Archeological Survey of the Proposed Sanderson Farms Moultrie Processing Site, Colquitt County, Georgia

Southeastern Archeological Services, Inc., completed an archeological survey of a ca. 131ac tract of land southeast of Moultrie on which a proposed agricultural processing facility is to be constructed. The company proposing to construct the facility, Sanderson Farms, Inc., engaged Nutter and Associates, Inc. to conduct an environmental assessment of the tract. One facet of this assessment was a survey for significant archeological resources. This report presents the results of that survey, which was conducted from June 1 through 3, 2004. The goals of the survey were to locate, delineate, describe and evaluate archeological sites in the project tract, which is centered on a low ridge. At the time of our survey, most of the tract was planted in peanuts and about one third was woodland on the edges of low lying wetlands. We consulted the Georgia Archaeological Site Files and various archival and cartographic sources to determine if any known sites were recorded for the project area. None were, although some evidence was found for an early twentieth century house on the nose of the central ridge. We then visually inspected the entire tract for evidence of sites and excavated 106 shovel tests to recover artifacts indicative of buried sites. In the peanut field, which provided between 75 to 85 percent surface visibility, the ground surface was inspected thoroughly along evenly spaced transects. Two archeological sites were discovered. Both of these sites represent twentieth century house sites with no appreciable significance for archeological research. We recommend both of these sites as ineligible for the National Register of Historic Places. It is our conclusion that the proposed development would not create any adverse effects for significant archeological resources.