Cultural Resources Survey of the “SUNFLOWER - B” Self-Support Tower Telecommunication Facility, Rebecca, Ben Hill County, Georgia

In May 2019, Trileaf Corporation (Trileaf) performed a cultural resource inventory survey for a proposed self-support tower telecommunication facility located in Ben Hill County, Rebecca, Georgia (Latitude: 31° 47’ 31.42” N Longitude: 83° 24’ 22.73” W). The project location is located within an agricultural field and utilizes an existing dirt and gravel drive. Verizon Wireless proposes the construction of a new self-support cell tower with a total height of 255 feet (77.7 meters). The new tower and associated equipment will be situated within a 100 x 100-foot (30.5 x 30.5 meter) cell tower lease area. A proposed approximate 30 x 400-foot (9.1 x 121.9 meter) access and utility easement will travel southeast, then generally east along an existing dirt and gravel drive linking the lease area to Astor Road. Total acreage of the new construction area is approximately 0.51 acres (0.21 Hectares).

Senior Project Archaeologist Zach Horne, M.A., RPA, under the direction of Trileaf, performed this survey in response to the planned use of the above-described parcel and the potential impacts that such use might represent to archaeological and architectural cultural resources. The Phase I cultural resource survey was designed to discover all prehistoric and historical period cultural resources that might be present within the project area.

The field survey of the project area, which included a pedestrian survey, shovel testing, and visual inspection, found no evidence for the presence of archaeological or NRHP-listed or eligible for listing architectural properties in relation to the current project area’s Direct APE. Additionally, no National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)-listed or NRHP-eligible properties were identified within the project area’s Visual APE. Based on pre-field archival research conducted utilizing resources of the Georgia State Historic Preservation Office including topographical maps and Georgia’s Natural, Archaeological, and Historic Resources Geographic Information System (GNAHRGIS 2018), inspections of the Georgia Archaeological Site Files (GASF 2019), as well as the resources of the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) conducted by Project Archaeologist, Zach Horne, MA, RPA, on May 8, 2019, revealed there were no previously identified historical resources located within the ¾-mile visual APE, no previously identified archaeological sites, and no archaeological surveys located within Trileaf’s standard 1-mile research radius. However, a review of a 1974 historical Rebecca, GA quadrangle topographical map identifies a historical structure with the project’s direct APE. A review of historic aerial photography indicates the historic structure was demolished prior to 2007. Fieldwork within the project’s APE for direct effects revealed that the historic structure has been demolished.

Based on these findings, Trileaf recommends No Historic Properties within the APE for Direct Effects and No Historic Properties within the ¾-mile APE for Visual Effects. It is therefore recommended that project clearance be granted with no further investigation or evaluation of the project area relative to those resources.