An Archeological Survey of the Proposed Expansion of the Seminole Road Landfill, DeKalb County, Georgia

In May and June, 2001 Southeastern Archeological Services conducted an intensive archeological survey for the proposed expansion of the Seminole Road Landfill, near DeKalb County's southern boundary. The work was completed for DeKalb County through the engineering firm of ARCADIS, Geraghty and Miller, Inc., Atlanta. The project will require a Section 404 permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District, and thus Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (as amended) takes effect. This requires that projects consider the effect of an undertaking on significant cultural resources. The project area encompasses roughly 1000 ac (404 ha). Archival research revealed that six archeological sites had been recorded in the project area. Our survey recorded 41 previously unreported sites and four artifact occurrences (Table 1). These 41 sites consist of three historic saw mill locations, five sites with rock piles, one historic bridge location, four prehistoric artifact (lithic and ceramic) scatters, fifteen prehistoric lithic scatters, eight historic house sites, and five sites with both prehistoric and historic occupations. One of the six previously recorded sites (9DA153), an 1850s standing house, has been recommended as potentially eligible to the National Register on archeological criteria and eligible on the basis of architectural criteria. Based on the current survey, we recommend three other sites (9DA368, 9DA383, and 9DA407) as potentially eligible for inclusion in the National Register. These are all prehistoric occupation sites marked by aboriginal pottery and lithic debris. They may contain features and subsurface deposits that would provide important, new information on prehistoric lifeways in this region of Georgia, but this research potential has not yet been demonstrated. A final cultural resource of concern is a recently established "pauper's cemetery," north of Ellenwood Road and Ward Lake. We were informed that this cemetery was established by DeKalb County within the past few years, and contains about six graves. Cemeteries are protected from development by state law (OCGA 36-72). We recommend that the cemetery , and the four archeological sites mentioned above be avoided and preserved in place. The previously reported house site, as well as two of the three potentially eligible sites that were recorded on our survey (9DA368 and 9DA383) lie near the edge of the survey area, within a buffer zone depicted on project maps, and therefore may be located outside the area of potential effect. The cemetery was presumably placed in an area that was intended to remain a cemetery for the indefinite future, so this resource should also be secure. The final potentially eligible site (9DA407) lies within the area of potential effect as currently planned. If this, or any of the other archeological sites cannot be avoided and preserved in place, they should be archeologically tested, to firmly determine eligibility status.