From November of 2007 through April of 2008, Southeastern Archeological Services conducted an archeological survey of 14.7 mi (23.7 km) of proposed transmission line in Oconee, Clarke and Jackson Counties (Gresham 2008). Eleven sites were discovered and described, including the Damron Family Cemetery on Brock Road in Jackson County. The Damron Cemetery has about 25 graves in four rows. Death dates range from 1889 to 1950. A little less than half the graves are marked with tombstones, the rest by fieldstones and metal plaques. Oddly, the graves are not oriented east-west as with most cemeteries, but at a 135 to 140 degree orientation, to match the adjoining Brock Road. Today the cemetery is free of undergrowth and is ringed in large oak trees (Figures 1 and 2).
In Gresham's 2008 report, he stated that the proposed new transmission line would be aligned with the current, smaller Athens-Arcade transmission line, which nicks the southeast corner of the cemetery. Gresham (2008) concluded that the new line would have no direct, physical effect on the cemetery, but could have a visual effect. However, since the new line would be higher and the since the closest pole would be much further away than the present pole, he suggested that there may be no greater visual effect than presently exists.
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