A Cultural Resource Survey of the Sparrow Pointe Apartments, Floyd County, Georgia

Between August 2 and 4, 2022, Terracon conducted a Phase I cultural resource survey (CRS), of the Sparrow Pointe Apartments in Rome, Floyd County, Georgia. This CRS was completed on behalf of Sparrow Pointe Housing, LP. (Client), to satisfy the requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The Client proposes to construct a four-story senior apartment building on a 7.10-acre parcel. The proposed project will also include the demolition of an existing structure prior to the construction of a single four-story senior apartment building. Work was conducted in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NRHP} of 1966. Work was performed by professional archaeologists and architectural historians meeting or exceeding the qualifications established under the Secretary of Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation [(48 FR 44716) (29 September 1983)] and the Georgia Standards and Guidelines for Archaeological Surveys (Georgia Council of Professional Archaeologists 2019) .

The current project area was subjected to a cultural resource records reviews and reconnaissance level cultural survey in 2020 with a subsequent report dated June 1, 2020 (Southern Research 2020). This report identified a historic structure constructed in 1954 and two previously recorded archaeological sites, 9FL423 and 9FL424, within the project area. The Georgia Historic Preservation Division (HPD) reviewed this report on July 28, 2020 (GP-200701-007) and recommended a Phase I Archaeological Survey and Historic Resources Survey within the project area. This project was then resubmitted to the HPD due to a change in funding to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which was now subject for review under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1996, as amended. The HPD replied on August 11, 2022 (HP-220713-003) and reaffirmed that a Phase I Archaeological and Historic Resources Survey needed to be completed of the subject project area. Currently within the project area is a ca. 1954 commercial building and associated outbuilding, with parking lots and paved access roads. The current project proposes to demolish the 1954 structure, remove the current roads and parking area, construct a four-story senior apartment building, excavate a retention pond, and pave the new access roads and parking area.

For the purposes of this CRS, the boundaries for the archaeological Area of Potential Effect (APE) were defined as the 7 .10-acre proposed development area. The boundaries for the historic architectural survey were expanded to include properties adjacent to the project parcel.

The current CRS consisted of a pedestrian inspection of the ground surface supplemented with systematic shovel testing at 15- and 30-meter intervals within the archaeological APE. A total of 38 shovel tests were excavated and with all tests negative for cultural material; however, as a result of the pedestrian inspection survey previously recorded Fort Attaway (9FL424) was revisited and one new archaeological site, the Historic Piers Site (9FL552} was documented. No specific historic cultural material was recovered from either site areas; though 9FL424 is defined as earthworks associated with this Civil War era fort and quarry This archaeological resource is determined as eligible for the NRHP. This site boundary was previously identified from the Georgia Archaeological Site Files (GASF) geodatabase as presented on Georgia's Natural, Archaeological, and Historic Resource GIS (GNARHGIS), and from project plans from the Client, documented from a Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) project. The site plans provided to Terracon by the Client included this 9FL424 site boundary as an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA), which was designated as such by the GDOT. As a result of the current CRS, the site boundaries for Fort Attaway (9FL424) were expanded to include newly identified cultural features. The current design plans avoid the defined ESA and the newly identified site boundaries. The site of 9FL552 is a site only defined by two concrete block piers of a former early to mid-twentieth century residence. This structure was likely removed in the late twentieth century and is recommended not eligible for inclusion in the NRHP.

Adjacent to the project area is the Trail of Tears, as identified as a National Park Service (NPS) National Historic Trail. The Trail of Tears is located to the east of the project area and has no known association with the project area. The general vicinity of the Trail or Tears and the project area have undergone developmental changes since the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries.

The architectural APE was investigated via background research and windshield survey. As a result of the historic architecture survey, two resources were documented; the former Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge No. 94, as noted by the HPD, and the former Desoto Village Historic District, both of which are recommended not eligible for the NRHP. The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge No. 694 building is located within the project area and is proposed for demolition prior to the construction of the senior apartments. Although one of the resources will be demolished and is inside the project location, neither resource has been identified as eligible for listing in the NRHP. It is the opinion of Terracon that the proposed project will have no adverse effects to cultural resources eligible for or listed in the NRHP. Terracon recommends no further cultural resources work.