Cultural Resources Survey of the Rice Hope Plantation Tract Chatham County, Georgia

In July 2003, Brockington and Associates, Inc., conducted a cultural resources survey of the Rice Hope Plantation Tract, located in Chatham County, Georgia for Sivica Communities, Inc. The Rice Hope Plantation Tract contains approximately 507 hectares, including 156 hectares of wetlands (approximately 31 percent of the project tract). This survey includes a review of the history of land ownership and use through public documents, a review of previous investigations near the Rice Hope Plantation Tract, pedestrian surface survey, and the excavation of shovel tests at 30 and 60 meter intervals across the tract. This cultural resources (i.e., historic resources) survey was conducted for purposes of compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (in accordance with 36 CFR 800 and 33 CFR 320-330, especially 320.4, 325.4, Appendix C of 325, and 330.4) in order to identify historic properties potentially affected by the proposed undertaking, allow the responsible Federal Agency official to take into account the effects of the undertaking to historic properties, and allow the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation the opportunity to comment on those effects, if any. We identified two cultural resources during the survey of the Rice Hope Plantation Tract. These include the former Chisholm caretaker's residence, identified as archaeological site 9CH 1052, and the Houston Church and cemetery, identified as architectural resource CH-RH-001 and archaeological site 9CH 1053. We recommend these resources not eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Although we recommend the Houston Church and cemetery (CH-RH001/9CH1053) not eligible for the NRHP, ground disturbance in and near this cemetery should be avoided. As such, land managers have erected a chain link fence around the boundary of the Houston Church cemetery to provide a buffer from future land disturbing activities and to ensure the site's protection. Cemeteries are protected from disturbance and desecration under Georgia state law. In the event a cemetery cannot be preserved, relocation as per applicable Georgia statutes (OCGA 1991: 36-72-1/16) is necessary.