Archaeological Survey of the Tugaloo State Park and Gum Branch Access GO FISH GEORGIA Boat Ramps, Lavonia and Hartwell, Georgia

Southern Research, Historic Preservation Consultants, Inc. (hereafter, Southern Research), has completed an archaeological survey of the proposed Tugaloo State Pak and Gum Branch Access GO FISH GEORGIA boat ramps. The Area of Potential Effect (APE) for the Tugaloo State Park boat ramp consists of two separate parcels encompassing approximately 66 acres on the shoreline of Lake Hartwell in Franklin County, Georgia. The Gum Branch Access boat ramp's APE consists of a single 36-acre parcel located on Lake Hartwell at the end of Gum Branch Road in Hartwell, Hart County, Georgia. This work was conducted under Archaeological Resources Protection Act Permit Numbers: DACW21-4-09-2008 (Tugaloo) and DACW21-4-09-2009 (Gum Branch). Archaeological investigations at the Gum Branch Access boat ramp APE indicate that this area has been highly disturbed by previous construction/ grading and erosion, with large portions of the area having been previously paved for parking. No cultural materials were encountered within the Gum Branch APE. Archaeological survey of the Tugaloo State Park boat ramp APE resulted in the identification of three previously undocumented archaeological sites (9FK70, 9FK71, and 9FK72) and one isolated find (Isolate 1). Site 9FK70 is a heavily disturbed early-to-mid twentieth century historic house site located in the northwestern portion of the APE. Site 9FK71 is a light prehistoric quartz lithic scatter of unknown age and cultural affiliation located in the northeastern portion of the Tugaloo APE. Site 9FK72 is a twentieth century house/building foundation located in the southern portion of the Tugaloo boat ramp APE. Isolate 1 consists of a single rhyolite flake found in a shovel test. These sites and the isolated find have little research value beyond the survey identification level. It is our opinion that additional investigation at these sites would not yield any new, valuable, or significant archeological or anthropological information. For these reasons, sites 9FK70, 9FK71, and 9FK72, and Isolate 1 are recommended not eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Further management consideration of sites 9FK70, 9FK71, and 9FK72, or the remainder of the Tugaloo and Gum Branch GO FISH GEORGIA boat ramps in regard to cultural resources is not warranted.