An Archaeological Survey of the Proposed Improvements at the Roosevelt Memorial Airport Meriwether County, Georgia

In compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and amendments thereto, the proposed improvements to the Roosevelt Memorial Airport, Meriwether County, Georgia, was surveyed with respect to archaeological resources, especially those on or eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The survey was conducted by Tohopeka Archaeological Consulting for the firm of CROY-MSE, LCC. on behalf of the Roosevelt Memorial Airport Authority. Historic resources will be evaluated in a separate document. The proposed project would accommodate an approximate 1,000-foot runway extension based on three possible alternatives: a 1,000-foot extension north of the current runway, a 1,000-foot extension south of the current runway, and an approximately 500-foot extension north and south of the current runway. The archaeological survey consisted of an intensive pedestrian survey and systematic shovel testing. The goals of the survey were to locate, document and evaluate the NRHP eligibility of any archaeological properties located within the proposed project's area of potential effect (APE). As a result of the survey, one previously unrecorded archaeological site was identified within the project corridor. Site 9MW65 represents a formation of rock piles (N=3) situated along one of a series of agricultural terraces located on a gently sloping hillside north of the current runway, within the existing Runway Protection Zone (RPZ). The terraces are north of an unnamed drainage that is oriented roughly northwest/southeast. The rock features, constructed of immediately available local material of medium to large cobble size, were no more than approximately 1-meter in maximum height and diameter and aligned along the second terrace above the drainage, which appeared to be intermittent at the time of survey. All were within an approximately 40 meter area, and no other rock piles were observed along the upper terraces. This site undoubtedly is related to agricultural practices, as evidenced by the extensive nature of the artificial terracing. Agricultural terracing was relied upon more and more as erosion caused by repeated, extensive cotton crops depleted the topsoil. Site 9MW65 is recommended ineligible for inclusion on the NRHP, and it is therefore concluded that the proposed improvements to Roosevelt Memorial Airport would not affect archaeological resources on or eligible for inclusion on the NRHP.