Cultural Resources Survey for the Proposed McGraw Ford-Dawson Transmission Line, Cherokee and Dawson Counties, Georgia

In July and August, 2000, Brockington and Associates, Inc., conducted a cultural resources survey of the approximately 15 mile long McGraw Ford-Dawson Transmission Line, in Cherokee and Dawson counties, Georgia. This project was conducted under subcontract with Acer Environmental, for Georgia Power Company. The proposed transmission line corridor extends east of Conns Creek Road (near Ball Ground) to its terminus on Highway 9 south of Dawsonville, Georgia. The goal of the investigation was to identify significant cultural resources located within and adjacent to the survey corridor which might be impacted by the proposed transmission line. The Area of Potential Effect (APE) is defined as a 0.8 km (0.5 mile) buffer around the 80 meter (263ft) wide project corridor. Table 1 provides a summary of resources identified as a result of field efforts.     Background research indicates that 13 previously recorded archaeological sites (9CK16, 9CK1057, 9CK1061, 9CK1062, 9CK1063, 9CK1064, 9DW14, 9DW15, 9DW55, 9DW56, 9DW57, 9DW58, and 9DW111) and five previously recorded architectural resources (CK-106, DW-59, DW-61, DW-62, and DW-63) are within the project APE. Sites 9CK1057 and 9CK1063 are recommended potentially eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Sites 9CK16, 9CK1 061, 9CK1 062, 9CKI 064, 9DW14, 9DW15, 9DW55, 9DW56, 9DW57, 9DW58, and 9DW111 were previously recommended ineligible for the NRHP. NRHP recommendations for resources CK-106 (central hallway cottage with Gothic Revival elements) and DW-59 (central hallway cottage) were not determined. Resource DW-61 (Salem United Methodist Church) is recommended eligible for the NRHP. Resources DW-62 (central hallway cottage with Queen Anne elements) and DW -63 (central hallway cottage) are recommended potentially eligible for the NRHP.     During architectural field survey Brockington and Associates, Inc., identified two previously unrecorded architectural resources, DW-GP-1 and DW-GP-2, within the APE of the proposed transmission line that meet the 50 year minium age criteria for NRHP evaluation. Resource DW-GP-1 (vernacular gable ell cottage built in 1910) is recommended eligible for the NRHP. However, as long as the proposed 30 meter (100 feet) buffer between the project corridor and DW-GP-1 remains intact, there will be no direct or indirect effects to this resource from project implementation. The buffer will provide topography and vegetation between the resource and the proposed undertaking. Resource DW-GP-2 (late nineteenth century spring house) is recommended ineligible for the NRHP.     The previously recorded architectural resources were also evaluated (or re-evaluated) during the architectural field survey. Resources CK-106, DW-61, and DW-62 are recommended eligible for the NRHP. Resource DW-59 is recommend ineligible for the NRHP, while resource DW-63 is recommended potentially eligible for the NRHP. Due to their distance from the transmission line corridor none of the previously recorded archaeological sites will be effected by project implementation.