Archaeological and Historical Investigations on the Lake Oconee Village Tract: Greene County, Georgia

Southeastern Archeological Services, Inc. (SAS) conducted an archeological survey of a 610 acre tract known as the Lake Oconee Village tract, owned by Reynolds American Properties, during the months of March through May 2001. The survey area is located along the western edge of Greene County, Georgia, and is partially bounded by the Georgia Power Company's Lake Oconee on the Oconee River. The tract consists primarily of uplands with relatively small areas of bottomlands associated with minor tributaries of the Oconee River. Until recently, the tract was timber company land and much of the area shows the effects of the last clearcutting. A portion of the property has been impacted by grading and borrow pits related to past commercial development in the area. The survey resulted in the discovery of 25 archeological sites and 11 isolates or low density artifact scatters. Several previously recorded sites lay within or at the edges of the study area. Those sites were recorded by SAS during a survey for the rerouting of Linger Longer Road which cuts through the east part of the present project area (Braley and Ledbetter 1999). In total, the boundaries of the Lake Oconee Village Tract study area contain 33 recorded archeological sites (Figure 1). At the request of Reynolds Plantation, testing was conducted at five sites in order to firmly established eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places. Most of the site testing was conducted during March, 2002. Because several of the sites contain historic components, historical and archival research was a critical facet of that additional investigation. The surveyed tract includes property presently owned by Reynolds American Properties which is separate from Reynolds Plantation. The survey and subsequent testing was conducted for long term planning purposes for Reynolds Plantation. The work was, at the time, not required for compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. However, because Georgia laws require notification of the State Historic Preservation Office prior to conducting excavations on archeological sites, the SHPO's office was consulted and the necessary paperwork was completed prior to site testing. The sites located within the Lake Oconee Village Tract provide information relating to prehistoric and historic periods. The sites include prehistoric lithic scatters, quartz quarry sites, Archaic and Mississippian habitation sites, elements of antebellum plantations, and twentieth century tenant houses (Table 1). The sites were investigated in order to firmly establish National Register eligibility status. Sites recommended as eligible retain substantial evidence of further research potential, and thus meet National Register criterion d. The primary components of the five tested sites include an aboriginal quartz quarry (9GE1829), three antebellum plantations (9GE1832, 9GE1887, and 9GE1894), and a stratified multicomponent prehistoric habitation site (9GE1896). Site 9GE1894 also contains significant prehistoric deposits. As the result of testing, three of the sites (9GE1887, 9GE1894, and 9GE1896) are recommended eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. Sites 9GE1829 and 1832 are considered too disturbed to yield significant information. Each of the recommended eligible sites will be affected to some degree by the development in forms such as road construction, landscaping of adjoining lots, or directly by housing construction. Detailed development plans are pending the results of this testing program. Specific mitigation plans, which will detail the proposed development and outline measures to avoid and protect, or mitigate adverse effects to the sites, will be submitted for review upon acceptance of this testing report. We recommend no further work at the sites recommended not eligible to the National Register.