Cultural Resources Reconnaissance Survey Appling Site

On behalf of the Development Authority of Columbia County, S&ME, Inc. (S&ME), has completed a cultural resource literature review and reconnaissance survey of approximately 271 acres in Appling, Columbia County, Georgia (Figures 1.1 through 1.5). The project area is located on the west side of Appling Harlem Road, just north of its intersection with Interstate 20, and approximately three miles south of Appling. The purpose of the survey was to assess the area’s potential for containing significant cultural resources and to make recommendations regarding additional work that may be required under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended. The work was done as part of the Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development (GRAD) Site Certification Program and was carried out in general accordance with S&ME Proposal No. 33-1700091, dated March 31, 2017. Fieldwork for the project was conducted on May 1 and 2, 2017. This work included the excavation of 85 shovel tests in areas with high and low probability for containing archaeological sites and a limited architectural survey. As a result of the investigations, two archaeological sites (9CB659 and 9CB660), one isolated find (IF-1), and eight above ground resources were identified; five of the aboveground resources (AS-1 through AS-5) are located within the project area, while the remaining three aboveground resources (AS-6 through AS-8) are located outside the project area (Figures 1.4 and 1.5, Table 1.1). The two archaeological sites and isolated find are recommended not eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and the eight aboveground historic resources are recommended as ineligible for inclusion in the NRHP. Based on the results of this study, it is S&ME’s opinion that the proposed project will have no effect on significant cultural resources within or adjacent to the project area and no further cultural resource investigations should be necessary for the project area.