Phase I Archaeological Survey of the Grassdale Road Parcel

New South Associates, Inc. (New South) was tasked with the Phase I Archaeological Survey of a 16-acre advanced acquisition parcel at 802 Grassdale Road in Bartow County, Georgia. The survey was conducted at the request of the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) as part of the environmental documentation for the advanced acquisition (protective buying) of the 802 Grassdale Road parcel. The parcel falls within an area likely to be utilized in the upcoming Rome-Cartersville Development Corridor project (PI 0013238), which seeks to connect US 411 and I-75 in Bartow County, Georgia. GDOT is purchasing the parcel at risk to prevent imminent development on the parcel and the associated increased costs; however, as stipulated in 23 CFR 710.503(d), it will not limit the consideration of alternatives for PI 0013238 or any other further transportation project. The Phase I survey and documentation under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) for the Rome-Cartersville Development Corridor project will occur separately at a later date once the alignment has been selected. The Phase I survey for the advanced acquisition parcel was confined to the parcel boundaries, and no expanded survey corridor (ESC) was required. It included the excavation of 49 shovel test pits at a 30-meter (100 ft.) interval and 12 at a 15-meter (50 ft.) interval. No artifacts were recovered from any of the excavated shovel test pits.

The northern end of the APE possessed a section of a previously recorded site, 9BR1030. It was surveyed in 2002 as part of a predictive model study by R.S. Webb and revisited in 2005 by Brockington and Associates as part of Phase I survey of the model’s results, when it was recommended eligible for the National Register of Places (NHRP). The site was identified as Civil War trenches associated with the 1864 engagement known as the “Affair at Cassville,” which took place two miles to the west. Intensive grading of the parcel in the twenty first century truncated the site’s trench work to the northern boundary of the parcel. However, a remnant trench was identified in the graded slope at the parcel boundary. Metal detector survey was conducted along this remnant trench and two parallel transects 45 meters (150 ft.) in length extending east from the site across a transmission line corridor. No Civil War artifacts were identified as a result of the metal detector survey.

The remainder of the parcel has no potential for archaeological resources, as the natural ground surface has been removed or significantly altered in preparation for the construction of a residential development. Development of the parcel after 2006 impacted the integrity of the southern portion of Site 9BR1030. This site is eligible for the NRHP under criteria A, C, and D; however, the majority of the site area within the APE has been graded, with the exception of a short segment of remnant trenchwork. While graded area no longer contributes to the site's overall eligibility, the segment of trench remaining in the northern slope of the parcel does contribute to the eligibility of 9BR1030, although this section of earthwork has been separated from the rest of site by earthmoving activities within the APE. No Civil War artifacts were found in association with the remnant structure, but further examination of the orphaned segment could provide significant supplemental information about the overall construction and design of site's trenchwork. Any impacts to the site from proposed undertaking will be assessed in a forthcoming Assessment of Effect (AOE) for the project.