Archeological Survey of the Still Waters at Lake Sinclair Tract, Baldwin County, Georgia

In May and June, 2005 Southeastern Archeological Services, Inc., conducted a Phase I archeological survey of a 96.3-ha (238-ac) tract in northwestern Baldwin County, Georgia. The wooded tract borders on Lake Sinclair, a 6,070-ha (15,300-ac) hydroelectric reservoir constructed in the early 1950s. The owners wish to develop the tract for housing and will need a Section 404 permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to affect some wetlands. Under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, such permitting requires consideration of effects of the undertaking on significant cultural resources within the area of potential effect of the project. The area of potential effect consists of the 96.3-ha tract itself and, for standing structures, the viewshed from the tract. To assess potential effects to significant cultural resources, a Phase I archeological survey was conducted to locate sites and Phase II testing was conducted as needed to better assess significance of sites. There are no standing structures older than 50 years within or within view of the project area, so our investigation focused on archeological sites. We recorded 16 sites on the tract, consisting of seven prehistoric lithic scatters, six prehistoric lithic and ceramic scatters, two pairs of historic period rock piles and one late nineteenth to early twentieth century house site (Table 1).Phase I shovel testing was adequate to determine the nature and significance (in terms of eligibility for listing on the National Register of Historic Places) for all but one site. The most promising site, lithic and ceramic scatter site 9BL26 1, was tested with three units, two of which were 2-x-2-m units and one of which was a 1-x-2-m unit. These showed that the site was very shallow, having been plowed and eroded for decades. Artifacts were small and generally sparse. No features were encountered. The only diagnostic artifacts recovered were one or two Woodland period (perhaps Cartersville and Vining) sherds. We conclude that this site is too disturbed and too lacking in research potential to be eligible for the National Register. Therefore, we conclude that the area of potential effect does not contain any significant cultural resources, and that the proposed undertaking should be allowed to proceed.