Cultural Resources Reconnaissance Survey 11681 US Highway 41 Economic Development Parcel Ringgold, Catoosa County, Georgia S&ME Project No. 4181-19-056

S&ME, Inc. (S&ME) has completed a Cultural Resources Reconnaissance Survey of an approximately 50-acre property, located at 11681 US Highway 41 in Ringgold, Catoosa County, Georgia. The work was conducted in general accordance with S&ME Proposal No. 41-1900440, dated September 19, 2019.

The Project Area consists of approximately 50 acres, which the Catoosa County Economic Development Authority is planning to develop with an Invest Prep grant that has been awarded by Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The Project Area is mostly wooded, but there are dirt roads, a former sewage disposal area, and cleared gravel areas within the acreage. A natural gas pipeline defines the southern site boundary. Properties adjacent to the Project Area are developed for commercial and residential uses.

Background research indicated two previously recorded archaeological sites (9CT17 and 9CT48) and six historic structures (200769/246, 200772/247, 200774/248, 200776/250, 200777/251, and 200778/252) are located within a 0.5-mile search radius of the property. One of the previously recorded resources, structure 200766/250 is mapped as being in the northern portion of the Project Area, but field investigations determined that the location was mismapped in Georgia's Natural, Archaeological, and Historic Resources GIS (GNAHRGIS) and it is not located within the current Project Area.

The current field investigation was conducted on October 2, 2019 and consisted of the hand excavation of 15 shovel tests; no archaeological sites were identified within the Project Area. During fieldwork, S&ME revisited the recorded location of the one previously identified historic structure within the Project Area, structure 200776/250; no structure meeting the survey description of 200766/250 is located at the GNAHRGIS mapped location. However, the 2007 Catoosa County survey map has the structure located closer to US Highway 41 and aerial photographs indicate that a structure with a form and roofline that meet the survey description was located on the outparcel adjacent to US Highway 41 but was demolished between 2007 and 2009. Additionally, during fieldwork one previously unrecorded structure, CCED-1, was identified in the southwestern portion of the Project Area. The house is a circa 1940 residence that retains good integrity and appears to meet the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) eligibility criteria under Criteria C. Construction on the Project Area parcel has the potential to adversely affect structure CCED-1.

For the purpose of this project, the other previously documented structures (200769/246, 200772/247, 20074/248, 200777/251, and 200778/252) were treated as NRHP-eligible and S&ME evaluated potential viewshed intrusions from the proposed project. Based on our observations, the existing mature vegetation and interstate will block the view of the proposed development from the previously recorded structures and the project would have no adverse effect on these structures. S&ME also consulted GNARGIS and identified three properties in the possible viewshed of the Project Area; S&ME concluded that none of these properties are greater than 50 years of age and are therefore ineligible for the NRHP. S&ME concludes that the project will have no adverse effect on the viewshed of historic properties.

We conclude that there is one NRHP eligible structure within the proposed Project Area that has the potential to be adversely affected by construction on the property. S&ME recommends avoiding structure CCED-1 and shielding the viewshed of the structure from new construction by vegetation. If this is not possible, then consultation with the Georgia SHPO may be necessary to minimize or mitigate adverse effects.