An Archaeological and Historical Survey of the Peachtree Creek Relief Trunk Sewer, Atlanta, Georgia

A Survey for archaeological and historical materials was carried out along the route of the Peachtree Creek Relief Trunk from the confluence of the North Fork and South Fork of Peachtree Creek west to the termination point at the Clayton treatment plant on the Chattahoochee River. Dr. Roy Dickens served as overall supervisor of the project. Most of the area in the proposed route has either already been extremely altered by recent construction or lies on narrow terraces cut into steep hills which would be unsuitable for aboriginal habitation. However, since Peachtree Creek has deposited so much alluvial material, sites could be very deeply buried, so that at the time of construction of the sewer ditch an archaeologist should be present. The only archaeological material found was at site 9 Fu 46 located at the intersection of Peachtree Creek and Northside Drive. The materials consisted of four pieces of mollusk shell and one piece of cut bone (probably modern). A local collector who has been walking the area for almost fifty years told me that although she knew of many sites along Peachtree Creek, she knew of none in the route of the sewer line. She also believed that this was due to heavy creek deposition in recent years. No materials of known historical significance were recovered, however the most intense fighting of the Battle of Peachtree Creek occurred around the Northside Drive and Peachtree Creek intersection. In conclusion, no surface evidence of prehistorically or historically important sites was found. However, due to deposition by Peachtree Creek, sites may be buried several feet below the present surface. From our past experience in locating sites and knowledge of the terrain on which they are situated, the area marked on the following map around the, intersection of Northside Drive and Peachtree Creek has a high probability of containing buried sites. This area is also the most important historically because of the Civil War battle that took place there in July 1864. It is therefore extremely important that an archaeologist be present during the construction of this portion of the sewer ditch.