The survey described here was designed to locate and evaluate archeological sites in the area of a Harris County bridge replacement project proposed by the Georgia Department of Transportation. The project proposes the replacement of the SR 116 crossings over Bethel Creek and Bethlehem Creek. Archeological survey located six archeological sites that are wholly (one site, 9HS317) or partially (five sites, 9HS318, 9HS319, 9HS320, 9HS32 1, and 9HS322) in the proposed project's area of potential effect (APE). None of the five site portions within the APE would contribute to their site's being eligible to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP); all are represented by graded or plowed soils with little possibility for undisturbed cultural features; all but 9HS319 are represented only by nondiagnostic artifacts. Since we examined only parts of these five sites, we cannot assess each as a whole and thus recommend that the NRHP eligibility of each remains unknown. The one site that was delineated fully within the APE (9HS317) is recommended as ineligible to the NRHP based on its graded, eroded, and shallow soils. Because the threatened portions of the other five sites do not contribute to NRHP eligibility and because site 9HS317 is recommended as ineligible, we recommend that no significant archeological resources are threatened by replacement of the SR 116 bridges over Bethlehem Creek and Bethel Creek.
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