Cultural Resources Survey of 2,436 ac on the Chattooga River Ranger District Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests

Nutter & Associates, Inc. (NAI) of Athens, Georgia, contracted with the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, conducted an intensive cultural resources survey of 986 ha (2,436 ac) of timber land on the Chattooga River Ranger District of the Chattahoochee National Forest. The project, referred to as the Chattooga Ranger District (RD) FY21 Project, consisted of 83 timber stands scheduled for timber harvest or for a rare plants project were surveyed in 17 ranger district land management compartments in Banks, Habersham, and Stephens Counties, Georgia. The primary goal of the survey was to locate all cultural resources that could be impacted by the scheduled timber harvests or rare plants project. Cultural resources were recorded and evaluated under National Register of Historic Paces (NRHP) criteria. Archival research was conducted prior to commencement of fieldwork in September and early October 2021. We conducted fieldwork with a three- or four-person survey crew and surveyed the timber stands from October 2021 through January 2022.

We recorded a total of 65 archaeological sites, 17 of which were previously recorded, and ten isolated artifacts within the project area (Table 1). Archaeological site density was approximately one site per 15.1 ha (37.4 ac) , and cultural resource density (sites and isolates combined) was one cultural resource per 13.1 ha (32.5 ac). By area, cultural resources cover approximately 1.0 percent (9.7 ha) of the project area. Eleven sites are recommended eligible or potentially eligible (unknown/undetermined eligibility status) for listing on the National Register, requiring additional archaeological investigation if adverse affects cannot be avoided (Table 2).

At total of 85 components were identified among the 65 sites and isolates, comprised of 52 prehistoric and 33 historic components. Prehistoric period components consisted of the following: 37 Unidentified Lithic (UD Lithic), 1 Early Archaic, 2 Middle Archaic, 1 Middle-Late Archaic, 4 Late Archaic, 1 Middle Woodland, 1 Late Woodland, 1 Mississippian, and 4 Woodland/Mississippian (unidentified ceramic). Historic period components consisted of the following: 1 Nineteenth Century, 15 Nineteenth-Twentieth Century and 17 Early-Middle Twentieth Century.