Phase I Archeological Survey Addendum Report and Proposed Widening and Realignment of U.S. 441, Laurens County, Georgia

Greenhorne & O'Mara, Inc., working through the firm of Southeastern Archeological Services, Inc., was retained by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GaDOT) to conduct an archeological survey of 2.7 km (1.7 miles) along U.S. Route 441 in Cedar Grove, Laurens County, Georgia. The GaDOT intends to widen this portion of the twolane road and realign it to the west of the existing highway. A previous cultural resources survey conducted in 1994 by Garrow & Associates, Inc. (Espenshade et. al. 1996), surveyed the eastern side of the existing highway along this 2.7 km length of the project area. The final report, Project EDS-441 (18), (19), and (20), was submitted in February 1996. The current archeological survey was designed to complement the earlier one by expanding coverage to the west of the previously designed right of way. This survey, which investigates a western road alignment alternative, was necessitated by the identification of possible effects to an historic property, the J.P. Harrington house and farm, which is situated within the right-of-way for the eastern alternative. The addendum survey was contracted to investigate the feasibility of the western alternative, which is designed to avoid the historic property. The previous archeological survey identified two small prehistoric sites within or adjacent to the current project area. These sites were determined to be ineligible for the National Register of Historic Places by the contractor. No significant historic structures were identified during the background research or field reconnaissance of the earlier project. Fieldwork consisted of a pedestrian reconnaissance and shovel testing of the project corridor. Shovel test pits were excavated within the project area at 30-meter (approximately 100 ft) intervals. The width of the project area allowed two transect lines for 2,130 m (7,000 ft) of the corridor and one transect line for 610 m (2,000 ft). The majority of landowners granted access to private property for the purpose of excavation. Areas along the corridor that were determined to be wetlands were not tested. The total number of shovel test pits excavated was 109. Five archeological sites and two isolated finds were recorded. All five sites are late nineteenth to mid-twentieth century house sites, some with standing structures. One isolated find consisted of a heat-altered chert flake and a piece of clear glass. A second isolated find consisted of several historic period artifacts in a non-site context. One of the previously identified archeological sites was encountered during the survey, as marked by flagging tape. No artifacts were recovered in the area of that site during this survey. We recommend that none of the sites or isolated finds are eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. No potentially significant archeological resources were identified during this survey and no further archeological investigation is recommended. The proposed widening and realignment will have no effect on significant archeological resources.