Archeological and Historical Investigations of the Georgia Pacific & Hardin Tracts Greene County, Georgia

This report presents the results of the archeological survey of 830 acres of land in Greene County, Georgia. The property, which is located on Lake Oconee, is owned and will be developed by Reynolds Plantation. The property actually consisted of two adjoining tracts that will be referred to as the Georgia Pacific and Hardin Tracts. Southeastern Archeological Services, Inc. (SAS) began the project in 2002 as a reconnaissance surveys which eventually led to intensive surveys and limited testing. The final site testing was conducted during the first part of 2005. The results of the reconnaissance, intensive survey, and testing are included in this report. The surveys resulted in the discovery of 54 new archeological sites and seven isolates or low density artifact scatters. Fifteen previously recorded sites in the project area were revisited. With the inclusion of previously recorded sites, the boundaries of the project area includes 69 recorded archeological sites. The project area consists of uplands and narrow tributary drainage ways that extend from the upland divide that separates the watersheds of the Oconee River from Richland Creek. The entire project area lies within the Richland Creek watershed. The project area has most recently been used as commercial timberland property for pine production. Prior to that time, the land was intensively cultivated. As a result of past land use, the property is generally eroded and most sites within the tracts are heavily disturbed. The prehistoric sites identified within the survey area consist of primarily of Archaic lithic scatters and quartz quarry-related sites and late Mississippian Lamar sites. The majority of the Lamar sites are Dyar phase (only one Bell phase site was conclusively identified). Several of the Lamar sites were thought to be upland farmsteads. The historic sites consisted primarily of small farm houses that dated primarily to the mid-nineteenth century. The majority of these sites were identified only as plowzone artifact scatters. A few sites were occupied into the early part of the twentieth century but there was little evidence of habitation in the area afterwards. Most of the farmlands of the area had been abandoned by the middle part of the twentieth century. The two intensively tested sites consisted of an antebellum farmstead site (9GE1838) and a late Mississippian Lamar farmstead (9GE1842). As the result of testing, site 9GE1838 has been recommended eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. Site 9GE1842 was determined to be too badly disturbed to yield significant information and was recommended ineligible for nomination. Of the newly discovered sites, four have been recommended eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. The recommended eligible sites are 9GE2084, 9GE2085, 9GE2086, and 9GE2100. Site 9GE2084 represents an extensive area of surface rock pile features that include one confirmed Lamar burial mound and a possible second along with a number of rock piles that are tentatively interpreted to be historic field clearing features. Site 9GE2085 is a habitation site with components dating to the Late Archaic and early nineteenth century. Site 9GE2086 is a small but potentially well-preserved prehistoric quartz quarry. Site 9GE2100 is a Dyar phase Lamar farmstead site. The remainder of the identified sites have been recommended ineligible based on survey data which was supplemented in some cases with additional testing. This report was originally submitted for review as two separate documents. The original draft survey report was submitted for review with a date of December 1, 2004. A second document, dated May 3, 2005 was an addendum to the original report. The addendum is included as part two of this report.