An Archaeological Survey of the Zachry Tract, West Point, Georgia

In July of 20o6, Southern Research conducted a Phase One Archaeological Survey within the 178 acre Zachry Tract in Troup County, Georgia within the city limits of West Point (Figure 1). The Zachry Tract was donated to the City of West Point by the Trust for Public Land (TPL) in 2004 as part of a plan to create a series of connected green spaces along the Chattahoochee River from Helen to Columbus. That same year, the city was awarded a grant by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources' (DNR) Recreational Trails Program (RTP) to begin development of a trail system in the Zachry Tract that will serve as a link in the Chattahoochee Riverwalk Regional Park. The funds for RTP grants come from the U. S. Federal Highway Administration congressional appropriations and the Georgia DNR administers the program. The archaeological survey was conducted in order to comply with Section 1o6 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (as amended), which calls for the Georgia DNR and the City of West Point to consider the effects to significant cultural resources which may be impacted if the proposed undertaking is permitted. The TPL announced the donation of the property to the city in 2004 in a news release on their web site: "...this new regional park property buffers nearly 3600 feet of river frontage and connects with the City's existing, active recreation park to the south via a riverfront greenway. The conceptual plan for the new park includes multiuse hiking trails, scenic overlooks, picnic shelters, public boat launches and a 300person amphitheater for community events" (TPL 2004). The Zachry Tract is situated just north of downtown West Point along the east bank of the Chattahoochee River. The Area of Potential Effect (APE) is considered to be the entire tract and is bounded by the railroad track on the south, U. S. Highway 29 on the southeast corner, a Georgia Power Transmission Line on the east and a surveyed property line on the north. The Chattahoochee River forms the western boundary of the APE. Forest Park Subdivision occupies a prominent ridge top overlooking the river's floodplain and tributary stream and pushes into the tract from the east. The archaeological survey within the APE resulted in the identification of ten previously unidentified archaeological sites and two isolated finds. Two of the sites are recommended as eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), four are recommended as potentially eligible for the NRHP and in need of further work to resolve issues of integrity and association. Four sites and the isolated finds are not significant, as they do not meet any of the NRHP criteria.