Archeaological Survey of the Riverbend Farms Tract, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia

Southeastern Archeological Services, Inc. conducted archival/background research and archeological field survey for a proposed new development on a ca. 20-acre portion of the Riverbend

Farms tract, owned by the University of Georgia and located on Riverbend Road between the University's golf course and bus facility (Figure 1). The tract will be used to construct various buildings and facilities for the University's Facilities Maintenance Department's grounds shops. Plans for the layout of the new facility have not been finalized, and the results of this archeological survey were to be factored into some final design decisions. The University's Architect's Office prepared several maps and delineations of the project area as plans were evolving, and the area we archeologically surveyed was the maximum extent of the areas depicted. We do not have a precise measurement of the this oddly shaped parcel, but estimate it to be about 20 ac, or 8.0 ha. However, the tract includes a 2.5 ac (1.0 ha) paddock that is used to isolate potentially diseased cattle, and we were asked to take special, disease-prevention measures if entering this area, or avoid it. Because of the difficulty in meeting the safety requirements, we did not enter and survey this 2.5 acres. Thus, our survey covered about 17.5 ac (7.0 ha). As will be discussed later in this report, the tract contains about 16 standing structures, most of which were built by the University in the 1940s and 1950s. The tract once contained two houses that dated to the early twentieth century, but these and a few small farm buildings have been razed. The consulting firm of New South Associates of Stone Mountain, Georgia is conducting a historic resources survey of the tract, in which the ages and significance of the standing structures will be evaluated. The tract was archeologically surveyed by the author and SAS senior field archeologist Ron Schoettmer on October 26 and 27, 2017, following archival research into the historic period development of the tract.

As seen in Figure 1, the tract is located on a ridge crest, overlooking the meandering course of the North Oconee River. It is only about 300 m (980 ft) west of the river, on level to gently sloping uplands. The tract is oriented east-west along a ridge crest that is bisected east-west by a farm road that dates to the early twentieth century. Flanking this central ridge, along the northeast and southeast edges of the tract, are drainages that slope and flow easterly into the Oconee River. The high, nearly level central portion of the tract contains the cluster of farm buildings (Figure 2) that are oriented to two main farm roads and which are surrounded mostly by pastures. The majority · of the project area is in pasture (Figure 3).