An Archaeological Survey of the Old Governor's Mansion, Milledgeville, Georgia

Southern Research of Ellerslie, Georgia conducted an archeological survey and evaluation of the site of the Old Governor's Mansion (recorded at the Georgia Archaeological Site Files as 9BL134). The Mansion served as the residence of Georgia's Governors and their families from 1840 to 1868, the date when the state capitol was relocated to Atlanta. Our work was part of a larger effort sponsored by the University of Georgia Board of Regents to produce a Historic Structure Survey for the Mansion. The project team led by the firm Surber and Barber Architects, Inc. was comprised of archeologists, historic architects, historians, engineers and landscape architects. The project's overall goal was to provide the first comprehensive survey of the Mansion and its grounds and to provide recommendations for restoration and proper maintenance of this National Historic Landmark.

Our work involved subsurface investigations to determine the nature of the archeological deposits on the site. Specifically, we sought to search for information that would help interpret the land use changes, past Iifeways, and adaptations to changes in site function from the earliest residents of the property to the present. We were looking for intact refuse zones (midden), features such as trash pits, wells, and privies and remnants of outbuildings from before, during, and after. the period when the Georgia Governors occupied the property.

Our overriding goal was to provide the Mansion Director and the Board of Regents with an understanding of the nature and extent of the archeological resources present on the property so that the impact to these resources will be considered when improvements and/or alterations are made to the mansion's grounds.