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OCONEE OLD TOWN History and Archaeological Excavations

Author(s)
Report Number
14851
Year of Publication
1996
County
Abstract

This report brings together for the first time all known information about one of the most famous, but least documented, archaeological sites in the state of Georgia-Oconee Old Town. This site gave its name to the Oconee River and was the focus of much important activity in the early political history of Georgia. Located just below the Fall Line on the eastern bank of the Oconee River, this site was first discovered by archaeologists in 1935. Arthur Kelly conducted brief (previously unreported) excavations in 1935. Gordon Willey conducted brief (previously unreported) excavations in 1938. The exact locations of their excavations were lost to archaeology until 1995. In that summer, I led students from the University of Georgia to the site to examine it and conduct brief excavations (reported here) as part of their Field School experience. An introduction to the historical documentation associated with the site is presented here also, but it should in no way be considered exhaustive. This important 300 year-old site must be preserved and studied further in the next century through both history and archaeology.