An Intensive Cultural Resource Assessment Survey for the Skidaway Retirement Center Chatham County, Georgia

An intensive cultural resource survey was performed by Environmental Services, Inc. (ESI), Savannah, Georgia, on 56.5 acres in Chatham County, Georgia, where Southern Retirement Services, LLC, of Atlanta proposes to construct a residential and assisted living retirement center on Skidaway Island. The study area was investigated for Thomas and Hutton Engineering, Savannah, Georgia, in order to meet obligations under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and as required in subcategory 'a' of the conditional permit issued by the US Army Corps of Engineers on 21 December 2000. The following report was prepared to meet federal and state guidelines, and in accordance with the Georgia State Historic Preservation Plan (Crook 1986a; GDNR 1989; GSHPO 1992). The goals of the investigation were to locate all prehistoric and historic sites within the project area, and to assess their significance and potential eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NR) as directed by federal laws and guidelines (Code of Federal Regulations [CFR], Title 36, Chapter VIII, Part 800 [36 CFR 800]). Field survey methods included a pedestrian inspection and shovel testing at 30 and 15 meter intervals over the entire property. Shovel testing was performed in areas of limited surface visibility, excluding areas marked by extensive erosion, steep slopes and standing water. All shovel tests measured 2: 30 centimeters in diameter and were dug to sterile soil. Reduced interval testing was used to bound and evaluate locations where artifacts or cultural landforms existed. Two trenches were excavated on an earthen berm and ditch in order to analyze their construction and to retrieve datable artifacts. Age data were gathered from tree cores using an increment borer to sample specimens growing out of the historic earthen berm. Two sites, 9CH956 and 9CH957, were identified. Site 9CH956 consisted of three potsherds recovered from the plowzone and subplowzone soils. Site 9CH957 consists of an historic earthwork, likely dating to the late nineteenth century, that also yielded seven prehistoric ceramic sherds from redeposited soils. Because of a lack of integrity, clarity, and research potential, no additional work at Site 9CH956 is recommended. Because of the lack of datable historic artifacts, the amount of excavation conducted, and the likelihood that the landform represents a historic property line/drainage ditch, no further work is recommended at Site 9CH957. Additionally, no further work for the prehistoric component is recommended because all artifacts came from disturbed deposits. None of the sites are considered eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. Based on these findings, it is recommended that the proposed retirement center construction proceed without concern for impact to significant cultural resources.