Cultural Resources Survey and Evaluation of the South Acworth to Hawkins Store Transmission Line Corridor, Cobb County, Georgia

Brockington and Associates, Inc., conducted a cultural resources evaluation of approximately 11.4 km (7.1 miles) of transmission line between the South Acworth and Hawkins Store substations, west of Acworth, in Cobb County, Georgia. This corridor is slated for repoling; the present wooden poles will be replaced by metal poles that are approximately twice as large. The construction will be conducted primarily within the existing right-of-way or immediately along the current right-of-way boundary. In selected areas, the transmission line corridor will be modified slightly, requiring acquisition of approximately 30 meters (100 ft) of new right-of-way. These modifications to the existing corridor will result in the transmission line cutting across a corner rather than turning it at a right angle, or removal of poles from private backyards to the opposite side of the street. Although the entire corridor was surveyed, shovel tests were only excavated in those portions of new right-of-way. Background research identified seven previously documented cultural resources along the project corridor. The previously recorded resources consist of one antebellum house, three churches with their associated cemeteries, a grave marker, and an archaeological site for which no information is known. The project corridor also passes through a small segment, and borders another segment of the Kennesaw Multiple Resource District. A historic marker, documenting Moon's Station on Baker Road, is also present along the project corridor. The field survey identified eight cultural resources along the corridor route in addition to the historic district, including a barn, six historic buildings, and a segment of Western and Atlantic rail line that is associated with the Moon's Station historic marker. The Kennesaw Multiple Resource District, the segment of rail line and the previously recorded antebellum residence (Resource 69) are recommended eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The Shiloh Methodist Church and cemetery (Resource 71) and two historic residences identified during this investigation (Resources R-5 and R-8) are recommended potentially eligible for the NRHP. Resource R-5 is a 1930s bungalow and Resource R-8 is a 1918-1920 pyramidal cottage. All other historic structures, the previously recorded archaeological site, and the grave marker are considered ineligible for the NRHP. The viewshed of the eligible and potentially eligible resources was evaluated as part of this investigation. The proposed construction involves replacing existing wooden poles with larger metal poles, which, despite the pole size change, will result in no significant variation in the viewsheds of the historic buildings. The transmission line will be moved in the vicinity of Moon's Station and the segment of rail line. A poled line is already present along this frontage, and other modifications to the setting of the resource have already occurred (e.g., removal of Moon's Station structures). Consequently, the rail line viewshed will not be adversely impacted. There are no historic structures in the segments of the Kennesaw Multiple Resource District adjoining or surrounding the project corridor and no impacts to other resources included within the district will be incurred by the repoling project. Based on the results of this investigation, the proposed repoling and limited realignment of the South Acworth to Hawkins Store transmission line will not adversely impact any significant cultural resources. However, should construction plans change in any way, further evaluation of the project's impacts on the resources discussed above will be necessary.