Cultural Resource Survey for Fy-91/Fy-92:timber Harvesting Compartments and Testing at Site Mta-2:fort Benning, alga

In compliance with federal regulations governing the preservation of significant cultural resources (National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, Executive Order 11593, and the Archeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974) the U.S. Army and the Directorate of Engineering and Housing (DEH) at Fort Benning, Georgia sponsored an intensive survey of areas scheduled for Fiscal Years 1991 and 1992 (FY-91/92) timber harvesting. Timber harvesting, land preparation, and replanting can adversely affect the integrity of cultural resources. Southeastern Archeological Services working through Gulf Engineers and Consultants contracted with the Corps of Engineers, Savannah District to complete the survey. Thomas Gresham served as Principal Investigator and Rob Benson was project director. A four-person survey crew of Southeastern Archeological Services, Inc. (SAS) surveyed an initial 3387 acres, scattered in pockets across 18 forest compartments, during August and September, 1991. Also at this time, previously recorded sites 9CE349 and 9CE352 (MTA-2) were tested and found to be ineligible to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). A second phase (Amendment 1) of the FY-91 timber harvesting survey was conducted during October and November, 1991. This phase involved a cultural resources survey of all of compartments Pi and P2 in Georgia and compartment Y2 in Alabama, totaling 2345 acres. Because of shifting priorities, however, Fort Benning directed that 100 ac in Compartment PI be omitted from the second phase of the survey. The third phase (Amendment 2) of the FY-91 cultural resources survey was conducted during December, 1991 and January, 1992. Selected acreage from compartment N1 and all acreage of compartment F4, both in Georgia, was surveyed, totaling 1774 acres. Finally, a fourth phase (Amendment 5) of the FY-91/92 cultural resources survey was conducted during October and November, 1992. Acreage covered during the fourth phase totaled 2314 acres. The survey completed remaining areas in compartments N1 and N2 and covered all of compartment J1. Total acreage for all phases of the cultural resources survey was 9720 acres. A total of 232 prehistoric and historic sites were recorded for the entire survey. An additional 146 occurrences (isolated artifacts) were also recorded. Fifty-nine cultural resources are recommended eligible or possibly eligible to the NRHP. At the current level of investigation a definitive assessment of eligibility could be made for only six sites. If the State Historic Preservation Officer concurs with these recommendations, the recommended eligible sites must be protected against physical damage. Such protection includes prevention of certain types of timber harvesting ('long wooding'), most military maneuvers, construction, looting, or other land disturbing activities. The 53 potentially eligible sites should be similarly protected until their eligibility status can be definitively determined. The remaining sites do not appear to have archeological or historical significance because of past land disturbances (cultivation, timber harvesting, erosion, etc.), low artifact densities, cultural redundancy, or overall low potential for gaining more information from further research. Pre-military standing structures were not present on any of the areas surveyed.