Archeological Testing of Sites 9GE11747, 9GE1756, 9GE1758, 9GE1776, 9GE1784, and 9GE1787 on Reynolds Plantation, Greene County, Georgia

Southeastern Archeological Services, Inc. (SAS) conducted archeological testing of six sites on Reynolds Plantation on Lake Oconee during the months of August and September 1999. The sites were originally discovered by SAS during a 1997 survey of approximately 1860 acres of undeveloped Reynolds property in Greene and Putnam Counties, Georgia (Ledbetter 1998a). The surveyed tracts included property already owned by Reynolds Plantation and property being acquired for future development. The surveyed area is located in the horseshoe bend area of the Oconee River. The original survey and subsequent testing of the six sites was conducted for compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. This Section 106 process was necessitated by Reynolds' need for a Section 404 permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The intensive survey conducted by SAS recorded 165 field sites. The identified sites provide evidence of utilization of the area throughout the prehistoric and historic periods. The sites tested and described in the present report are those that are potentially eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and that are located in areas of Reynolds Plantation that are scheduled for future development. The tested sites include prehistoric lithic scatters and a minor quarry site, and elements of Late Mississippian and historic farmsteads (Table 1). The sites were investigated in order to firmly establish National Register eligibility status. Sites recommended as eligible retain substantial evidence of further research potential, and thus meet National Register criterion d. Table 1. Recommendations for six tested sites on Reynolds Plantation Site Number Site Type (significant components) NRHP Recommendation 9GE1747 19th century farmstead not eligible prehistoric lithic scatter 9GE1756 Lamar farmstead eligible 9GE1758 Lamar farmstead eligible 9GE1776 Lamar farmstead eligible prehistoric lithic scatter 9GE1784 prehistoric quartz quarry not eligible 9GE1787 19th century farmstead not eligible prehistoric lithic scatter All three recommended eligible sites will be affected to some degree by the development such as roads, golf course, or housing construction. Detailed development plans are pending the results of this testing program. Specific mitigation plans, which will detail the proposed development and outline measures to avoid and protect, or mitigate adverse effects to the sites, will be submitted for review upon acceptance of this testing report. We recommend no further work at the three sites recommended not eligible to the National Register.