Phase I Archaeological Survey for The Bridge Improvements Along Cr 486 at Warrior Creek, at Warrior Creek, Overflow, and at Ty Ty Creek in Colquitt County, Georgia

Edwards-Pitman, Inc. (EP), under a contract with NV5, conducted a Phase I archaeological survey for the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) project for bridge improvements along County Route (CR) 486 at Warrior Creek, Warrior Creek Overflow, and at Ty Ty Creek in Colquitt County, Georgia (GDOT P.I. No. 0015617, HP-190829-008). The goal of this survey was to locate and evaluate archaeological resources within an Environmental Survey Boundary (ESB) established for the proposed undertaking in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). The GDOT report summary table (Table 0.1) appears below. 

The project will replace three existing bridges on CR 486. The southernmost bridge in the project area, which crosses Warrior Creek, measures 91.4 meters (m) (299.9 feet [ft]) in length and was built in 1939 and reconstructed in 1959. The proposed length for this bridge is 103.6 m (340 ft). The second bridge in the project area crosses over Warrior Creek Overflow, is 30.2 m (99 ft) in length, and was built in 1959. The proposed length for this bridge is 30.5 m (100 ft). The north­ernmost bridge in the project area is 30.2 m (99 ft) in length, crosses Ty Ty Creek, and was also built in 1959. The proposed length for this bridge is 30.5 m (100 ft). All three of the bridges will be designed for two 3.4 m (11 ft) lanes and 0.9 m (3 ft) shoulders. The bridge approaches will consist of one 3.4 m (11 ft) lane in each direction with 2.4 m (8 ft) rural shoulders, 1.2 m (4 ft) being paved. The bridges will be replaced in-place with the use of an off-site detour and raised 0.9 m (3 ft) to provide adequate clearance over the 100-year flood elevation. 

Prior to fieldwork, a search of the Georgia Archaeological Site File (GASF) and Georgia's Natural, Archaeological, and Historic Resources Geographic Information System (GNAHRGIS) online da­tabase was made for previously recorded sites within 1 kilometer (km) (0.62 miles [mi]) of the survey area. Two previously recorded archaeological sites were identified by this review, 9CQ9 and 9CQ15. Neither of these sites intersect the ESB. 

In addition to archaeological sites recorded in the GASF database, a search for previously con­ducted surveys within a 1 km (0.62 mi) radius of the current survey area was also performed. No previously conducted archaeological surveys intersect the ESB. 

EP's survey resulted in the documentation of historic Leila Cemetery, designated 9CQ138. This site was established in the early 1850s, and is located on the west side of CR 486. The portion of the property located within the ESB was systematically probed in order to determine if any unmarked interments existed outside of the visual boundary of marked graves. Leila Cemetery has been evaluated for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) by Historians from NV5. This site was recommended eligible under Criterion C as it is a good and intact example of a rural, late-nineteenth to mid-twentieth century cemetery. The majority of the site lies outside of the ESB and so could not be fully evaluated under Criterion D. Therefore, Leila Cemetery’s eligibility for the NRHP under Criterion D is unknown.