An Intensive Cultural Resource Assessment Survey of the Oak Grove Tract, Chatham County, Georgia

In September and October of 2004, Environmental Services, Inc. (ESI) performed an intensive cultural resource assessment survey of the 320-acre Oak Grove parcel and associated access road in Chatham County, Georgia, on behalf of Acadia Capital Group. ESI also investigated a segment of the historic roadway that leads into the Oak Grove and Mulberry Grove Plantations that will require removal in order to restore tidal flow along Black Creek. The goal of the survey was to locate, identify, delineate, and evaluate all cultural resources within the parcel, including prehistoric and historic archaeological sites, as well as historic structures. The cultural resource assessment survey included a pedestrian inspection combined with systematic shovel testing at 30 and 90-meter intervals. As a result of the survey, three archaeological sites (9CH1057-9CH1059) were recorded and three isolated finds were documented. No standing historic structures were encountered on the subject property. Based on the results, it was determined that Site 9CH1057 is potentially eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places and further work or avoidance is recommended. Also, although no artifacts were observed along the low-lying segment of the historic roadway that will need to be removed, it is recommended that a trench be excavated to expose and document this feature. Neither the remaining two sites nor the three isolated finds are considered eligible for NRHP inclusion. Site 9CH1058 is a low-density prehistoric artifact scatter with low potential to produce significant new data and 9CH1059 contains artifacts and structural elements from the mid 20th century. Two of the isolated finds were chert flakes and the other was a piece of whiteware.