Archeological Survey of Doctor Lee and Riverbend Roads Jones County, Georgia

In the wake of severe flooding caused by tropical storm Alberto, the City of Macon has obtained federal funds to build a new water treatment plant and associated water mains. The proposed new water plant will be built on the north side of Town Creek reservoir, which is now nearing completion. A cultural resources survey was conducted in August, 1994 (Benson 1994) to locate, record, and evaluate archeological sites that might lie within two alternative water treatment plant locations, a proposed raw water intake structure near the confluence of the Ocmulgee River and Town Creek, 72" and 42" diameter water mains, and access roads to the water treatment plant and water mains. Proposed access roads and water mains totaled nearly 3.8 miles. Following the cultural resources survey, testing of one site (9JO198) ensued (Pluckhan and Braley 1994). The cultural resources survey in August, 1994 and testing of 9JO198 in November, 1994 were required because a 404 permit is needed from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers prior to the modification of wetlands. Both upland and floodplain terrain will be affected by the project. This report covers the results of a survey that was conducted to assess the impact of any cultural resources by the modification (straightening and widening) of Riverbend Road and Dr. Lee Road, an existing access route to the Town Creek Reservoir. Figure 1 shows the project location. Two cultural resources were recorded by this survey, one twentieth century surface occurrence and one nineteenth-twentieth century house site (9JO202). 9JO202 was evaluated for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places and was found to be ineligible due to the lack of intact remains. Thus, no additional excavation is required to adequately document this house site and we recommend that modifications scheduled for Riverbend Road and Dr. Lee Road be allowed to proceed.