Archaeological Survey and Testing for the Proposed Jackson South Bypass and Determination of Eligibility for 9BS63 in Butts County, Georgia

TRC was contracted by Rosser Civil Engineering to carry out a Phase I archaeological survey of the proposed Jackson South Bypass in Butts County, Georgia. This survey consisted of background research, additional archival research, and field investigations to identify all archaeological resources within the project area. The 250-foot wide corridor extends for a distance of approximately eight miles. The corridor begins at the intersection of Bert Road and Highway 16, running southeast to Brownlee Road, then northeast and north, ending at the intersection of Highway 16 and Bibb Station Road. The archaeological survey was carried out February 18-20, and June 4, 2003, and resulted in the identification of one historic archaeological site containing a prehistoric isolated find (9BS63), a rock shelter site (9BS64), and two prehistoric isolated finds (IF l and IF2). The historic site consists of a house foundation and several outbuildings with an associated mill, millrace, and dam nearby. Shovel tests recovered bottle glass, nails, wire, miscellaneous metal, and ceramic sherds at the house site. A single prehistoric ceramic sherd also was recovered. East-northeast and downslope from the house site along Town Branch is the mill complex. The mill site is on the southeast edge of the proposed right-of-way; the right-of-way crosses the millrace, which leads to the former dam location, north (and well outside) of the right-of-way. This site is recommended eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Additional archaeological and historical investigations are recommended for this site if it cannot be completely avoided in the design of this project. TRC recommends that, minimally, the proposed right-of-way be moved slightly to the north to avoid affecting the mill site-the effects to the millrace and house site will still need to be taken into account. On August 18, 2003, additional archaeological survey work was conducted at 9BS64, the rock shelter that had been identified, but which had produced no artifacts during the initial survey. The August 18 investigation determined that the rock under the overhang, which had prevented shovel testing, was a spall, rather than bedrock, and that additional archaeological investigations were needed to assess whether the rock shelter contained archaeological material. The subsequent test excavations were conducted on August 21, 2003, using heavy equipment to remove the spalls. One prehistoric ceramic sherd and one colorless shard of bottle glass were recovered in the same level. Due to the ephemeral nature of the site, TRC recommends 9BS64 as ineligible for listing on the NRHP. No additional archaeological investigations are recommended for this site. The two isolated finds, IF 1 and IF2, consist of a single quartz flake identified in a shovel test, and two quartz biface fragments identified on the surface, respectively. Both of the isolated finds are recommended as ineligible for listing on the NRHP. No additional archaeological investigations are recommended for these isolated finds.