Balls Ferry State Historic Park Phase I Archaeological Investigation Wilkinson County, Georgia

MACTEC Engineering and Consulting, Inc. (MACTEC) was contracted by Wilkinson County, Georgia to provide a Phase I Cultural Resources Assessment of the proposed Phase I development of Balls Ferry State Historic Park. The objective of this assessment was to identify potential cultural resources within the project area. This report has been prepared to describe the findings of a literature and documents review, along with field work conducted September 18 and September 19, 2008. As part of this cultural resources assessment, a review of the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and the Georgia Archaeological Site File was conducted. Field survey methods consisted of pedestrian and vehicle reconnaissance, surface observation, and the excavation of shovel tests in undisturbed areas considered conducive to human habitation (i.e. less then a slope of 10 percent and/or not frequently flooded). Cultural material was recovered in twelve (12) positive shovel tests and one (1) historic feature was identified. Prehistoric artifacts recovered from the project area include lithic debitage. These artifacts are likely associated with the previously identified archaeological Site 9WK2 which has been previously recommended as potentially eligible for the NRHP. In addition, historic artifacts including olive bottle glass, whiteware, and stoneware dating to the mid 19111 century were recovered in close proximity to a manmade raised embankment which has been identified as a probable Civil War earthwork. Further research is recommended to identify and evaluate historic resources within the current project area and within the larger tract that will be used for Balls Ferry State Historic Park. Historic documentation has also been found, suggesting that an unspecified number of Union casualties may have been interred at Balls Ferry.