An Archaeological Reconnaissance of Trail Ridge Charlton County, Georgia

This report describes an archaeological reconnaissance of a 2,200 acre portion of DuPont's proposed Trail Ridge Mine, performed by Southern Research between January 13 and February 7, 1997. The project area is located along the eastern margin of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, in Chariton County, Georgia. Eighteen study areas, located primarily in recently harvested and replanted pine plantations, were examined by means of systematic surface reconnaissance along pedestrian transects spaced at 30m intervals. This survey resulted in the delineation of 23 archaeological sites and 10 isolated artifact occurrences. Nine of these sites (9CR34, 9CR168, 9CR171, 9CR176, 9CR181, 9CR182, 9CR185, 9CR186, 9CR187) are recommended for Phase 11 testing, which is necessary to determine their eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places. Only one of these sites, the Martha Dowling North Mounds, 9CR34, had previously been recorded. Results of the reconnaissance survey indicate a moderate overall site density in the Trail Ridge area. Sites in the study area range from a fraction of an acre up to 45 acres in size and include components that date from the Late Archaic (ca. 4000 BP) to the twentieth century historic period. Settlements and activity areas that appear to be associated with the seventeenth century Timucuan chiefdom of IN and the associated Spanish Mission of San Lorenzo de lbihica are also present. No evidence for human occupation or activity on Trail Ridge is known for the Middle Archaic, Early Archaic, and Paleoindian periods. Sites representing these periods are expected to be rare but not absent. It is possible that early sites on Trail Ridge are located in different areas from later sites or are buried and have little or no surface expression.