Archaeological Survey of a Portion of the Brushy Mountain Line (9CO741) East of Cobb Parkway in Marietta, Georgia

Apalachee Research conducted this investigation at the request of a private sector client to document known Civil War earthworks in a Cobb County tract slated for commercial development in November 2012. The report submitted to the client in November 2012 concluded that the earthworks were extremely well preserved and recommended additional investigations to more fully evaluate their significance and eligibility for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The development was cancelled and the report was not submitted to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) for formal review. This summary report documents the results of the survey. The earthworks are part of the Brushy Mountain Line as indicated by the bronze historic marker fronting US 41 erected by the Georgia Historic Commission in 1954. Though this segment of the Brushy Mountain line was not listed as an archaeological site, a review of the Georgia Site File reveals that several sections of the line have identified been and recorded as archaeological sites, one of which is located on the adjacent property immediately west of US 41. Other sections of the Brushy Mountain line recorded as archaeological sites are located roughly 1.3 kilometers northwest of the current project area. Our investigation was limited to two tracts of land comprising a total of7.04 acres fronting U.S.41 I Cobb Parkway and bounded on the south by White Circle roughly three miles northwest of Marietta (Figures 1 and 2). The earthworks are preserved at the crest of the ridge within a0.18-acre area (Tract A-2) parceled off from the larger tract (Tract A-1), which was partially developed. This development included excavation and removal of the portion of the ridge immediately west of the earthworks, erasing any trace of earthworks that may have existed(Figure 3). The surviving earthworks in this vicinity are recorded as 9C0741 and include two parallel earthen embankments or batteries, several piled stone defensive features, individual rifle pits, and a continuous rifle trench that extends north along the ridge well beyond the boundaries of Tract A-2 and the proposed development. The field survey was conducted on November 8, 2012, with follow-up fieldwork undertaken on November 13, 2012. The literature search, fieldwork and reporting was conducted by George Price, who served as project Principal Investigator.