Archaeological Survey and Testing of the Proposed Bridge Replacement at SR 17 over Big Creek, Jefferson County, Georgia

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) wishes to replace the structurally deficient bridge on State Route (SR) 17 over Big Creek, 5 km southeast of Louisville in central Jefferson County (Figure 1). The existing two-lane bridge will be replaced in place, while traffic is rerouted to a temporary detour and bridge to be constructed immediately to the northeast. Southeastern Archeological Services conducted an intensive archeological survey of the area of potential effect for this bridge replacement project to ensure compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended. This act stipulates that federal agencies, in this case the Federal Highway Administration, take into account potential adverse effects of an undertaking to significant cultural resources. The goals of the survey were to locate, delineate, describe, and evaluate archeological sites in the area of potential effect for the project, in terms of eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The field survey was conducted on June 14, 2001 by SAS archeologists Ron Schoettmer and Trent Meyer, under the direction of Principal Investigator Tom Gresham. This survey was based on project maps provided to us by Edwards-Pitman Environmental, Inc. in May. Because a site potentially eligible to the NRHP was discovered at the fringe of the project area, more detailed and updated project maps were requested and sent to us in July. On August 2, 2001 Schoettmer and Meyer returned to the project area to further delineate the discovered site in relation to the project boundary. On September 5, 2001 Schoettmer, Meyer, and the author returned to the site to evaluate the site's eligibility through controlled excavation in three locations. In response to a GDOT request, Schoettmer and Meyer returned to the site on November 5,2001 to excavate a fourth test unit on the site.