An Archaeological Survey of the Spray Field Project Area, United States Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia

The purpose of this report is to present the findings of a recently conducted archeological reconnaissance survey on the U.S. Navy's Trident Submarine facility located at Kings Bay, Georgia (Figure 1). As construction schedules and needs mandate, selected areas of the Kings Bay facility are subjected to additional archeological research. In this view, Phase I reconnaissance level survey or Phase II, intensive testing is conducted to better define the archeological and/or historic sites previously identified during the 1977-78 University of Florida archeological survey, or to determine the presence of additional sites located on the facility. The area selected for current survey is located within the northern portion of the U. S. Naval facility at Kings Bay near the border separating the sub base from Crooked River State Park to the north. In general, the survey area is bordered on the north by lands adjacent to Crooked River State Park, on the east by the Cherry Point land form, on the south by the Kings Bay Spray field facility, and on the west by lands adjacent to state road Spur 40. The land area subjected to survey is scheduled to be modified into an 18-hole golf course, but the project area, being located adjacent to the Navy's spray field facility, has been termed the spray field survey. The spray field survey area lies within the western extreme of the Kings Bay Naval facility in the inland pine flatwoods. During the 1977-78 University of Florida archeological survey, this environmental zone was not subjected to extensive archeological investigation due to a currently subjective view on the part of most archeologist's that this environmental zone was never utilized to any great extent by aboriginal populations. The lack of substantive archeological data to support this view has, however, not permitted the comparison of research findings (inland vs. coastal) at Kings Bay as well as in other coastal areas. In an attempt to increase data available for such comparisons, and as required by law, the Georgia State Archeologist's Office requested that the spray field area be subjected to an archeological site assessment survey. The purpose then of this reconnaissance survey was to determine the presence or absence of any archeological or historic sites on the 120 hectare (300 acre) survey area, to assess the scheduled development's impact on any sites discovered during this research, and to report the findings of this investigation upon the completion the project. The following report details the results of the archeological investigation of the spray field area, the methodology employed, as well as recommendations for the project area. Based upon the U.S. Navy's established Scope of Work for this project, a systematic sampling procedure, in the form of screened subsurface shovel tests, was employed to establish the presence or absence of archeological or historic sites on the project area. Secondary or intensive testing of the site was not undertaken at the present level of investigation. The 20-day fieldwork portion of this project was conducted during October and November, 1985 under the author's supervision by Chip Huston, who served as Project Archeologist. The field crew was composed of James Cafin, Scott Hudson, and Terry Groover. The author wishes to thank each of these persons for their assistance in the completion of this project.