therefore, the original railroad feature has been altered. Since no structural evidence of the Devils Lake and Chautaugua Railroad exists at the site, it was determined that site no longer retains integrity and it was determined that this site does not retain architectural significance. The site does have historically significant associations, in that it is related to the North Dakota Chautaugua (located on Creel Bay), but these associations are not such that the site would be likely to yield historically important information. It is recommended that no further cultural resource work need be conducted prior to implementation of proposed flood control measures at Devils Lake.

This cultural resource survey is of lands to be affected by the proposed Burlington Flood Control Project. The study area is located in north-central North Dakota along the Souris River from approximately two mile north of Burlington to the Canadian border. Survey of the area produced 48 archaeological localities including 18 tipi ring or stone circle sites and 30 occupation sites. Analysis of the cultural remains and other archaeological features indicates Plains Archaic, Plains Woodland, and Plains Nomadic manifestations. Further testing was done at the Herzig site, Washek site and Big Critter site. These sites are in immediate danger of distruction by the Des Lacs Diversion Tunnel outfall, construction and borrow area activities, respectively. Only the Washek site producted an array of cultural materials including lithic tools and debitage, fire-cracked rock, and fragmented and identifiable bone, indicating the site was a specialized area for meat processing. Recommendations for mitigation are offered as well as National Register eligibility evaluations. (Author).