Archaeological Survey: Proposed Recreational Development, Gainesville, Georgia

In September and October of 1976, an archaeological-historical survey was conducted by Anne F. Rogers, under the direction of Roy S. Dickens, Jr. and Timothy Crimmins, on a tract of land near Gainesville, Georgia. This property, which is located between West By-Pass Highway and Lake Lanier, is scheduled for development as a recreational facility. A check of historical records indicated that there was no late nineteenth or early twentieth century settlement in the area. North and south boundaries of the proposed development are marked by small streams which flow into Lake Lanier. The property is dissected by three east-west inlets which divide it into four sections. These inlets serve as drainage outlets and also contain back water from the lake. The water level of the lake was low at the time of the survey, and the bottoms of these inlets were partly exposed. Much of the area is wooded, with pine being the predominant tree type. Scrub hardwoods form a thick undergrowth throughout the wooded sections. The size of the pines indicates that this area was cleared as recently as ten to twenty years ago. Hardwoods occur mainly on steep slopes and immediately adjacent to the lake. Two dirt roads provide access to the lake from the highway and end in small parking areas. There are also several foot trails in the central portion of the tract. For descriptive purposes, the area can be considered to consist of four sections which are delineated by the east-west inlets mentioned above, with Section 1 at the north end and Section 4 at the south.