Phase II Archaeological Testing of the Landers-Pounds House (Site 9GW258) Located within the Pleasant Hill Road Widening Project (Task #70-32), Gwinnett County

This report details the Phase II archaeological testing conducted at the Landers-Pounds site (9GW258) between December 27 and 31, 1993. The Landers-Pounds House site is a historic archaeological site with a minor prehistoric component and is located in suburban Gwinnett County, Georgia. The archaeological testing was conducted in order to assist the Gwinnett County Department of Transportation with cultural resource compliance issues prior to the implementation of the proposed Pleasant Hill Road widening project (Task #70-32). The Landers-Pounds site was determined to be within the Area of Potential Effect of the proposed project undertaking. Archaeological testing was recommended to assess the nature of the associated deposits. The site was divided into two loci. Locus 1 consists of the area surrounding the main house. Locus 2 consists of an associated house site. Three 3 foot x 3 foot test units were excavated at locus 1 and two test units at locus 2. No intact archaeological features were exposed at either locus. Archival research and interviews conducted with local informants revealed a complete history of the families who occupied the Landers-Pounds House, with the exception of the period spanning 1880 to 1900. Oral history gathered prior to the study had indicated that the owners of the Landers-Pounds House had owned slaves, and that the slaves had lived in the location of locus 2. Historical data gathered during the project indicated that the owners were not slave holders, and available evidence indicates that locus 2 was not occupied until well after the Civil War. The analysis of the artifacts recovered from both loci support these conclusions. This study clearly indicated that no archaeological deposits were present in locus 1 or locus 2 that would meet criteria for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. No further archaeological investigations are recommended prior to the proposed widening of Pleasant Hill Road. However, a Historic American Building Survey (NABS) may be required by the Georgia State Historic Preservation Office prior to the implementation of the proposed project undertaking.