North Georgia Hydroelectric Generating Project FERC (#2354)

Resource Inventory I and II [RI-I and RI-II] studies were conducted for the North Georgia Hydroelectric Project in Habersham, Rabun, and Stephens Counties, Georgia, and Oconee County, South Carolina. RI-I consisted of cultural resource documentary research and on-site reconnaissance studies of the entire project area. These investigations provided environmental and cultural context information pertaining to prehistoric and historic settlement within the project area prior to and following inundation of these segments of the Tallulah, Tugaloo and Chattooga rivers. Analysis of the resulting data was utilized to define and recommend zones of potential prehistoric and historic resource occurrence within the project area for RI-II examination. Resource Inventory II studies in the North Georgia Project consisted of archaeological survey of RI-I recommended study zones and evaluation of recorded prehistoric and historic sites for eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places. These investigations resulted in the recording of nine prehistoric sites (two recommended eligible, six ineligible, and one not evaluated), ten historic sites (three recommended eligible, one potentially eligible, five ineligible, and one of unknown eligibility), and four with both prehistoric and historic components (one recommended eligible, and three ineligible). The Phase I Archaeological/Historical investigations at the site of the proposed Dalton Utilities River Road Reservoir are documented in this report. A combined program of literature and records research and field work was utilized for the study, which involved the application of systematic techniques of surface collection and shovel and auger testing. Historic occupations of the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century were recorded, and four prehistoric sites and a number of isolated artifacts were discovered.