An Intensive Cultural Resources Survey of the Proposed Bear Creek Reservoir

Southeastern Archeological Services, Inc., conducted an intensive cultural resources survey of the proposed Bear Creek Water Supply Reservoir in southern Jackson County, Georgia. The survey covered the approximately 510 acres of land which lie below the flood pool elevation of 695 feet (212 meters), as well as areas that will be impacted by construction associated with the reservoir. The survey resulted in the identification of 36 sites and three artifact occurrences. A brief description of these sites, including their potential significance and recommendations for further work, is presented in Table 1. Eighteen of the total of 36 sites date to the nineteenth or twentieth century, and four of these also have prehistoric components. Most of the historic sites are turn of the century houses, farmsteads, or mills in poor archeological condition. Seven contain rock piles which resulted from land clearing activities in the nineteenth or early twentieth century. One of the historic sites is a cemetery. The remaining 18 sites are solely prehistoric. All but two of the sites are recommended ineligible to the National Register on the basis of the survey data. The two remaining sites (9JK173 and 9JK179), both prehistoric sites, are recommended eligible to the National Register on the basis of survey and testing results. Data recovery should be conducted on these two sites to mitigate the loss of these cultural resources. In addition, the Wages-Oldham Cemetery (9JK168) will require relocation in accordance with Georgia law (Code Section 36-72). Also included in this report are architectural evaluations of six historic houses that will be impacted by the proposed project. All of these structures are recommended ineligible to the National Register.