Phase II Archaeological Testing of Site 9Ro97, Rockdale County, Georgia

Phase II archaeological testing was conducted at site 9RO97, in Rockdale County, Georgia. A previously conducted survey indicated that the site may contain remains of a late nineteenth to early twentieth century rural Georgia farmstead. The site included remains of a house that appeared to have burned. Portions of a fieldstone foundation, suggesting the location of an outbuilding, were also present. Shovel tests were excavated across the entire site at 10 It intervals. Five 3 x 3 It test excavation units were also excavated. Data gathered from the shovel test excavations were utilized to determine the optimum location for the placement of the test excavation units. A total of 176 shovel tests were excavated. Based on historical documents, the house was likely constructed between 1878 and ca.1900 as a tenant house; it certainly was in existence by 1920. Informant interviews indicate that the house was occupied by tenant farmers or wage hands until the late 1940s. After that, the house was used as a residential rental property until the late 1960s or early 1970s. In the early 1970s, the house was burned as part of a training exercise for the local volunteer fire department. The archaeological data supported this contention. It appears that any materials associated with the use of the house as a farmstead were removed before it was converted to a residential rental property. The overwhelming majority of the artifacts recovered reflect the use of the house as a rental property. Site 9RO97 is recommended as not eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. No further management consideration for this property is recommended.