Cultural Resources Survey of the “LOCO – Ferguson - D” Self- Support Tower, Lincolnton, Lincoln County, Georgia Trileaf # 655370

In February 2020, Trileaf Corporation (Trileaf) performed a cultural resource inventory survey for a proposed self-support communications tower located in Lincoln County, Lincolnton, Georgia (Latitude: 33° 43’ 05.48” Longitude: -82° 29’ 03.67”). The project location is located within a grassed and wooded area. Verizon Wireless proposes the construction of a new self-support lattice telecommunications tower with a total height of 235 feet (71.6 meters). The new tower and associated equipment will be situated within a proposed approximate 100 x 100-foot (30.5 x 30.5 meter) cell tower lease area. A proposed approximate 30 x 270-foot (9.1 x 82.3 meter) access and utility easement will travel generally northeast to connect to Ferguson Justice Road. Total acreage of the new construction area is approximately 0.42 acres (0.17 Hectares). Assistant Archaeology Project Manager 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 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 Direct APE or the ¾-mile Visual APE. However, 12 historical properties (LC191, LC248, LC249, LC250, LC251, LC252, LC253, LC275, LC276, LC277, LC278, and LC419/479) were identified during a 1989 Lincoln County survey with no prior determination of NRHP-eligibility, but included for inclusivity. A review of archaeological sites and surveys, conducted by the University of Georgia on February 26, 2020, identified no previously recorded archeological sites, and no surveys that were identified within 1- mile of the proposed project area. Based on these findings, Trileaf recommends No Historic Properties within the Direct APE and No Historic Properties within the ¾-mile Visual APE. It is therefore recommended that project clearance be granted with no further investigation or evaluation of the project area relative to those resources.