Addendum to Cultural Resources Survey Proposed Silver Creek land Exchange Site, Forsyth County, Georgia

R.S. Webb & Associates conducted a cultural resources assessment of the proposed Silver Creek Land Exchange Site in Forsyth County, Georgia July 21 through August 7, 1995. The assessment was conducted on behalf of White Contracting Company to locate and identify cultural resources within the project area and assess resource significance based on National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) criteria [36 CFR Part 60.4(d)]. The project area covers approximately 9.7 hectares and is located in Forsyth County, southeast of Cumming and southwest of Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River. Previous investigations in the general project vicinity (Hamilton 1974; O'Grady and Poe 1980; Gresham 1987) have identified resources dating to the Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian and Historic periods. These studies suggest that Early Archaic, Middle Woodland and Early Mississippian components are particularly common in the region. The assessment included a literature/records search and an archeological field survey of the project area. A review of pertinent National Register files, historic structures files and archeological site files revealed that no National Register resources, previously recorded historic structures or known archeological sites are located within the project area. Historic maps show no 19th or early 20th century structures within the study tract. Six cultural resources were detected during the field survey of the proposed land exchange site. The sites include three prehistoric lithic scatters (Sites 9FO261, 9FO262 and 9F0265), one prehistoric lithic scatter and rockshelter (Site 9F0263), one late 19th/early 20th century house site with a prehistoric lithic component (Site 9F0264), and one prehistoric quarry site (Site 9F0266). Sites 9FO261, 9FO262, 9FO264, 9FO265 and 9FO266 have been severely disturbed by erosion, terracing and/or road construction. Since these sites are unlikely to produce significant archeological data, they are recommended as ineligible for the NRHP and no further work is warranted. Site 9FO263 was recommended as potentially eligible for the NRHP based on the survey findings of high artifact density, unique site setting and potential for contributing data on prehistoric use of this unique type of site through intact deposits and features. Results of additional shovel testing and comparison to other excavated rockshelters in the Georgia Piedmont indicate that the rockshelter portion of Site 9FO263 is eligible for the NRHP. If the site can be avoided and protected, the preferred management recommendation is preservation-in-place. If the development cannot avoid the site, then data recovery will be required to mitigate the effects.