Kings Bay After the Civil War: Archaeological Investigations at three late Nineteenth--Early Twentieth Century Rural Sites Camden County, Georgia

This report describes archaeological testing at three late nineteenth/early twentieth century sites located within the Naval Submarine Base at Kings Bay, Camden County, Georgia. Testing objectives were to determine whether the sites were historically significant in terms of eligibility for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. Two sites were small farmsteads -- one operated by a black freedman (the Washington Homestead Site 9CM210) and the other by a Confederate war veteran (the David Pacetty Homestead Site 9CM212). The third site (the Pacetty Outlier Site 9CM213) was a small agricultural processing station, consisting of a cane boiling hearth, a well, and two small unidentified foundations. Our methods of research involved first documentary investigations, including reports and notes from previous archaeological studies, publications of local and regional history, government records, and local informants. Field investigations consisted of surface reconnaissance and subsurface testing, including post hole tests, 1x2 meter excavation units, and larger excavation units where necessary. Field testing results supported the contention that all three sites were occupied or operated during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Nearly all artifacts recovered were utilitarian rather than decorative in nature, suggesting our residents had neither the financial means nor the cultural "need" to buy more expensive products. Material wealth appeared to be significantly lower than it had been for Kings Bay planters before the Civil War. In terms of settlement patterns, the sites were smaller and yielded fewer and less substantial structural foundations. Major differences in material wealth were noted between the two late historic homesteads as well. Ceramic assemblages from the Pacetty and Washington homesteads showed that the Pacettys led a simple life but did possess some items in addition to necessities; for example, tableware included some fancy tea sets and "better, dinnerware for special occasions. The black freedman Washington and family possessed few items beyond basic necessities; their ceramics consisted primarily of plain crock pots, jugs and pitchers. In fact, few real "tableware" items were recovered from the site, leading us to wonder if wooden bowls were used here, as they were at some earlier slave residences. Management plans included recommendations that the Washington Homestead Site and Pacetty Outlier Site be considered eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, and for their inclusion in the Kings Bay Archaeological Multiple Resource Area.