An Archaeological Assessment of the Etowah Terrace Stream Restoration Site, Cherokee County, Georgia

In compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966, as amended, staff archaeologists from the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) conducted intensive archaeological investigations of a proposed stream mitigation/restoration site along the Etowah River in Cherokee County, Georgia. Ten new archaeological sites were located and identified within the proposed project's area of potential effect (APE). With one exception these sites all date to the Woodland Period, the remaining site lacking any diagnostic artifacts. Seven of the sites are located on the floodplain of the Etowah River and the remaining three are located in upland environmental settings. Artifact assemblages include high frequencies of lithics (flaked stone), ceramics (sherds and daub), large quantities of thermally altered rock (TAR), and in some cases, soapstone gorgets. Site types include those designated as likely small camps/villages, short term occupations, and task-specific resource extractions. The overwhelming presence of Woodland components (particularly Dunlap) fits well with current archaeological knowledge of the Etowah River drainage. Based on the artifact assemblages, site setting and condition, previous archaeological work, and existing contexts, five of these sites (9CK1188, 9CK1192, 9CK1193, 9CK1196, and 9CK1197) should be considered eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) under Criterion D for their potential to yield important information. Each of these sites has sufficient artifact counts and diversity to address significant research questions and yield important information. The high frequencies of ceramics are suggestive of longer term encampments and may further indicate extensive settlements. The project has been modified substantially to account for these properties. Currently, a Finding of No Adverse Effect is anticipated for sites 9CK1188, 9CK1192, 9CK1193, and 9CK1 196, and a Finding of No Effect to site 9CK1197. Due to design changes and minimization measure none of these sites will be adversely affected by the proposed stream restoration activities.