Cultural Resources Survey for the Proposed Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Tattnall County, Georgia

The Department of Veterans Services has proposed the construction of a new Veterans Memorial Cemetery just north of Glennville along US 301 in Tattnall County, Georgia. The cemetery would be located in an area that was used primarily as agricultural land throughout the twentieth century. Southeastern Archeological Services, Inc. conducted an intensive archeological survey of the proposed cemetery area, in order to identify any potential impacts the cemetery would have on significant cultural resources (historic properties or significant archeological sites). During fieldwork two structures older than 50 years (a house and its associated barn) were documented. These structures appear eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The house represents a fine, intact example of the house type known in Georgia as the front gable bungalow. Both structures together have been determined to possess integrity in the areas of location, setting, design, materials, workmanship, feeling and association. Because construction of the Veterans Cemetery will require demolition or removal of both structures, the project will have an adverse effect on both. In addition, two archeological sites were discovered during fieldwork. Site 9TT90 is a sparse scatter of historic period artifacts that surrounds the aforementioned structures and links them with the remains of two outbuildings. The two outbuildings were associated with the other structures as elements of an early twentieth century farm complex. The archeological deposits at site 9TT90 are too sparse, too recent, and too poorly preserved to be contribute to the site's eligibility to the National Register. Site 9TT91 is the razed and plowed remnant of an earlier farmstead that consisted of a house and barn. At least one structure stood at the location from 1914 to 1973, but today there is little evidence of any structures or of the pecan grove that fronted them. Site 9TT91 is too poorly preserved to be considered eligible to the National Register. As a result of these findings, we have recommended that two significant cultural resources, the farm house and barn, will be adversely affected by the proposed Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Resolution of this adverse effect might be accomplished by documentation of the property to National Register standards. Preparation of measured drawings and archival photography might also be included in these measures.