In May of 1975, the Mary Gay House, located in the City of Decatur, DeKalb County, Georgia, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Subsequently, its original location at 524 Marshall Street was zoned commercial, and the property was put up for sale. In response to preservation concerns expressed by civic and historical organizations in DeKalb County, the owners of the property donated the house to the Junior League of DeKalb County, Inc. This organization proposed that the house be moved to a new location. Also, it desired to retain the listing of the house on the National Register so that the house would maintain its eligibility for grant assistance. The Junior League learned late in negotiations for preserving the house of a archaeological requirement that would effect National Register listing. To maintain the listing, the new site to which the house was to be moved would have to be archaeologically assessed. This was to insure that no archaeological resources would be Inadvertently disturbed or destroyed by the relocation. Dr. Roy S. Dickens, Jr. (Georgia State University, Atlanta) was contracted by the League and informed of the situation. Due to the urgency expressed by the League, Dr. Dicke volunteered to conduct the assessment. This is a report of the archaeological survey conducted on the new site selected for the Mary Gay House.
Help us to continue to make advances in research, stewardship, and bringing the past to life. No matter the size of the gift, your contribution will directly support groundbreaking archaeological research through sustaining student and outreach programs, and technological innovations. To make a secure gift online to the Archaeology Lab Fund, CLICK HERE.