Cultural Resources Survey of the Proposed Mirror Lake Golf Course, Douglas County, Georgia

Brockington and Associates, Inc., conducted a cultural resources survey of the proposed Mirror Lake Golf Course, in Douglas County, Georgia from August 3-6, 1998. The Mirror Lake Golf Course is part of a larger development that will include residential lots, an apartment complex, and a commercial center, as well as the golf course. The proposed Mirror Lake development is located approximately 1.25 miles northeast of downtown Villa Rica and is comprised of numerous course survey, included historical research, archaeological and architectural survey, site evaluation, and evaluation of structural remains. These investigations were undertaken to comply with cultural resources legislation (National Historic Preservation Act, 16 USC 4 70, as amended 19 404 of the Clean Water Act of 1948 [33 USC 1344], as amended), and cultural resources regulations (36 CFR 800: Protection of Historic Properties; the Regulatory Programs of the US Army Corps of Engineers [USACE] [33 CFR 325, Appendix C]). The project area is rich in local history. Gold mining activities were conducted throughout the Villa Rica area during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, as well as within the Mirror Lake project tract. A fly-in dude ranch, the Flying "'S" Ranch, was established on the Mirror Lake development property in 1946 and operated until 1970. The dude ranch facilities included two airstrips, a skyway, guest houses, hiking and riding trails, and Lake Val-Do-Mar. One dilapidated structure, a guesthouse associated with this ranch, was encountered during the field survey. Archaeological investigations consisted of a combination of field methods involving intensive survey, surface inspection, and visual reconnaissance of all project tracts. Field survey resulted in the identification, recording, and evaluation of fifteen previously unrecorded archaeological sites. Eleven isolated finds were also documented. All identified resources were evaluated to a level sufficient to allow for recommendations of eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Table 1 summarizes the results of this survey. The project area has been severely impacted by ground disturbing activities such as clearing and grading. Erosion has also had a detrimental impact on the project area, with sheet erosion and gullying noted at all of the proposed golf course fairways and greens. These factors have impacted the integrity of the archaeological sites identified during this survey. All of the sites recorded during this survey were identified based on surface deposits. None of these sites have retained subsurface deposits and surface deposits lack spatial integrity. As noted above, the fifteen archaeological sites identified during this survey, as well as the 11 isolated finds , are recommended ineligible for the NRHP. Based upon the results of this survey, no further cultural resources investigation is warranted.