Edwards-Pitman Environmental, Inc. (EPEI) conducted an addendum Phase I archaeological investigation of the additional proposed pedestrian improvements to the Cheatham Hill Road multi-use trail section within the southern boundary of NRHP-listed site 9CO600 – Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield Complex on June 26, 2018. EPEI’s previous Phase I archaeological survey covered all three multiuse trails sections along Whitlock Avenue (SR 120), Cheatham Hill Road, and Burnt Hickory Road through the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park (KEMO) for the Cobb County Department of Transportation (CCDOT), the City of Marietta, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), and the National Park Service (NPS) in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). EPEI conducted fieldwork for the original iteration of the project area of potential effect (APE) between August 29, 2017 and September 21, 2017, and again on January 25, 2018 (Woodliff 2018).
Minor revisions to the project design after completion of the primary archaeological survey required the additional investigation, consisting of pedestrian survey and photographic documentation, to document conditions at the additional areas of APE and to determine if additional ground-disturbing activities are proposed in potentially sensitive areas. An addendum report was necessary because the additional areas fell within the boundary of previously recorded site 9CO600. Approximately 189 square meters of survey area was added to the APE for both locations to add or remove pedestrian crossing areas, the majority of which is paved roadway. The proposed project consists of the construction of new pedestrian improvements that would be comprised of three discontiguous, 8-foot-wide (minimum) to 10-foot-wide (desired) multi-use trails. The pedestrian improvements would be located on Whitlock Avenue (SR 120), Cheatham Hill Road, and Burnt Hickory Road. The total project length would be approximately 3.85 miles (6.2 kilometers), of which approximately 1.69 miles (2.7 kilometers) would be located within KEMO. On non-NPS land, the existing ROW on Cheatham Hill Road and Burnt Hickory Road varies from approximately 50 feet to approximately 70 feet. Additional ROW for the multi-use trail would vary between 0 and 5 feet.
EPEI did not identify any artifacts or features associated with the site 9CO600 or the battles of Kennesaw Mountain and Kolb Farm in the addendum survey areas for the proposed multi-use trails at the Cheatham Hill Road section. Addendum survey within the boundary of site 9CO600 indicated that the additional APE areas have already experienced significant disturbance and modifications. These roadside disturbances have resulted in an overall lack of integrity in the addendum areas within site 9CO600.
A summary of site descriptions and evaluations for National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) under Criterion D are provided below (Table 0.1).
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