Archaeological Survey for the Proposed Talmadge Tap 115 kV Transmission Line and Substation, Bartow, Cherokee, Gordon and Pickens Counties, Georgia

In June, 2006 Southeastern Archeological Services, Inc., conducted a Phase I archeological survey of the proposed 12.2 km (7.6 mi) Talmadge Tap 115 kV transmission line and Talmadge substation site in northeastern Bartow, northwestern Cherokee, southeastern Gordon and western Pickens County, Georgia. The survey also included 10.2 km (6.3 mi) of access roads needed to construct the line. In August of 2006 SAS returned to survey two sections of rerouted transmission line corridor, which did not affect the overall length of the line. Three sites were discovered during the survey in June and three more were located in the reroute sections in August. Most of the access roads follow existing woods roads. The proposed line begins on an existing transmission line just south of Fairmount in Gordon County, and ends just north of Talmadge in Pickens County. The goal of the survey was to locate and evaluate archeological sites within the area of potential effect for the proposed project (the construction of the transmission line and substation), so that potential effects to those resources could be evaluated in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The transmission line runs cross-country on new location, with only the easternmost 244 m (800 ft) running along a highway. The project area was almost entirely wooded and exhibited rugged relief. Archival research showed that no recorded archeological sites exist in or near the project area and that only three house sites were likely to be in or close to the project area. Our survey discovered and recorded six sites. This moderately low density of sites is likely a result of the rugged terrain of the project area. There were few landforms conducive to occupation. We recommend that five of the sites are not eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. The eligibility of the last site is unknown, although we believe it is not likely to be eligible. We recommend that the access road here be routed so as to ensure that this site is not affected. Georgia Transmission Corporation officials have been notified of this conclusion, and they have taken steps to ensure that the site is avoided. With this avoidance, we can conclude that no significant archeological resources will be adversely affected by the proposed undertaking.