Phase I Archaeological Survey of the East Hightower Trail Sidewalk Installation

Terracon Consultants, Inc., (Terracon), on behalf of Keck and Wood, Inc., and the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has completed a Phase I Archaeological Survey for a proposed sidewalk installation on East Hightower Trail in Social Circle, Walton County, Georgia (GDOT PI No. 0016639, Figure 1). The project was conducted under contract to Keck and Wood, Inc., in general accordance with Terracon Proposal No. PE2207106, dated May 26, 2020. The area surveyed included a 100-foot (30.48 meter [m]) environmental survey boundary (ESB) offset. The project is located completely within the City of Social Circle. The project will construct new curb and gutter and a six-foot (1.83m) sidewalk for 0.5 miles (0.80km) along the south side of East Hightower Trail from Spring Street to Vine Circle. In addition, the improvement would include street trees, ADA accessible curb ramps, and storm sewer upgrades. Improving pedestrian facilities would facilitate greater connectivity between the surrounding neighborhoods and downtown Social Circle. The existing ROW is 50 feet (ft) (15.24 m) across. A typical section of East Hightower Trail consists of two 10-ft (3.05 m) travel lanes with 2.5-ft (0.76-m) curb and gutter, 2-ft (0.61-m) grass strips, 6-ft (1.83-m) sidewalks, and 3-ft (0.91-m) grass shoulders. The purpose of the investigation was to identify and evaluate archaeological resources within the Environmental Survey Boundary (ESB) that could be eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The project is being done for compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (NHPA) (54 U.S.C. § 300101 et seq.). The ESB was defined to encompass all areas wherein project-related construction activities might occur, including the proposed project limits and any areas where easements or right-of-way (ROW) might be required. The criteria for eligibility and procedures for listing resources in the Georgia Register of Historic Places are identical to those of the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP); hence, NRHP eligibility will be referred to throughout this report. Phase I fieldwork was conducted according to the revised GDOT guidelines presented in the GDOT Environmental Procedures Manual (GDOT 2010). A total of 106 shovel tests was excavated along the 0.5-mi (0.8-km) project corridor, including 13 shovel tests excavated as part of site delineations. An additional 24 shovel test locations were visited but not excavated due to slope, existing structures, or disturbance/pavement. As a result of the survey, one new archaeological site, 9WN185, was identified within the ESB of the East Hightower Trail corridor. Site 9WN185 likely dates to the late nineteenth to twentieth centuries, which is contemporaneous with the date of the house the site surrounds on the north side of East Hightower Trail. The portion of the resource identified within the ESB lacks significant data potential to be considered eligible for the NRHP. However, the site was not able to be fully delineated due to the constraints of the ESB and therefore site 9WN185 has an unknown NRHP eligibility.