Archaeology Survey of the Milam Farm Tract, Bartow County, Georgia

The City of Cartersville is considering purchasing the Milam Farm Tract. However, before purchasing the property, the City of Cartersville entered into an option to buy agreement with the current property owners. The option to buy agreement required that the property owners conduct archaeological investigations to determine if significant archaeological resources are present. In July of 1999, Ms. Genie Certain contracted Brockington and Associates, Inc. to conduct an archaeological study of the Milam Farm tract.

In 1989 a combined grant from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Coosawattee Foundation funded archaeological survey of large tracts of land within 5 kilometers the Etowah Mounds site. The purpose of the survey was to compile a comprehensive inventory of archaeological sites along the Etowah River near Cartersville because development in the region threatens to impact and destroy archaeological resources. The Milam Farm Tract falls within the area surveyed.

Eight archaeological sites were recorded within the Milam Farm tract. During the current investigation, systematic subsurface shovel testing was conducted at each site to evaluate the potential for intact archaeological deposits (pits, post holes, hearths, middens, and burials) and to make recommendations about their National Register of Historic Places eligibility. As a result of the shovel testing, only two sites exhibited potential for intact archaeological deposits. These sites have potential to add significant information about Native American occupation near Cartersville, along the lower Etowah River Valley and are considered potentially eligible for the National Register. Efforts should be made to preserve these sites. The remaining six sites have been adversely impacted by past land clearing, plowing, and erosion and there is little potential for intact archaeological deposits; these sites are recommended ineligible for the National Register and no additional archaeological investigations are recommended at these locations.