: Phase I Archaeological Resource Survey of the County Road (CR) 283/Bar Bridge Road Bridge Replacement Over Murder Creek, Jasper County, Georgia

In March 2020, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB) conducted a Phase I archaeological resource survey (ARS) of the proposed County Road (CR) 283/Bar Bridge Road bridge replacement over Murder Creek, located approximately 7.4 miles (mi) (11.9 kilometers [km]) North of the City of Monticello in Jasper County, Georgia. The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) proposes to replace the existing bridge (Structure ID: 159-0026-0) over Murder Creek, as part of the Georgia Low Impact Bridge Replacement Program (LIBP). The existing bridge is 120 feet (ft) (21 meters [m]) long with roadway width of 33 ft (10 m). The existing right-of-way (ROW) width is 80 ft (24 m).

As the project is currently in the concept phase of development, an Environmental Survey Boundary (ESB) was considered in lieu of an Area of Potential Effects (APE). In accordance with GDOT’s Low Impact Bridge Manual (2019), the dimensions of the project ESB were determined prior to fieldwork and were intended to encompass an area large enough to capture any potential variations in project design work. The width of the current project ESB is approximately 150 ft (45.7 m). The total length of the project ESB is approximately 1120 ft (341.3 m). The project ESB encompasses approximately 3.9 acres (ac) (1.6 hectares [ha]).

Background review did not reveal the location of any previously recorded archaeological sites within the project ESB, and the project ESB has not been the subject of any previous archaeological resource identification survey. During the current investigation, 30 shovel tests were excavated within the project ESB, one of which was positive for historic cultural material. Five shovel tests were not excavated due their locations in a paved residential driveway, water inundation or rip rap being present at the test location and were subsequently recorded as a no dig. All shovel test locations were subject to visual inspection. As a result of survey efforts, one new archaeological site (9JA606) was identified.

Site 9JA606 consists of a historic artifact surface find and a ruinous structure located in the southwest of the project ESB, south of CR 283/Barr Bridge Road. The site was identified during shovel testing when a surface find was located 10 m south of shovel test B4. Upon identification of the surface find, delineation was conducted at 15 m intervals along existing transects and along transects perpendicular to the original survey transect’s baseline where possible within the project ESB. Delineation did result in a single positive shovel test (B4.15W). The site was not fully delineated to the south due to the limits of the project ESB. A ruinous structure (Feature 1) was identified on the edge of and extending outside the project ESB. The ruins included a standing brick chimney, cinderblock and brick piers, and a cinderblock staircase. In addition, a brick pile (Feature 2) was located west and adjacent to Feature 1 outside the project ESB.

A total of four historic artifacts were recovered from Site 9JA606. All artifacts identified within the positive shovel test and from the surface collection were recovered from 0 to 45 centimeters below surface (cmbs). Four brick piers and a cinderblock staircase were noted within the boundary of Site 9JA606 and within the project ESB; remaining footprint of the structure extends beyond the project ESB. Examination of historic aerial imagery from 1951 and 1971 confirmed the location of a structure at Site 9JA606 (USGS 1951; 1971). This structure appears in both 1951 and 1972 aerial photographs, as well as in 1999 USGS imagery from Google Earth.

Site 9JA606 is an early- to middle-twentieth century historic artifact scatter and ruinous structure. Disturbance is suggested by the depth of artifact recovery at the site, as artifacts were recovered from the surface and within an identified plowzone to a total depth of approximately 45 cmbs. The artifacts are likely directly related to the ruinous structure and the resulting destruction of it. The structure was partially demolished or destroyed by 1999 (Google Earth 2020).

As a result of past disturbances to the site, the portion of Site 9JA606 within the project ESB lacks integrity of workmanship and materials; therefore, the identified portion of the site lacks significant data potential under Criterion D of the NRHP. As the extent of the site was not fully delineated due to the limits of the project ESB, Site 9JA606 should overall be considered to have an unknown NRHP eligibility under Criterion D and the portion of the site outside of the project ESB should be considered an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA). The ESA should be demarcated with orange barrier fencing (OBF) for the entire unknown boundary of the site to protect the unevaluated portions of Site 9JA606 from disturbance during construction activities.